Venue Procedures

Displaying and Selling Art at HCAA Events

All Resident Members of HCAA are entitled to display and sell their works at any of the venues staged by and for HCAA throughout the year.  There are a number of “standard” venues that have been used by HCAA for several years.  Lessons learned from these events have been incorporated into the Procedures noted in this article.  Our Members work hard to present HCAA and each Artist’s work in the most favorable light.  We certainly want a professional and appealing display of everyone’s efforts, so it would be appreciated by our hard-working volunteers for members to read, understand, and adhere to these Procedures.

Each venue has a scheduled “installation” period, which is when the art accepted for display to the public will be arranged, tagged, and set up.   Note: Art from the previous event and any pieces not included in the new installation must be removed from the site on the installation date.  You can imagine that doing this many times per year can be tedious and difficult unless everyone involved does his/her part.  Please read on to learn what part you can play.

General Procedures

We have a standard online venue registration process and some general guidelines applicable to all installations.   All current members will receive an email reminder approximately one week prior to each installation.  The online registration period will normally close at 7 O’clock Friday morning immediately prior to each Saturday installation date.  Timely registration ensures that labels for your pieces can be printed before the installation and that your pieces will be included on the printed Sales List. If you do not have an email address, discuss arrangements with one of our officers.  It is recommended that you use a computer (desktop or laptop), or a tablet for making your online submission. Most of the submission errors we have experienced stem from the small screen limitations of cell phones. You will be encouraged to contact one of our volunteers for assistance with the online registration process.

Please note that the venue registration forms limit the maximum number of entries per artist for each venue as follows:

Franklins - 3

Fleishers and PGPCC - 2

This does not mean that every item you submit will be hung. Wall space is limited, and we want all members to have the opportunity to participate. Those decisions will be rightfully made on site when we see how many are actually delivered

Your cooperation is appreciated since it will help assure the installation process proceeds smoothly and efficiently at each venue.

Standardized electronic loan agreements are required and included in the Registration process for each venue as TERMS ACCEPTED BY ARTIST.  By putting a checkmark in the block on the form and clicking on “SUBMIT” you have acknowledged that you have read and agreed to the terms for that venue.  A link to the specific Registration Form and the Loan Agreement for each venue is at the end of the description of Procedures for each venue below. Also, for your convenience the submission forms can be accessed on the main menu on every page of the site by hovering a mouse pointer over Our Artists > Exhibit Registration and clicking on the venue of interest.

In the event you submit fewer than the maximum allowable entries for a given venue and subsequently decide to submit one or more additional entries you will need to Re-Register to submit only the additional piece/s. Also, if one or more items being exhibited at a specific venue are to remain on exhibit for the following cycle a new registration should be submitted in advance of the exhibit date to include them as well as any new items to be exhibited.

Note: Non registered items may be brought to each venue for consideration depending on space available. Please be prepared to provide the Tag Team with the Title, medium, price, and dimensions clearly written so that they can be manually added to the Sales List and so that tags for your artwork can be hand printed by one of our scribes. Priority will, in all fairness, be given to items submitted through the established online venue registration process. All accepted entries, whether preregistered or not, are subject to the same Terms as those agreed to by online registrants. Please be sure to follow the venue specific directions for what to do at that venue.

For all installations, your piece should be securely wired and include your name, piece name, and price on the back of the piece.  HCAA reserves the right not to hang pieces considered inappropriate to the venue.  Generally, this excludes nudity, political themes, and profanity.  Because these installations are done as a public service, HCAA and the venue operators are not liable for any loss or damage to your piece while installed and exhibited.  If you stay for the installation, pick up your tags and tape them to the lower right corner of your work.  If you don’t stay, someone will have to do this for you, so it is important that you have labeled your piece on the back.

All artists are responsible for picking up their work from the previous exhibit. If you had work hanging but cannot pick it up, make arrangements IN ADVANCE for someone else to pick it up for you at the next installation time. 

New PolicyAny work or works not designated to be rehung for the next exhibition will be stored by HCAA volunteers. Any such pieces still in the possession of HCAA 30 days later will become the property of HCAA.

You can see examples of some of the art that is currently on display at each of our usual venues by looking at the slide show on our website Home Page.  Instructions for each of those specific venues are included below:

Franklins Restaurant

At the Franklins site, members are required to drop off work by the reception area, along the walls. The Tag Team is normally located in the right front corner as you enter from the side door.

Work from the previous exhibit will be placed on the lower level, along the window benches and in booths.  A designated Hang Team should be in attendance to take down and hang work.  Don't be surprised if you are invited to assist.  All pieces at Franklins are numbered on the wall and on the Sales List.  If you stay for the installation, pick up your tags, tape them to the lower right corner of your piece, and inform the Tag Team of the wall number of your piece(s).  Register online by clicking on this link.

Fleishers Jewelers of Maryland

Fleishers is a small venue. We drop off and pick up. There is no room to hang around and visit. Pieces hung are generally not much larger than 16" x 20".

Place your new piece along the bottom of the counter to the right. The old pieces will be along the wall to the left of the door. Price your work by what you want to receive. Fleisher’s will add their percentage to establish the actual listed selling price. HCAA does not take a commission.There are no tags for this exhibit.  Register online by clicking on this link.

Prince Georges Plaza Community Center (PGPCC)

Two exhibits occur at this site.  First, there is an opportunity for one artist, ideally once per month, to have a Solo Wall exhibit and hold a reception. Sign up opportunities for the Solo Wall are announced at the start of each year and modified as needed throughout the year. Solo Wall participation does not employ the online registration process. Second, for our normal PGPCC group exhibit drop off new work along the wall to the left as you enter.  Works from previous exhibits are put on the opposite wall by the tables. Tape your tags to your work in the lower right corner.  Register online by clicking on this link.