Edmonton Small Press Association
Posted: Tuesday, October 10, 2000
By: Darren Schroeder
*** CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS: *GOING POSTAL* (The ESPA 2001 MAIL ART EXHIBITION)
*** DEADLINE: April 1, 2001
*** DATE & LOCATION: TBA (see 'background info' below)
GUIDELINES: Please read these guidelines closely (when they're followed properly, they save us a huge amount of hassle!):
1. SEND MAIL ART (If, for whatever reason, you have 'titled' your mail art, make sure to include the TITLE INFO, size, year created, anything else) as well:
a) STANDARD FORMAT (read: a designed/decorated/drawn/written or otherwise-created 'original' ENVELOPE): Your choice! Any size, medium okay! The more creative the better!
b) OTHER FORMATS: Along with 'standard' MAIL ART, we'll also accept things like POSTCARDS, CREATIVE POSTAGE STAMPS, and GREETING CARDS (the only 'rule' regarding printed cards is that they fit within the indie/small press criteria... no hallmark-type 'professional' jobs allowed!). BE ORIGINAL!
All of the above received materials will be framed and the sender(s) will receive due credit as an exhibitor.
2. Whether submitting 'standard' mail art or POSTCARD (etc.), please INCLUDE your SPECS!!! Send a LEGIBLE letter (or resume), INCLUDING...
a) your FULL NAME, ADDRESS, PHONE NUMBER, EMAIL (if you have one). If you *don't* have a phone (or email), *please* forward the number a friend/family/other contact anyway (this past year people sent us great artwork with NO contact numbers, meaning we have no way of contacting them or returning their art, let alone passing on the names of the many admirers who saw their work at the show!)
b) your BIO/RESUME (a short "here's what I do/have done" is fine); you can also include an ARTIST'S STATEMENT if you like.
Again, send ALL required CONTACT numbers/addresses: You can either pop everything into an envelope, OR you can send POSTCARDS via snail-mail, then EMAIL us your contact info/bio, etc.. IF EMAILING YOUR CONTACT INFO/BIO, ETC., PLEASE BE DETAILED! Tell us who you are, where you are, what you are sending via snail-mail, and when we should expect to receive it. The thing to remember here is that WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO LOCATE/CONTACT YOU PRIOR TO AND FOLLOWING THE EXHIBIT! WE CAN'T DO THIS IF YOU SEND US ILLEGIBLE OR INCOMPLETE INFO!!!
3. OTHER SUBMISSIONS:
a) Along with the MAIL ART we receive, we will again be showcasing a huge variety of ZINES/SMALL PRESS, and EVERYTHING WE RECEIVE BETWEEN NOW AND THEN WILL BE INCLUDED IN THE EXHIBIT. If you want to include zines in the exhibit, send 'em along! (Again, be sure to supply contact info, etc.) ALL SUBMISSIONS WILL REMAIN IN THE ESPA LIBRARY & ARCHIVE (for future generations) and WILL NOT BE RETURNED.
b) If you already *have* a collection of MAIL ART and want to show it off, consider co-exhibiting with us: You can LOAN us your stuff, and it WILL BE RETURNED after the exhibit. (These people *may* be eligible for an honorarium.) Contact Lynette Bondarchuk at the number/addresses below for more info.
c) If you want to SELL your art/zines: The ESPA's new* policy is that we will take 40% of the cover price from the sales from ALL ITEMS taken on a CONSIGNMENT BASIS, and you'll be paid your share from any sales made. SALES/PRICES MUST REFLECT CANADIAN FUNDS. Again, contact Lynette at the number/addresses below.
(* This is to cover our asses; we have never done this before, but are finding it increasingly difficult to cover basic operational expenses and return postage, etc.. Remember, the ESPA is non-profit, receives no funding, and cannot continue to work for free for people unless we have some income to offset the costs of producing the exhibit. We've also added this new distribution policy so that we can continue to avoid charging people registration/exhibition/application fees. Like all grassroots arts organizatiuons, we are shit-flat broke, and no one gets paid. Distribution-management is a big job.)
d) ANYTHING ELSE? Contact Lynette at the number/addresses below.
5. SEND YOUR SUBMISSIONS by April 1, 2001, TO:
"GOING POSTAL" c/o ESPA (Edmonton Small Press Association)
P.O. Box 75086, Ritchie Postal Outlet,
Edmonton, Alberta
T6E 6K1 CANADA
(780) 434-9236 / espaSTOP-@-SPAMpowersurfr.com / espa_STOP-@-SPAMhotmail.com
(IMPORTANT NOTE: People who are submitting from *outside* of Canada should remember that CUSTOMS might not forward your mail if there is excessive profanity or anything else they deem of 'questionable material' on your envelopes. We're as open-minded as they come, but Customs is not, so keep that in mind when sending in your submissions!)
BACKGROUND INFO:
The ESPA's 2000 exhibit "Subtitles: Art of the Underground", was launched from June 23-July 5 as part of the Works Festival, a massive arts festival which has been held here in Edmonton every summer for 15 years. The festival attracts over 200,000 people during it's 10-day run. Subtitles was held at the Stanley Milner Library (the main branch in downtown Edmonton), and was a roaring success! Those hi-falutin' artsy-types now have us small press people to contend with!
THIS YEAR, we *may* be part of the Works again (OR we *may* try to do it independently), but either way means that we will *not* have an exact location until (probably) late-May, so if you don't hear from us for awhile don't panic! We have no paid staff, no funding, and only a few (full-time) dedicated volunteers, which means we can't spend a lot of time corresponding with everybody (if this past year is any indication, we tend to gang-mail at about 6-month intervals). Whatever the case may be, people will hear from us *eventually*! My latest catch-phrase is "CAPABILITY DOES NOT EQUAL EFFICIENCY!", so please remember that if we
take awhile to respond to you!
Please pass this CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS on to anyone who might be interested in participating! Please and Thanks!
We look forward to receiving many swank submissions! Cheers!
Lynette Bondarchuk, ESPA
P.O. Box 75086, Ritchie Postal Outlet,
Edmonton, Alberta
T6E 6K1 CANADA
(780) 434-9236 / espaSTOP-@-SPAMpowersurfr.com / espa_STOP-@-SPAMhotmail.com
If you have a comment or question about Small Press then feel free to contact me