Information for Artists

The show welcomes artists resident (full-time and part-time) on any of BC’s coastal islands, including Vancouver Island, the Gulf Islands and Haida Gwaii. Between 375-380 pieces in a variety of mediums will be chosen by our jurors for exhibition.

All artwork must be of a high calibre and display a good understanding of the chosen medium. Artwork must be the *original creation of the artist, with an emphasis on technical ability as well as artistic accomplishment. Work that is inventive, displays creativity and shows fresh perspective is encouraged.

All artwork submitted will be categorized according to the medium for the jurors’ review. The volunteer SFAS Adjudication Committee has the final authority as to which category work is most suited.

• 2D – Includes all media (excluding Photography – see below) on board, canvas or paper, excluding giclée reproductions, which are not accepted.
• 3D Sculpture – Three dimensional, functional or sculptural work of any material(s), excluding clay or glass (see below).
• Photography – Categorized by type of archival print process used i.e: either Traditional Archival Print (silver gelatine) or Digital Archival Print. Photographs are only accepted as limited edition prints, restricted to runs of 25 or less, and upon acceptance, accompanied by Certificates of Authenticity specifying each print’s limited edition number. Traditional photographic and digital images that have been altered via digital software or other means must state “creatively altered”. Artists can only alter their own original photographs.
• Jewellery – Artists must indicate hand-fabricated materials in the “medium and substrate” field of the online submission form.
• Ceramic – Functional or sculptural work where the primary material is clay.
• Glass – Functional and sculptural work where the primary material is glass that has been hand-formed, handworked, handblown or hand-cast.
• Fibre – Wall hangings, quilts, rugs, wearable work etc., where the primary material is fibre.
• Digital Art – Includes any artwork that draws upon digital technology as an essential part of its creative process. It can include digital drawings, paintings, illustration, and/or photographs that have been excessively enhanced using digital tools. All artists are required to outline their artistic process when submitting digital art. AI-generated art is not eligible – see Artwork Requirements & Eligibility.

• Online submission: March 15 – June 1, 2025
• Submission fees received by: June 1, 2025
• Notification of accepted art: June 17, 2025 – by 5pm
• Exhibition registration due: June 27, 2025
• Drop-off of accepted art: July 11 (4pm-8pm) & July 12 (9:30am – 4:30pm), 2025
• Pickup of unsold art: August 5, 2025 (2pm – 8pm)
• Show dates: July 26 – Aug 4, 2025 (Opening night: July 25 – 7pm)

*NOTE:  SFAS Support for submissions will not be available after 4:00pm on the last day. Online submissions will, however, remain open until midnight. The deadline is final. Late image submissions will not be accepted.

• Up to three pieces per artist may be submitted. (Diptychs or triptychs are considered one piece). Submission fees are $20 (+GST) per piece and are not refundable after submissions have closed.
• Artists can submit 3 artworks for the jury, but only up to 2 pieces from one artist may be chosen for exhibition.
• Artwork must be the original creation of the artist. See “Information on Copyright for the Artist” below.
• Collaborations are acceptable. The submission process should be entered under one artist’s name, and the names of the other collaborators should then be listed in the the “Artist Name” field within the item details. An artist’s involvement in a collaboration would be considered one of their three submissions.
• The maximum size for 2D artwork (including diptychs and triptychs) is 7’ 6” x 7’ 6” (228cm x 228cm). For 3D works, a maximum of 9’ 0” (108” or 274cm) in height applies. 
• SFAS strives to present a fresh, original show each year. Artwork must be completed in the last 18 months, and not have been shown online or in person in another major, juried art show on BC’s Coastal Islands. 
• The Sooke Fine Arts show is both an exhibition and a sale. Artwork must be available for sale at a fair market price (minimum price $350).
• Limited Editions: photographic prints and 3-D cast work (from artist’s originals) are accepted for adjudication in limited editions of not more than 25. Such work must be annotated with the limited edition number, run and process i.e. 2/25, silver gelatine/bronze/cold cast bronze, etc. and must be accompanied by Certificates of Authenticity upon delivery (i.e it is not required at the submission stage). This also applies to work created on a 3-D printer (see computer-generated note below). A piece from a limited edition run will be accepted once for showing at any Sooke Fine Arts Show.
• Hand-pulled engravings, lithographs, and etchings are accepted for adjudication, in limited editions of not more than 30, accompanied by Certificates of Authenticity upon delivery.
• Digital artwork must be entirely original and/or created from the artist’s original work. Accepted digital artwork must be printed for exhibition. Artwork that has been substantially generated by an AI art generator is not eligible. Artists considering using an AI art generator in their work should contact the SFAS office prior to submission to discuss potential eligibility issues.
• The Sooke Fine Arts Show respects the cultural rights of Indigenous Peoples. It is requested that artists’ work be culturally appropriate in its content and that artists are authorized to use and can provide proof of permission to use Indigenous motifs/designs in their work.
• Reproductions and copies of 2D work (such as giclées/inkjet/archival ink) will not be accepted for adjudication.  
• Instructor-led work created within workshops/classrooms will not be accepted for adjudication.
• Substitutions for or changes to the submitted artwork will not be accepted. No exceptions.

