Information for NWDC Members Only

Upcoming Exhibition Opportunities:

Allied Arts Gallery at the Park / Richland, WA
March 31 – May 1, 2026 (All Media)
Opening Reception: Sunday, April 12th, from 1-3 pm
TITLE: "Handwork 2026: Shaped in the Northwest"

Auburn Postmark Center for the Arts / Auburn, WA
July 11 - October 10, 2026 (All Media)
“Handwork 2026: Northwest Designer Craftartists”
DEADLINE: April 17, 2026

Kirkland Art Center / Kirkland, WA
October 1 - November 1, 2026 ( Ceramics & Wood )
TITLE: "Handwork 2026: Wood and Clay in the Northwest"
DEADLINE: August 21, 2026

PROSPECTUS

Handwork:2026 | Northwest Designer Craftartists

Postmark Center for the Arts

20 Auburn Avenue, Auburn, WA

July 11 - October 10, 2026

Important Information

Entry form opens: March 16, 2026

Entry form link: https://forms.gle/BUYh64JiJaHAJdvs9

Deadline to enter: April 17, 2026

Juror: Barbara Matilsky

Artists notified by: May 15, 2026

Deliver art to gallery on: July 7, 2026

Delivery Address: 20 Auburn Avenue, Auburn, WA

Shipping Address: Lake Union Mail, 117 E Louisa St, Seattle, WA 98102.

Exhibition dates: July 11 – October 10, 2026

Opening Reception: July 16, 2026

Closing Reception: October 8, 2026

Pick up art from the gallery on : October 12, 2026

Open to : All artist members

Work will not be marketed for sale

For more information, email NWDCExhibitions@gmail.com

About our Juror:

Barbara Matilsky was curator at the Whatcom Museum in Bellingham from 2009-2018 where she organized the international traveling exhibition Vanishing Ice: Alpine and Polar Landscapes in Art 1775-2012. For the past three years, she has been curating the Women Rising art exhibition in conjunction with the Cascadia International Women’s Film Festival. For more information, see: barbaramatilsky.com

Specifics:

• Open to members of NWDC who have paid their 2026 membership dues

• Media: Clay, wood, glass, metal, fiber, and/or mixed media

• Members are guaranteed to have one work accepted into the show, as long as the entries meet the requirements outlined in this prospectus.

• Members should enter at least two pieces, up to a maximum of 3 artworks. Because wall space at this venue is limited, please enter at least one piece that is less than 36” wide. Depending on the number and type (2D/3D) of submissions, larger work may be selected if space allows.  Please enter work in a variety of sizes if possible.

• Collaborative works are accepted. Artists submitting collaborative work may also submit individual work as a separate entry, but no artist may submit more than 3 entries total.

• Work must be original in design and created after January 1, 2021

• Artists are required to submit their full name, title of work, date, dimensions, materials, retail price, and photo credits for all images on the entry form

• Artwork will not be for sale out of the show. The Postmark Center will refer any inquiries back to the artist. 

• Artists must complete a consignment agreement and include it with the art at delivery.

• All artwork should be ready to hang or diplay. Include all necessary hardware or mounts.

• Accepted artwork that differs significantly from the image in the online submission will be disqualified.

• Once work is submitted for jurying, it may not be withdrawn or sold outside the exhibition until after the October 2 closing date.

• Accepted work must remain on display for the duration of the exhibition.

• The Postmark Center for the Arts provides insurance for the work for its retail value while on premises.

• Artists are responsible for transporting work to the gallery on July 7,2026. The Postmark Center does not accept direct shipments. Work must be delivered in person OR shipped to a local NWDC representative for delivery. Email NWDCexhibitions@gmail.com to let us know who will be delivering your work (if not yourself), if you need any special accommodations, or need to ship your work to an exhibition committee volunteer for delivery. *If shipping work, you must enclose a pre-paid return shipping label and packing instructions.

• The Postmark Center is not responsible for loss or damage to the work in transit to or from the gallery.  In the event of damage in transit, the artist is responsible for settling all claims with the carrier.

• Artists agree to promote the exhibition on their website, via email, and social media.

• Artists agree to make any necessary arrangements with their gallery representation if needed. 

• Gallery hours: Wednesdays 12 – 4 pm; Thursdays 12 - 6 pm; Fridays 12 – 4 pm; Second Saturday 12 – 4 pm. Additional hours during programming. Closed Sunday – Wednesday.

Image Specifications

• At least two, and up to three artworks should be submitted per application. For each artwork submitted provide a full view image and a detail image.

• Before you apply, please prepare your professional quality .jpg images to the following specifications:

• File format:  JPEG or JPG only

• 300 DPI and a width of at least 2,000 pixels on the shortest side. (Instructions for adjusting photo images on your computer can be found at the Members Only tab on the NWDC website.)

• File size: 5 MB or less

• Label each image file with your last name, first name, title of artwork, and _1 for the full image and _2 for the detail or alternate image.  

Example: Smith_Joe_Ice Star_1.jpg (full image) and Smith_Joe_Ice Star_2.jpg (detail image).

Publicity

• Artists grant permission to use images and provided information for publication and promotional purposes by NWDC and the City of Auburn. This includes exhibition announcements, press materials, interpretive displays, advertising, website and social media posts, and other promotional activities.

• NWDC and the City of Auburn have the right to publish any information or images provided by the artists with no payment to the artist or photographer for this content.