ABOUT THE SALT LAKE CITY ARTS COUNCIL AND FINCH LANE GALLERY

The mission of the Salt Lake City Arts Council is to promote, present, and support Utah-based artists, arts organizations, and arts activities in order to further the development of the arts community and to benefit the public by expanding awareness, access, and participation.

Located in Reservoir Park, the Salt Lake City Arts Council’s Finch Lane Gallery is a contemporary space featuring rotating visual arts exhibitions. Each year, the gallery presents multiple exhibition sessions across its two gallery spaces, each accompanied by artist receptions.

For more information on the Salt Lake City Arts Council and Finch Lane Gallery, visit saltlakearts.org.    

 

EXHIBITION INFORMATION

Both established and emerging artists are invited to apply for exhibitions at Finch Lane Gallery. Previous exhibition experience is not required.

The exhibition program is designed to:

• Give Utah-based artists an opportunity to exhibit a current body of work
• Explore themes or media relevant to the community and broader arts field
• Foster the development of curatorial skills through exhibition production and collaboration.

The application process occurs annually and includes a thorough and competitive review by the Visual Arts Committee of the Salt Lake City Arts Council.

This application process is to select artists and curators for the 2027 exhibition schedule.

Finch Lane Gallery participates in the monthly Salt Lake Gallery Stroll and serves a broad public audience throughout the year.

 

ELIGIBILITY

This Call for Entries is open to all artists, artist-led teams, and curators residing in Utah regardless of race, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, age, religion, marital status, political opinion or affiliation, or mental or physical disability.

All visual arts media, including interdisciplinary and experimental practices, are eligible for consideration.  

 

APPLICATION PROCESS

Applications must be submitted online through: https://slcartscouncil.submittable.com/submit.

There is no fee to apply.

To be considered, applicants must:

• Be residents of Utah
• Submit all required materials
• Complete the application before the deadline

Only complete applications will be considered. Emailed, mailed, or hand-delivered materials will not be accepted.

 

APPLICATION TIMELINE

• Applications Open: Monday, May 18, 2026
• Virtual Q&A Session: Thursday, May 28, 2026, 3:00-4:00 PM (MT)
• Submission Deadline: Sunday, June 21, 2026, 11:59 PM
• Applicant Notifications: Week of August 10, 2026

 

VIRTUAL Q&A SESSION

Join via Zoom

https://us06web.zoom.us/j/85837447880?pwd=VN94sfXCGUXgsGtalpPnPFtcphQjQ3.1

• Meeting ID: 858 3744 7880
• Passcode: 725210

The session will include a review of the guidelines, application tips, and time for questions. The session will be recorded and made available online afterward.

 

2027 EXHIBITION SCHEDULE

Applicants will be asked to select all exhibition periods for which they are available.

Please Note: Due to planned construction at the Art Barn/Finch Lane Gallery, the opening exhibition period of 2027 (February 16 – March 26, 2027) may be subject to scheduling adjustments, including delayed installation timelines, shortened exhibition durations, or potential rescheduling to early 2028. The Salt Lake City Arts Council will communicate any schedule modifications as early as possible and work collaboratively with selected artists and curators regarding revised timelines if necessary. Applicants who are open to flexibility for this first exhibition session are encouraged to indicate availability within their application. This flexibility may provide a unique opportunity to help reopen and reintroduce the gallery following renovations as part of the launch of the 2027 exhibition season.  

 

• February 16 - March 26, 2027
• April 5 - May 14, 2027
• May 21 - July 2, 2027
• July 12 - August 20, 2027
• August 30 - October 8, 2027
• October 18 - November 24, 2027   

 

GALLERY SPACES

East Gallery

• Approximately 918 square feet
• Walls approximately 100 inches high
• Multiple pedestals available for three-dimensional work

 

West Gallery

• Approximately 550 square feet
• Walls approximately 100 inches high
• Multiple pedestals available for three-dimensional work

 

RESOURCES & PUBLIC PROGRAMMING

Finch Lane Gallery can provide exhibiting artists with:

• Gallery space
• Basic digital media equipment
• Promotion through Salt Lake City Arts Council communication platforms and social media
• Artist receptions and public programming support

Selected artists and curators may also have opportunities to participate in artist talks, receptions, Gallery Stroll events, or related public programming.

