7th Annual TVAA Winter Art Market Artist/Vendor application here The Tennessee Valley Art Association was established in Tuscumbia, Alabama in the mid-1960’s after being inspired by the life-long aspirations of a local artist, Mrs. Ethel Davis. Her desire was for the community to have a “people’s museum”. It is the mission of the Tennessee Valley Art Association to promote all of the arts, encourage creativity and education, and support artists in their endeavors. The original portion of the museum was constructed in 1972 with numerous additions being added in the mid-1990’s expanding the exhibition spaces to over 3,300 sq.ft. Following an artist needing to cancel an exhibit in 2020, we embarked on the first Winter Art Market thinking it would be a way to help support the many artists we knew who had virtually all of their festivals canceled in the midst of the pandemic. The first year, we grossed a little over $26,000 in sales. Since then the market has averaged gross sales of $40,000. The Winter Art Market has become an anticipated event in our art buying community. What are we looking for? It is our goal to have this market known for its unique, high quality, handmade items in a wide variety of media. We feel that maintaining a high level of craftsmanship and quality is key to the continued success of this market. Previously, we have represented artists producing works in painting, photography, ceramics, fibers, wood, glass, jewelry, printmaking, etc… We also have offered artisan handmade candles and soaps in a separate ‘Mercantile’ area as a way to offer visibility and support to cottage industry ventures. How do I deliver work? Your artwork may be delivered in person to the museum or you may choose to ship it to us with a prepaid return shipping label or we can arrange return shipping afterward with a credit card. Attn: Winter Art Market Tennessee Valley Museum of Art 511 N. Water St. Tuscumbia, AL 35674 We highly recommend that artists who decide to ship their work consult and adhere to the standard guidelines offered by the major shipping agents (USPS, FedEx, UPS, DHL…). Some basic guidelines to remember are: use an appropriate sized box for the items you are shipping. Avoid using damaged boxes; new heavy duty boxes are recommended. Use strong packing tape to close boxes. Have your shipping label placed on the top of your box and indicate with arrows the preferred orientation of your box. Place at least 2” of packing material (peanuts, bubble wrap, airbags between the work and the outside of the box. Plan on using bubble wrap,foam, or a divider to cushion fragile items from each other during shipping. Consider reinforcing the interior corners of your box with additional cardboard to protect them from crushing. Be aware that packing peanuts will shift and settle as the box moves through transportation. When packing, gently shake your box as you add packing peanuts to settle them into place. Consult you...
