Becoming a NIADA Artist Member

The National Institute of American Doll Artists was founded in 1963 with a mission to promote handmade dolls as a fine art form. By requiring the highest artistic standards, NIADA encourages gifted artists who create entirely original art dolls to strive for the finest realization of their talents. NIADA Artist Membership is awarded to selected artists through a 3-Part Application Process whereby they are screened by the NIADA Standards Committee, then elected by the NIADA Artist Members.

The Standards Committee's decisions are based on the following statement:
Whether produced as a one-of-a-kind piece or part of an edition, the ideal work reflects excellence; all work must be consistently well conceived, expertly executed without technical faults, and should show an individual identity of design. 

Anyone interested in applying for membership should read all of the following information carefully:

CONFERENCE ATTENDANCE
It is highly recommended that artists wishing to apply for NIADA Artist Membership should attend at least one NIADA Annual Conference as a Visiting Artist immediately prior to or in the year of the initiation of their application process. It is also recommended that Visiting Artists who wish to apply should register for and participate in a NIADA Critique at the conference. The organization realizes that this might be impossible for some applicants because of financial considerations and/or huge travel distances, but these benefits should be carefully considered:

1) It is to the applicant's benefit to take opportunities available at conferences (such as critiques and special exhibitions, challenges, and programs open to Visiting Artists) to show their work to NIADA members. It is more likely that members will appreciate the quality of new work if they are able to see it "in person."
IMPORTANT: If an applicant is unable to attend a conference and introduce their work prior to applying, it is extremely important that the images they submit for application are of excellent quality and clarity, and include very descriptive close-up details in order for quality to be accurately assessed. It is possible for some types of flaws in work to not be apparent until work is examined "in person", so there is a greater possibility of work being rejected in the final voting stage if that is the first time the work is actually seen by voting members.

2) It is essential that applicants are familiar with NIADA as an organization, its mission and activities, membership obligations and benefits (see NIADA ARTIST MEMBERSHIP below), and most importantly, the high level of artistic standards expected in the work of its members. The work of NIADA Artist Members can be studied by perusing individual artists' websites online, or by looking at the historical survey of NIADA work in the book, NIADA Art Dolls: Rich Traditions, New Ideas. Applicants should try to assess whether or not they would fit well in NIADA, and if so, what contributions they could bring to the organization.

In order to maintain and enhance the excellent quality of the organization and its world-class reputation, NIADA Artists are directed to elect new Artist Members whose work is as good as or better than their own.

THE 3-PART APPLICATION PROCESS:
(please read the application procedures in detail below)

PART 1: INITIAL IMAGE REVIEW
(evaluation by the Standards Committee)

A. Submit non-refundable screening fee of $25. (If you cannot submit digital images, you can mail in slides and include an additional scanning fee of $50). Mail a check made payable to "NIADA, Inc." to the US Standards Committee Chair, or pay online via the PayPal buttons below, or contact NIADA treasurer, Diana Rew to pay by credit card.

B. If applying online fill out and submit the Online Application Form or download the Print Application Form (pdf) and mail the application along with the screening fee to the US Standards Committee Chair at the address above.

image submission information

C. Submit one whole-doll image for each of four original dolls plus between one (minimum) and four (maximum) detail shots of any of the submitted dolls. Images may be slides (see additional fees above for non-digital format) or on a CD mailed to the US Standards Committee Chair.

If submitting images digitally, access the NIADA online file sharing drop box (see Online Application Form) where you can upload
and submit all your images at once (2GB limit). Please send hi-resolution .jpg images, maximum 15MB file size. If you are scanning
your own photos please scan at 300 dpi resolution, save images as high quality, full-size .jpg (no compression or reduced for email).
(NOTE: a full-size, hi-resolution photo shot with a 10 megapixel camera produces about a 2MB .jpg file, pixel dimensions:
3264 x 2448 x 72px or approximately an 8 x 10 print).

If sending slides or CD, please write your name on them. For screening, your work will be assigned a code number to assure that all voting is conducted anonymously.

D. Submit a page of written descriptions of your images. Number your images’ files and their corresponding descriptions, and include name of piece, size (in inches), date created, materials used, and any information you’d like to convey about processes or ideas behind your work (you can use the Print Application Form).

DUE DATE: Submissions must be received on or before June 30,
Applicants will receive an email confirmation upon the receipt of their materials.
Please contact the Standards Chair or Global Assistant if you haven't received a confirmation by July 10, .

The initial image submissions are reviewed every year at the NIADA conference by the Standards Committee, which consists of eight voting NIADA Artist Members. Applications are scored on the merits of the work pictured, and in those instances where the photographs are not clear or of professional quality, the work may not be seen to its full advantage, which could result in a lower score. A rejection should not be interpreted as a final judgment of your work, but rather as a collective comment expressed by that year's specific jurors. Many NIADA Artists apply multiple times before being accepted as Artist Members.

Applicants will be notified of the results of the image review within 60 days after the end of the conference. An artist who receives a passing score on their initial images will be invited to continue with PART 2 of the application.

PART 2: PORTFOLIO REVIEW
(evaluation by the Standards Committee)

Applicants receiving a passing score on PART 1 will be invited to make and send in a portfolio which will creatively and professionally present more examples of their work, and will include written answers to an in-depth questionnaire, including information about your work, your background, your goals, and your thoughts about future work and your role in NIADA. Dolls in initial image review can be included in the portfolio, but additional work should be showcased. More detailed instructions will be sent with the notifications to those passing the image review.

DUE DATE: Portfolios must be received on or before January 30,
Portfolios will be circulated among Standards Committee members for evaluation, and those receiving a
passing score will be notified by April 30, , and will be asked to present dolls for PART 3, the final vote

PART 3: PRESENTATION OF WORK AT CONFERENCE FOR FINAL ELECTION
(vote by all NIADA Artist Members in attendance)

Applicants receiving a passing score on PART 1 and PART 2 will be asked to attend the 2013 NIADA Conference and bring three dolls to exhibit for the Artist Membership's vote. If the vote is in favor of an applicant's acceptance, they will be awarded NIADA Artist membership, with its benefits and obligations beginning immediately.

Applicants who pass the image review, but do not pass the portfolio review may resubmit a portfolio in the following year without paying an additional application fee after advising the Standards Committee Chair. Also, if an applicant passes PART 1 and PART 2, but then is unable to attend conference that year, they can request from the Standards Chair an extension of one year for the final vote without having to re-apply.

NIADA ARTIST MEMBERSHIP

Once elected, a NIADA Artist is entitled to have a sales table in the annual NIADA Show and Sale at the conference, to use the "NIADA Artist" designation in the promotion of their own work and related career activities, such as teaching and publishing, and to receive member discounts on conference fees, books, etc. To remain a member in good standing with voting rights and benefits, Artist Dues of $50 per year must be paid, and artists are urged to attend at least one conference every three years. Other duties include attending business meetings at conferences, performing critiques, volunteering to work on committees and serve as officers and board members, participating in online discussions and in other ways helping to keep the organization running throughout the year. All NIADA members should also promote dolls as art, as well as the organization and its good will and missions.

Please also refer to the NIADA Standards page for more discussion of the artistic standards of the organization and the operations of the Standards Committee.

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