Arts Council staff work collaboratively with exhibiting artists and curators on installation planning and exhibition preparation.

 

HONORARIUM

• Each exhibiting artist, curator, or organizer will receive a $500 honorarium for the exhibition of their work.
•  For group exhibitions, the honorarium will be paid to the exhibition curator or organizer. 
•  Applicants are responsible for all other associated costs and materials.

 

SALE OF ARTWORK

• The Arts Council will manage sales of artwork during the exhibition and retain a 30% commission on any works sold.
• Artwork sold during the exhibition may not be removed until the exhibition closes.
• Artwork does not need to be for sale. Artists are responsible for pricing their work.

 

REVIEW CRITERIA & SELECTION PROCESS

Applications are reviewed by the Salt Lake City Arts Council’s Visual Arts Committee, which is composed of Arts Council staff and board members, artists who have previously exhibited at Finch Lane Gallery, and arts professionals from the community.

 

• The Committee will review:
• Technical, conceptual, and/or aesthetic strength
• Relevance and clarity of exhibition concept
• Originality and timeliness
• Ability to realize the proposed exhibition
• Consideration of how the exhibition contributes to the overall diversity of the annual program
• Completeness and clarity of the application.

 

The Visual Arts Committee and Arts Council staff reserve the right to make final decisions regarding work presented within a publicly funded gallery space.

 

TIPS FOR A STRONG APPLICATION

• Submit cohesive work samples
• Clearly describe your exhibition concept
• Include work that reflects the scale and direction of the proposed exhibition
• Start your application early
• Attend the Q&A session if you have questions

 

APPLICATION MATERIALS

1. Artist Bio

50–200 words.

• If applying as a group, include the bio of the lead artist or curator.

 

2. Exhibition Proposal

150–500 words describing the proposed exhibition.

This may include:

• Artist statement
• Exhibition concept
• Medium and scale
• Themes or inspiration
• Installation approach

 

3. List of Participating Artists

Required for group exhibitions

 

4. Resume/CV

Maximum two pages.

• Groups may submit the lead artist or curator’s resume with short bios for additional participants

 

5. Work Samples

Art samples should be representative of the proposed exhibition or recent work demonstrating the artist’s practice. Submitted work samples may include artwork intended for the proposed exhibition, representative examples of the artist’s current practice, or a combination of both.

Each file should include artist name, title of work (if applicable), medium, date produced, dimensions, total run time (if video), and whether the work has been exhibited in another Salt Lake City venue within the past year.

 

Digital Images

• Submit 5-10 images
• Groups with more than two artists should submit 2-3 images per artist
• JPG format only
• Preferred minimum size: 1,000 pixels on the longest side

 

Video Samples

• Maximum of 3 samples
• Maximum of 2 minutes each
• MP4 or MOV format
• Maximum file size: 400MB each
• Total submission size may not exceed 800 MB

 

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

The Salt Lake City Arts Council is responsible for:

• Final selection of artwork
• Exhibition installation
• Insurance during exhibition dates
• Printing and mailing announcements
• Opening receptions and gallery strolls
• Press outreach and promotional materials
• Management of artwork sales

 

Selected artists will be responsible for:

• Providing biographical materials, artist statements, and exhibition images for marketing purposes
• Submitting an artwork loan sheet prior to the exhibition
• Delivering artwork on time, labeled, and ready to install
• Assisting with specialized installation needs when necessary
• Providing digital media equipment in some cases
• Picking up artwork promptly following the exhibition
• Participating in promotional and public programming opportunities when possible

 

Works selected for exhibition may not be withdrawn during the run of the exhibition.

Artists are encouraged to attend opening receptions and Gallery Stroll events and are invited to give a brief artist talk during the exhibition period.

 

APPLICATION SUPPORT

If you do not have access to computers or WiFi to complete the application, free public access is available through the Salt Lake City Public Library.

 

For questions or additional support, contact:

Todd Oberndorfer

Finch Lane Gallery Director

Visual Arts Program Coordinator

Todd.Oberndorfer@slc.gov

 

Please allow additional response time closer to the application deadline.