Membership Information

How to Become A Member

Membership is open to anyone 18 and over. The membership fee is $50 for one year beginning August 31 plus a commitment to volunteer several times during the year. Non-volunteering members pay an additional annual fee—the non-volunteering option is intended only for those artists who are truly not able to contribute time to Capitol Hill Art League (CHAL). College students with valid ID pay $25; volunteering is required for student members. The fee is prorated during the year for new members only; continuing members pay the full rate each year, regardless of when membership is renewed.

Membership Benefits and Involvement

Member benefits include submitting work for exhibits, receiving juror feedback, attending openings for the juror’s talk and meeting with fellow artists and gallery visitors and managing sales opportunities through gallery exhibits and events.

Members may choose to assist with a variety of activities including receiving, jurying, coordinating monthly openings, managing web design and maintenance, writing the CHAL newsletter, and developing workshop and exhibit events outside the CHAW gallery.

Submission of Work

Members can submit up to three pieces of work for each juried show to CHAL for a non-refundable entry fee of $5, $8 or $10 for one, two or three works, respectively. If two or three pieces constitute a diptych or triptych and are separate pieces to hang, then these count as individual pieces, not one. Only original works finished in the last three years may be submitted—no copies are accepted, even of your own work including giclées. Photos and digital manipulations are considered original. There are no size limits if we can accommodate the piece in our gallery.  There is a weight limit for two-dimensional well-framed pieces of 50 pounds.

Non-members may also enter CHAL juried shows. Non-member artists may submit up to three pieces of work for a flat submission fee of $25.

Works must adhere to CHAL guidelines, framing and presentation requirements. See handbook for details. Work previously exhibited in a CHAL juried exhibit may not be resubmitted. All work must be for sale. No prices may be changed after work is entered.

Exhibition

Work selected for CHAL juried shows hangs for the duration of the show. Generally, sold work may not be removed until the close of the show.

Judging

An invited juror who is not a CHAL member selects each month’s exhibit. Our jurors are regionally or nationally recognized and are professors, teachers, museum curators and gallery owners. Each exhibit is solely the choice of its juror—CHAL does not control the selection of work. Having a different juror each month assures variety in successive exhibits and broader opportunities for member artists.

This season, thanks to two museums—National Museum of Women in the Arts and the Corcoran Gallery of Art—and two art supply stores—Plaza and Utrecht, the juror’s picks are awarded museum memberships or certificates for art supplies.

Exhibition

Work selected for a CHAL juried exhibit hangs for the duration of the exhibit. An exception may be made for out-of-town buyers.

Sales

CHAL sells works of art by cash, check, or major credit card. CHAL does not negotiate prices and urges the artist to adhere to this policy after work leaves the gallery. Artists receive 70% of the sales price and payment is sent the month following the sale. The 30% commission that CHAL retains helps with the cost of the gallery and supports exhibit expenses as well as occasional special events and classes. For the December non-juried exhibit, the artist receives 90% of the sale.

If you win an award and your work does not sell opening night of the exhibit, you can participate in CHAW’s on-line sale. Your art will be advertised and available for one month after the close of exhibit.

Referrals

It is understood that the artist will not undersell the Art League. Members are expected to remit to CHAL a percentage of any sales made through CHAL or through CHAL’s direct contact or referral. All sales handled through CHAL are subject to a 30% commission. If, through CHAL, a patron wishes to see additional work by an artist and a studio visit is arranged, a sale is made, and the artist handles the entire process, the artist owes a 10% referral fee to CHAL