Summer Art Market Vendor Application
Thank you for your interest in Bainbridge Island Museum of Art’s Summer Art Market. We’re seeking regional artists and makers from the Puget Sound region, both emerging and established, who create hand-made quality original art and craft that is locally-made to showcase and sell their work at an outdoor art market. The event will take place on the plaza outside BIMA over seven weekends in June and July 2024.
The Summer Art Market will be located on the plaza directly outside the museum and is ideally located to lure daytrippers and locals into the market and find something special. Located at the first intersection as vehicle and pedestrian passengers disembark the ferry, the museum has a consistent weekend traffic, and is the grand entryway to the main business district of Bainbridge Island, one of the region’s most popular destinations. The island and surrounding area also have a great community of artists and art supporters—it’s a special part of the character of Bainbridge Island.
Returning vendors: Please note, the model for 2024 will be slightly different than years past. We will be limiting the market to the area in front of the museum closest to Winslow Way, and will be keeping it to 6 vendors per day. Tents will be provided and set up before your arrival–all you need to do is arrive, set up your wares, and start selling. Live music will not be part of the event as the feedback provided was that it made it hard to talk with customers, and we’re not using the back half of the plaza which saw slightly less foot traffic. Please feel free to email artmarket@biartmuseum.org if you have questions about how load-in/load-out might differ from past expectations.
Opened in 2013, BIMA is located in just steps from the ferry terminal on Bainbridge Island in the heart of the Puget Sound. The museum’s mission is to inspire curiosity, wonder, and understanding by connecting people with the contemporary art and craft of the Puget Sound region. BIMA would like to expand on this mission by bringing artists and craftspeople to animate the beautiful outdoor plaza of our campus and directly support the makers in our region.
Please read all of the event information before submitting your application.
Event & Application Information
Dates & Times
The Summer Art Market will be open seven weekends from June 15th–July 27th and will feature up to 6 artists every Saturday AND Sunday. Assigned spaces for artists to set up their booths will be located outdoors on both levels of the plaza and will be 10′ x 10′ spaces. Artists are welcome to apply for any number of Saturday or Sunday slots, though will not be guaranteed every slot requested.
- Saturday, June 15, 11am – 5pm
- Sunday, June 16, 11am – 5pm
- Saturday, June 22, 11am – 5pm
- Sunday, June 23, 11am – 5pm
- Saturday, June 29, 11am – 5pm
- Sunday, June 30, 11am – 5pm
- Saturday, July 6, 11am – 5pm
- Sunday, July 7, 11am – 5pm
- Saturday, July 13, 11am – 5pm
- Sunday, July 14, 11am – 5pm
- Saturday, July 20, 11am – 5pm
- Sunday, July 21, 11am – 5pm
- Saturday, July 27, 11am – 5pm
- Sunday, July 28, 11am – 5pm
Vendor Application & Selection
To apply, submit your application, images of your work and booth, a brief description of your product, and the $35 application fee. Click here to pay your application fee.
There will be a thoughtful selection process in which each application will be reviewed carefully. Our goal is to choose a diverse group of artists who showcase original items of art and craft that are regionally-made, hand-crafted, and demonstrate high-quality work and good presentation. This is not limited to “fine” art, but open to all artists whose work fits the description and who are interested in representing themselves on-site at this casual, strollable summer market.
Application & Booth Fees
- $35 – Non-refundable Application Fee
- $120 — 1 Day Booth Fee
- $240 — 2 Day Booth Fee
- $225 — Weekend Booth Fee (only applies to vending Saturday and Sunday in the same weekend)
BIMA will provide a 10’ x 10’ space, one 6ft table and one chair for each artist to set up an artist’s booth. Artists will provide their own display setup.
Booth Fee Payment
If accepted into the BIMA’s Summer Art Market, applicants will receive an invoice for the amount listed above with the selected booth fee and a link to make a payment around Tuesday, March 12, 2024. Payment is required by Friday, April 26, 2024 or the spot will be forfeited and may be offered to an artist on the waitlist.
Application Dates
Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis until vendor capacity has been filled.
Event Details
Booth Information
- SET UP: 9-10am each event day. If arriving by ferry, please check the schedule and plan for delays!
- TEAR DOWN: 5-6pm each event day.
- Artists must bring their own professional-looking display items, tables, chairs,and signage, and be able and prepared to load themselves in and out of the space. Your display needs to be able to withstand inclement weather.
- Please do not bring animals.
- Vendors should maintain sufficient quantities of merchandise for the day.
- Artists must commit to being at their booth for the full day (11am-5pm)—no late arrivals or early departure.
Booth Assignments
Booth assignments and locations will be made at BIMA’s discretion.
Artist Revenue
All proceeds from sales at the booths go 100% to the exhibiting vendor. Transactions are made at the booth itself, and it is the vendor’s responsibility to bring equipment to process payments.
