Art Gallery
Are you an artist wanting to be considered for the Art Gallery? Check out this page to see how you can apply!
Location & Times
The Art Gallery will be located downstairs (Spa Floor), connected to the hangout space in the Nevada Room.
Times are subject to change.
Hours
| Days | Hours |
|---|---|
| Tuesday | Patron & Higher 2PM Sponsor 2:30PM Everyone 3PM - 8PM |
| Wednesday | 12PM - 6PM |
| Final Proxy Bidding | 6PM - 7PM Wed |
| Thursday Checkout | 10AM - 6PM |
Rules
Bidder Agreement
All BLFC registrations are automatically accepted as Art Gallery bidders. By registering for the con, you agree to purchase the artwork you bid on if you win, and agree to pay fines if you can’t afford your bids.
Buy It Meow!
The Buy It Meow auction system is a reverse bidding system. This means the pieces will begin at their highest price, and be reduced to preset amounts over time. Bidding protocols (i.e. sheets and stickers) are similar to the standard auction.
Buy It Meow pieces can also be paid for and taken with you immediately, without having to wait until Thursday checkout! (You can also leave them for Thursday checkout if you like.) To make them easy to find, Buy It Meow pieces from all artists will be displayed together in one area.
Lower prices may be claimed in advance, but keep in mind, that leaves time for other people to outbid you!
Age Limit
You must be 18 years old to view or bid in the Art Gallery.
Bidding Procedure
You will bid using stickers, obtained from the Art Gallery desk. Protect these stickers like cash. To bid on an item, place your sticker next to the price you want to bid. You must choose from the prices on the sheet and can ask the Art Gallery desk staff for assistance if you want to bid higher than the current sheet. Never remove a sticker or place your sticker over another.
Final Bidding
Final bidding is implemented as a proxy bidding system. At any time the Art Gallery is open, you can submit proxy bids at the Art Gallery desk.
Proxy Bidding
To enter a proxy bid, there will be a quick form to fill out at the Art Gallery desk. Proxy bids will be immediately entered by Art Gallery staff and will automatically outbid future bids entered into the system by Art Gallery staff, up to your predetermined maximum.
If two proxy bids exist on an item, the higher bid will automatically bid high enough to beat the lower bid. If two proxy bids are entered for equal value, the earlier bid wins. All proxy bids will be double-checked after the main auction closes on Wednesday night.
Voice Auction
Items never go to “voice auction”; we add bid sheets as needed. If the highest value on a bid sheet is claimed, please notify Art Gallery staff so we can refresh the bid sheet.
Checkout Procedure
The final auction winnings will be publicly posted by Thursday morning. You are responsible for checking this list on Thursday. Checkout begins at 10AM. On Thursday, bring your photo ID to the Art Gallery to pay your balance due and claim your winnings. If you do not claim your auction winnings by 6PM on Thursday, you will be charged for shipping in addition to your Art Gallery win.
Copyright
The artist retains all copyright and reproduction rights for any item displayed in the Art Gallery, unless otherwise explicitly stated.
Charity Items
There are two kinds of charity items: “Ordinary” charity items will have bid sheets and are bid on like any other Art Gallery item, with bids ending Wednesday night. “Live” charity items will be marked as “display only”, shown in the Art Gallery until Wednesday night, and then auctioned off during the live Charity Auction (typically the last day of the con, but check the schedule).
Charity Donations
If you have art or items you’d personally like to donate to our charity auction, thank you! Please bring your items to the Art Gallery on Monday or Tuesday to sign in your donation, and we’ll take care of the rest! Please bring the items by Tuesday so that they have the most time they can be seen and bought!
Hands Off
To protect the art on display from damage, the Art Gallery is strictly hands-off unless the artist has labeled otherwise. Please do not touch artwork that is on display. The only thing you may touch is the bid sheets, to apply bidding stickers.
Bags, Food & Drink
Bidders entering the Art Gallery area must check bags, cameras, sketchbooks, folders, and similar items with staff at the Art Gallery entrance. Food may not be brought into the Art Gallery; food can not be stored, but we will store a closed drink bottle for you.
What Happens If You Can’t Pay
Budget carefully; don’t bid if you can’t pay. For items you don’t pay for, you will be charged a fine of 25% or $40, whichever is greater, and will be banned from participating in next year’s Art Gallery. You will also be banned from attending BLFC until your fine is paid. For example, if you bid $300 on a piece and then don’t pay for it, your fine will be $75 which must be paid before you can register for the convention again. If your total unpaid bids are less than $160, your fine will be $40 (the minimum).
Contact Us
If you have any additional questions or would like clarification, please feel free to contact us.