Application Terms

Version 1.0 · Effective September 4, 2026

1. APPLICATION

These terms apply to the Applicant's submission to the Bird Swatch Archive exhibition identified above (the “Exhibition”).

Submission of an application does not guarantee acceptance, selection, exhibition, representation, publication, or sale of any artwork.

Bird Swatch Archive may accept or decline applications in accordance with the Exhibition's published eligibility requirements and curatorial review process.

2. ELIGIBILITY

The Applicant confirms that they satisfy the eligibility requirements published for the Exhibition.

The Applicant is responsible for reviewing all eligibility, artwork, size, weight, media, shipping, and other submission requirements before applying.

Bird Swatch Archive may determine that an application or artwork is ineligible if it does not meet the published requirements.

3. APPLICATION INFORMATION

The Applicant agrees to provide information that is accurate and complete to the best of their knowledge.

Application information may include:

  • Applicant name and contact information;
  • artist biography or statement;
  • artwork title;
  • medium;
  • dimensions;
  • year;
  • retail price;
  • edition information, where applicable;
  • artwork images; and
  • other information reasonably required for review.

The Applicant must not knowingly provide false, misleading, or materially inaccurate information.

4. SUBMITTED ARTWORK

The Applicant confirms that each submitted artwork is the Applicant's own work or that the Applicant otherwise holds all rights and permissions necessary to submit, exhibit, promote, and sell the work.

Submitted artwork must comply with the Exhibition's published artwork requirements.

Submission of a work does not require Bird Swatch Archive to select, exhibit, publish, or offer that work for sale.

5. ELIGIBLE MEDIA

Unless otherwise stated in the applicable exhibition record, eligible media are:

  • Works on Paper
  • Works on Canvas
  • Photography

Artwork outside the published eligible media may be determined ineligible.

6. SIZE AND WEIGHT REQUIREMENTS

Unless Bird Swatch Archive expressly states otherwise for the Exhibition, submitted Works must be capable of complying with the following limits:

  • longest artwork dimension: 48 inches maximum;
  • shorter artwork dimension: 36 inches maximum;
  • artwork depth: 3 inches maximum; and
  • fully packaged shipment weight: 30 pounds maximum.

The Applicant is responsible for accounting for framing, mounting, packaging, and other materials when determining whether a Work can satisfy the applicable requirements.

7. APPLICATION FEE

For Winter 2027, the application fee is $25.

The application fee is charged for processing and administering the application and does not purchase or guarantee acceptance, review outcome, exhibition placement, representation, promotion, or sale.

Payment of an application fee has no bearing on curatorial selection.

Applications approved for a fee waiver are not required to pay the application fee.

8. FEE WAIVERS

Bird Swatch Archive may make application fee waivers available according to the policies published for the Exhibition.

Requesting or receiving a fee waiver will not disadvantage an Applicant during curatorial review.

Fee waiver status and financial-hardship information are intentionally excluded from the curator review interface.

Applicants should provide only information reasonably requested as part of the waiver process.

9. CURATORIAL REVIEW

Applications will be reviewed according to the curatorial process established for the Exhibition.

Selection decisions may consider artistic quality, curatorial relevance, relationship to the Exhibition concept, presentation, available exhibition capacity, and other appropriate curatorial considerations.

Selection is inherently subjective.

Bird Swatch Archive does not guarantee that Applicants will receive individual feedback, scores, rankings, or explanations regarding selection decisions.

Curatorial decisions are final unless Bird Swatch Archive determines that administrative correction is necessary.

10. BLIND REVIEW

Bird Swatch Archive may use blind review for some or all stages of the selection process.

Where blind review is enabled, identifying Applicant information, payment status, fee waiver status, and financial-hardship information may be withheld from reviewers.

Bird Swatch Archive cannot guarantee complete anonymity where an artwork itself, submitted text, or other materials reveal or strongly suggest the Applicant's identity.

11. CONFLICTS OF INTEREST

Curators and reviewers may be required to disclose conflicts of interest relating to Applicants or submitted Works.

Bird Swatch Archive may reassign an application to another reviewer, exclude a reviewer from a decision, or take other reasonable steps to protect the integrity of the review process.

12. ARTWORK IMAGES AND APPLICATION MATERIALS

The Applicant retains ownership of copyright in submitted artwork images and other original materials.

The Applicant grants Bird Swatch Archive a limited, nonexclusive permission to store, reproduce, and display submitted materials internally as reasonably necessary to:

  • process the application;
  • conduct curatorial review;
  • administer the selection process;
  • verify application information; and
  • maintain administrative records relating to the open call.

Submission of an application alone does not grant Bird Swatch Archive a general right to publicly promote or commercially use the Applicant's artwork.