• Artists must ensure that their work does not infringe on any copyright. Artwork derived from the work of another artist is not permissible.

  All artists should familiarize themselves with Canadian copyright laws. See Information on Copyright for the Artist for more details. If you are still unsure whether or not your work would be eligible, please email the SFAS office well in advance of the submission deadline.

  The Sooke Fine Arts Society retains the right to remove any artwork from adjudication that may contravene copyright laws or show standards. The SFAS also retains the right to refuse eligibility for any artist that has violated or not adhered to SFAS guidelines.

Image quality:

• Use plain or neutral backgrounds.
• Must be clearly focused, well-lit and properly exposed.
• Artists may be asked to submit new pictures if images are of poor quality.
• All images MUST give as close a representation of the work as possible in terms of colour and detail. Artwork that does not conform to the submission image may be refused.
• When possible, please obscure visible signatures on artwork, as jurying is done anonymously.
• It is preferred that frames not be included in submission images.

Re images:

• Up to two (2) images can be submitted for 2D, Photography, Fibre, Jewellery, Digital Art
• Up to three (3) images can be submitted for 3D and Glass/Ceramic
• The first image should be the main image that shows the full piece.
• The 2nd image should be used to show detail.
• It is recommended to include something for scale in one of the 3D images.
• For diptychs & triptychs, etc: The first image should show the whole piece, and the 2nd & 3rd images show detail.

 Image specifications:

• At least 1500 pixels on one side
• Maximum 4MB
• In jpg/jpeg format

Contact Information: Artist’s name, telephone number, and email . Please enter carefully and check for accuracy – especially emails.

Title: The title of the piece. 

Category: see Media Categories above. SFAS may re-categorize artwork prior to adjudication.

Medium and Substrate: a brief explanation of the techniques and primary artistic materials (i.e. oil, acrylic, watercolour, ceramic, glass, gold leaf, sterling silver, etc.) and the substrate or base materials, if any (i.e. canvas, steel, wood panel, rice paper, silk, etc.). * For Jewellery, artists must indicate all hand-fabricated materials. ** For Photography, artists must include: the type of archival print process used (only archival prints are accepted) plus the number and limited edition run (i.e. 3/25) along with any development/printing techniques (i.e. platinum print, Chromogenic, Daguerreotypes, etc) and creative alterations. For creatively altered photographs, artists must advise how their artwork was altered, i.e. whether digitally altered, used as a base/foundation, etc.

Contains Indigenous Motifs: This checkbox is in accordance with our policy on respecting the cultural rights of Indigenous Peoples. Artists should only check the box if they have used Indigenous motifis in their work and have the right and/or permission to do so.

Finished Dimensions: Measurements of the finished artwork in inches, in two or three dimensions, as appropriate.

Price: The sale price of the artwork at the Sooke Fine Arts Show, with a minimum of $350. All artwork submitted will be for sale. Artists are asked to consider the following when setting their price:

• Cost of materials
• Originality/uniqueness of the concept
• Creative time invested
• Framing /presentation costs
• Submission and exhibition fees
• 30% commission fee

Optional Description: A brief description (max 75 words) of the artist’s process, technique, inspiration, background, etc to engage jurors and create a positive connection with the artwork. The description should be presentation-ready, as it will be displayed online if the piece is accepted. For more information on writing an effective description, please refer to our FAQ.

Note: The optional description is not seen on the art label if the piece is chosen for the exhibition. If accepted, more information about a piece can be included in the artist’s biography.

PLEASE NOTE:

• There will not be any opportunity to make changes to submitted entries after June 1, 2025.
• Please keep in mind that the finishing and framing of your artwork is an important part of the overall presentation of your piece.
• Artists wishing to know the artwork presentation requirements for the 2025 show can refer to the SFAS 2025 Exhibition Guidelines.
• A Submission Requirements Checklist is provided on our website to help artists ensure all requirements for submission have been met.

An independent panel of three jurors is selected each year to review submissions and select pieces to be exhibited in the Sooke Fine Arts Show. Jurors are professionals in their fields, and may include curators, gallery owners, educators and established artists. The jurying process is anonymous. Jurors see submission images, titles, medium, substrate, piece size, and optional description and submissions are displayed in random order.

Artists will be notified by email June 17, 2025 once jurying is complete. Please add “sfas@sookefinearts.com” to your known sender list to ensure the email is not flagged as spam. The list of accepted artists will also be available online by 5pm on June 17.

Artwork not selected in a given year, if created within the 18-month time limit, can be submitted again the following year for evaluation by the new panel of jurors.

Jurors are not able to provide feedback on why a submission was not accepted.

Awards will be presented at the Artists Celebration (except for People’s Choice Award and the Children’s Choice Award, which will be awarded at the conclusion of the Show).