14th Annual Auction for the Arts Silent Auction Application

The Arts Council of Big Sky is please to host the 14th Annual Auction for the Arts event in February 2026 at the Big Sky Center for the Arts. Through this application, we are seeking original artwork for our juried silent auction. Exact timing TBD but will have artist-focused preview events February 6th and 13th. 

Please carefully review the Terms & Conditions below for the Artwork Selection Criteria and the Application Preparation Checklist before completing this application. FAQs can be found on at our website linked here https://bigskyarts.org/pages/art-auction-artist-faqs

Proceeds from the Auction for the Arts allow the Arts Council of Big Sky to make arts programming affordable and accessible so everyone can participate in art classes, events, and community art installations. 

Along with benefiting our community, the Auction for the Arts is a full-circle fundraiser that simultaneously creates an opportunity for amazing artists like yourself to earn income and connect with Big Sky patrons while also providing a critical revenue source for our organization.

Throughout the night, food and drinks, live entertainment, and a paddle raise to support the mission of the Arts Council will help create an amazing experience of creativity, community, and connection. In the mounts leading up to the Auction for the Arts, public and private previews will be held throughout Big Sky. More details to come!

Applications are due Friday, November 21st, 2025 - please reach out to Jesine Munson jesine@bigskyarts.org if you have any questions or issues. 

Artwork Selection Criteria and Application Preparation Checklist

Artwork Selection Criteria

Subject Matter

• Is the subject matter compelling to our audience?

• Is it unique or is the subject matter repeated across too many artworks?

Scale/Size

• Does the size of the artwork fit our displays?

• Will there be challenges with display, shipping and storage?

• Will potential buyers feel like they have room for the art in their home?

With the exception of a few key pieces, smaller and mid-sized pieces are preferable.

Salability

• Can we envision a potential buyer for this item? 

• Is it appealing to diverse tastes?

• Is the artist established and recognizable or a talented up-and-comer?  

• Is it representative of the artist's best work? 

• Is it a limited edition?

Style

• Do we have a range of types/genres of artwork? (e.g., photography, pottery, painting, sculpture)

• Do we have a range in styles? (contemporary, western, classical, abstract, etc) 

Price

• Is the price fair and appropriate? 

• Do we have the right number of items in each price tier?

• Does the price suit our market?

• Is the reserve approximately 60% or less?  

Application Submission Preparation

Please compile, collect, or otherwise prepare the following information for your application. You may submit up to three artworks for consideration.

• Brief artist statement/bio. Your artist statement is an introduction to your work and should be no more than 150 words. Describe who you are, where you are from and the basic premise behind your work, artistic style, and vision. What do you want to say with your art? What is it that makes your work unique? What inspires you? What makes you stand out from the rest of the artists working in your space? If your art is selected, this will be included in the description of your artwork.

• For each artwork submitted, you will need to provide a statement about the piece that will be used for our Auction entry, the Fair Market Value, an optional Reserve or minimum sell price, and the % you want to contribute to the Arts Council. 

  • The “Fair Market Value” is the estimated price the artwork would sell for under normal conditions. This value will be provided to potential bidders for reference. 

  • The “Reserve” is the lowest price at which the artwork will be permitted to be sold. If bids do not reach the reserve, the artwork will not be sold. Unsold artwork is returned to the artist at the Art Council’s expense. In order to ensure successful sales, we suggest that the reserve not be set at 60% or less of retail value.

  • The Auction for the Arts is a fundraiser and a portion of all art sales will be retained by ACBS. Artists determine their contribution percentage and can choose to contribute 100%, 75% or 50% of the final sale price to the ACBS.

  • Additional Contribution: Some artists may wish to make a larger donation if their artwork sells above the reserve price. Artists may opt to donate 75% or 100% of sales above the reserve. For example, let's say your reserve is $1000 and you select to contribute 50% of the sale price to the Arts Council. You also select that you'd like to make an Additional Contribution of 100% of the amount of your sale above the reserve. If the artwork sells for $1500, you would contribute $500 (50% of the reserve) plus another $500 (100% of the amount above the reserve) to the Arts Council. You would take home $500 (50% of the reserve). If you skip this question you would split the total sale price 50/50 and contribute $750 to the Arts Council and keep $750.

• For each artwork submitted, you may upload UP TO THREE images of the SAME artwork. Good photos of your piece can make or break your application success!!! 

  • Copy/paste the website below for tips for taking good photos of your artwork, even just with your phone. Also a reference for how to compress your image size without losing quality

  • https://willkempartschool.com/how-to-photograph-your-paintings-with-your-iphone/
  •  https://www.fotor.com/blog/how-to-compress-images/