If the Applicant is selected, public exhibition, archive, promotional, and sales permissions will be governed by the applicable Artist Exhibition & Sales Agreement.

13. CONFIDENTIALITY AND PRIVACY

Bird Swatch Archive will process Applicant information in accordance with its applicable Privacy Policy.

Application information may be accessible to Bird Swatch Archive administrators, authorized curators or reviewers, and service providers reasonably necessary to operate the application and review process.

Sensitive or financial information that is not necessary for curatorial review will not intentionally be presented to curators.

Applicant information will not be provided to curators for unrelated purposes.

14. APPLICATION CHANGES

Applicants should review their submission carefully before finalizing it.

Bird Swatch Archive may allow Applicants to edit certain application information before the application deadline or before the application becomes locked for review.

Once an application is locked or the submission period has ended, changes may be restricted.

Bird Swatch Archive may permit administrative corrections where appropriate but is not required to allow substantive changes after the deadline.

15. WITHDRAWAL

An Applicant may request to withdraw an application before selection.

Withdrawal does not necessarily entitle the Applicant to a refund of the application fee.

If an Applicant withdraws after being selected, the Work may be removed from the Exhibition and the Applicant may no longer be eligible to participate with that Work.

16. SELECTION AND ACCEPTANCE

Applicants selected for the Exhibition will be notified through the method designated by Bird Swatch Archive.

Selection alone does not complete participation.

Selected Applicants may be required to:

  • confirm participation;
  • verify artwork details;
  • confirm pricing;
  • provide final exhibition imagery or information;
  • complete required administrative information; and
  • review and accept the Bird Swatch Archive Artist Exhibition & Sales Agreement.

If a selected Applicant does not complete the required acceptance steps by the stated deadline, Bird Swatch Archive may withdraw the invitation or select another Work.

17. ARTWORK AVAILABILITY AFTER SELECTION

Applicants should submit only Works they reasonably expect to remain available if selected.

If a submitted Work is sold, damaged, destroyed, or otherwise becomes unavailable before selection, the Applicant must notify Bird Swatch Archive promptly.

Once an Artist accepts participation, artwork availability will be governed by the Artist Exhibition & Sales Agreement.

18. SHIPPING RESPONSIBILITY IF SELECTED

Applicants acknowledge that the Exhibition uses an artist fulfilled shipping model unless otherwise stated.

If a Work is selected and subsequently sold:

  • the buyer pays the applicable shipping charge;
  • the Artist is responsible for securely packing the Work;
  • the Artist ships directly to the buyer;
  • shipment tracking must be supplied; and
  • the shipment must comply with Bird Swatch Archive's applicable fulfillment requirements.

Freight and white glove delivery are not part of the standard Exhibition fulfillment model unless Bird Swatch Archive expressly approves an exception.

Detailed shipping obligations are provided to selected Artists separately.

19. SALES AND COMMISSION IF SELECTED

Submitting an application does not require the Applicant to transfer ownership of any artwork.

If the Applicant is selected and accepts participation, selected Works may be offered for sale according to the Artist Exhibition & Sales Agreement.

For the Winter 2027 Exhibition, the current commission structure is:

75% — Artist 25% — Bird Swatch Archive

Commission applies to the artwork sale price and not to shipping.

The Artist will have an opportunity to review the applicable sales agreement before confirming participation.

20. CANCELLATION OR CHANGES TO THE OPEN CALL

Bird Swatch Archive may modify, postpone, extend, suspend, or cancel an open call or Exhibition when reasonably necessary.

Bird Swatch Archive may also modify deadlines, exhibition dates, review schedules, or administrative procedures.

Material changes affecting submitted applications will be communicated when reasonably practicable.

21. TECHNICAL ISSUES

Applicants are responsible for submitting their applications before the published deadline.

Bird Swatch Archive cannot guarantee uninterrupted availability of the application system.

Applicants experiencing a technical issue should contact Bird Swatch Archive as soon as reasonably possible and before the deadline where practicable.

Bird Swatch Archive may address documented technical issues at its discretion in a manner intended to preserve a fair application process.

22. NO GUARANTEE OF SALE OR EXPOSURE

Selection for an Exhibition does not guarantee that a Work will sell, receive press coverage, receive social media exposure, attract a particular audience, or produce any specific financial or professional result.

Bird Swatch Archive makes no representation regarding the future value, marketability, or commercial success of submitted or selected artwork.

23. ACCEPTANCE OF APPLICATION TERMS

By checking the acceptance box and submitting the application, the Applicant acknowledges that they have reviewed and agree to the Application Terms presented at the time of submission.

Bird Swatch Archive will retain the applicable Terms version and application record.

Where an application fee is required, acceptance of these terms occurs before payment is initiated.