Cancellations
Vendor cancellation before 6/1/24 will receive a refund (minus a 15% service fee) of their booth fee. No refunds will be processed for cancellations following this date.
The Art Market will proceed regardless of the weather. If BIMA cancels the market for any reason, booth fee refunds will be issued to all vendors.
Onsite Information
Parking
Limited parking is available on-site, limited to one car per vendor. Please do not park on any curbs.
Food & Drinks
Limited food and beverages will be available and provided for one person per booth at no additional cost.
Booth Help
- Artists must be able and prepared to load themselves in and out of the space. A shared cart will be provided.
- A BIMA store associate will be available throughout the day to answer questions and provide service throughout the weekend should you need assistance.
Restrooms
Available in the museum.
Wifi
Wifi is available inside the museum, though the signal is not reliable on the plaza where the Art Market booths will be set up. Any payment processing at booths will need to use cellular signal or a hotspot wifi signal provided by the vendor.
Electricity
Electricity is not available for booths on the plaza. Limited outlets for charging devices will be available in the vendor break room inside the museum.
Music
Amplified recorded music will be playing through the Art Market to create a festive atmosphere. We request that vendors do not bring their own amplification systems or play music at booths.
Tax Reporting
Collection and reporting of Washington State Sales Tax are your responsibility. UBI (tax identification) is required by Washington State. If your business is located out of state, you can obtain a temporary tax ID number. Booth Fees cannot be accepted without a UBI number. For more information, call 800-647-7706. Web site: http://dor.wa.gov/. A temporary WA State tax ID number can be issued, but is only good for two shows within the state per year.
Vendors are required to show proof of a Unique Business Identifier (UBI) demonstrating the vendor holds a business license with the State. Vendors must understand continued business on the island prior to or past event date(s) requires a valid City business license in good standing. Vendors should be aware of any and all requirements to doing business on Bainbridge Island. Click here for more information.
Liability
BIMA will not be responsible for any loss or damage to a vendor’s property, injury to, or death of the vendor (or its employees, representatives, and contractors), or vendor sales. Vendor expressly assumes all risks of loss, damage, liability, injury, or destruction resulting from any cause whatsoever, including but not limited to acts or omissions by Vendor, BIMA, or acts of nature, and hereby releases and waives any claims against the Art Fair (and its employees, representatives, and contractors) related to such loss, damage, liability, injury, and/or destruction.
Art & Craft Categories
Example Accepted Art & Craft Categories
BIMA prefers one category of primary media per application
- Ceramics: Original clay and porcelain. No machine-made, mass-produced, or commercial molds. Slip-cast work is allowed and designs must be artist originals.
- Traditional Crafts: This category consists of traditional crafts historically considered functional and may include soap, candles, beadwork, needlepoint, cross-stitch, quilting, brooms, dolls and toys, calligraphy, and pressed flowers Wearable fibers in this category may include painting or other embellishments on fabric that was not made by the artist.
- Drawing/Pastels: Original compositions utilizing pencils, crayons, charcoal, chalk, pastels, and ink.
Fiber: All work crafted from fibers including basketry & embroidery (non-wearable). - Garden Art/Metal : Handcrafted art intended for use in the garden. Metal includes original work by way of forging, hammering, or fabrication that is functional or decorative rather than sculptural. No assembled kits or pre-formed parts are allowed.
- Glass: Handcrafted glass using glass blowing, fusing, casting, or kiln-forming techniques.
- Jewelry: All jewelry produced from metal, glass, clay, fiber, paper, plastic, or other materials. No commercial casts, molds, or production studio work.
- Mixed Media, 2D: Any work intended for display on a wall that combines two or more media.
- Mixed Media, 3D: Original work from multiple materials with a multi-sided orientation.
- Paintings: Works created in oils, acrylics, watercolor, encaustic, etc.
- Photography: Photographic prints made from the artist’s original image and processed by that artist, or under his or her direct supervision. Digital: Two-dimensional work created by the artist using computer technologies. May include scanned images, from the artist or other sources that have been changed through the use of computer programs.
- Printmaking: Signed and numbered limited-edition prints encompassing woodcuts, engraving, etching, mezzotint, screen-printing, or other traditional print methods.
- Sculpture: Three-dimensional original work in any medium.
- Wearable/Leather: Original, handmade work such as clothing, hats, and fabric purses. Leather belts, purses, satchels, books, or journals.
- Wood: Furniture and works using wood as a primary medium, including musical instruments.
- Other: BIMA is open to additional categories of art & craft that carries the same described spirit of the event
Categories NOT Accepted
This market is focused on hand-made quality original art and craft goods that are locally-crafted. Vendors focused on mass-produced items will not be accepted.
No food (packaged or unpackaged) such as dips, oils, vinegar, spices, popcorn, or candy are permitted. No alcohol products.
Only approved artists and the artistic style submitted in the accepted application may be displayed. Work in your booth must be consistent with the images submitted. Work displayed must be the original design of the exhibiting artist.