ICON welcomes art with a science fiction and fantasy theme to be a part of our Art Show.  In addition to our Artists’ Gallery, we have a Print Shop, Student Art Show and Art Auction each year.

COST TO PARTICIPATE

  • $10 per panel or $5 per half-table. Panels are approximately 30″ wide and 60″ high. Half-tables are approximately 36″ by 36″.
  • Each artist is required to specify how many panels they wish to reserve. We can guarantee at least 4 panels for hanging art or 4 half-tables for three-dimensional artwork. Additional space is on a first-come, first-served basis.
  • If you are submitting items for our Print Shop, the cost is $5 no matter how many items are entered. This amount can be combined with a check for return postage.

SUBMISSION GUIDELINES

  • Artists bring or mail artwork to the convention and hang it in our show. If you choose to mail in artwork, it will be hung by volunteers.
  • Artwork must be ready to display upon arrival.
  • This is a family-friendly convention. Please keep content to a PG-13 level.
  • No perishable artwork. This includes cakes, cookies, other baked goods, and other ephemeral art works. We do this to ensure the safety of the other artists’ work.
  • For the Art Show: Bids sheets must be attached to each piece, and a control sheet listing each piece must be included.
  • For the Art Show: The bid sheets must be attached so that they may be seen while hanging.
  • For the Art Show: Each piece MUST have a Minimum Bid, Quick Sale Price, and After Auction price.
    If no minimum bid is shown, the buyer may assume there is no minimum bid. After Auction price can be NFS. If the work is for display only, mark the piece as NFS.
  • For the Print Shop: Each piece must have a price tag which includes the artist title, print number/edition, print medium and price.
  • If there is space, walk-in artwork will be accepted on Friday from Noon till 5 pm and from 10 am until Noon on Saturday.
  • The Art Show Director reserves to right to refuse to hang/display any artwork deemed inappropriate.

STUDENT ART SHOW SUBMISSION GUIDELINES

Each year, we host a Student Art Show for high school and college students.

  • Each student will be allowed to hang/display one work of art at no cost.
  • All student submission should follow the guidelines listed above and following the shipping instructions below.
  • Classes/schools may submit multiple pieces in the same shipping container.
  • Student artwork will be reviewed and awards will be given to deserving artwork.

SHIPPING DETAILS

All artworks must arrive by October 9, 2023. Secure facilities are available to store your artwork if you wish to send it in early. Artwork must be sent in sturdy, reusable containers. Please ship your artwork to the following address:

ICON Art Show
C/O Mindbridge Foundation
308 E. Burlington St. PMB #300
Iowa City, IA 52240

In addition to your artwork, you must include the following:

  • ICON Artist Registration form
  • ICON Art Show bid information
  • A check for hanging/display fees
  • A check or postage/prepaid label for the return of your artwork.  The return shipping fee may be included in the same check as your hanging/display fees.
  • Also specify if you wish your container returned if all artwork is sold.

Any overpayment of shipping fees will be remitted to you by check.

Documents to Include With Your Artwork Submission

HOW ARTWORK IS SOLD AT ICON

All artwork is subject to Iowa Sales Tax and a credit card processing fee in addition to price of the artwork.

For the Print Shop

If an attendee wishes to buy from the Print Shop they pick up the piece they want and take it to the Art Show checkout and pay for it.

For the Art Show

  • Each item that is for sale has three prices: a Minimum Bid, a Quick Sale price, and an After Auction price.
  • As the convention goes on, people wander through the Art Show and place bids on artwork.
  • If no one has bid on an item, the bidder has two options:
    1. They may place a bid for an amount equal to or greater than the minimum bid. In this case, anyone else may bid on it as well. Any item with two or more bids will go to auction. If no one else bids on it, the item will go to the original bidder for the minimum bid price.
    2. If the first bidder knows that this piece is one that they must have, they may make a Quick Sale if there are no other bidders. The bidder wanting to take advantage of the Quick Sale price will ask the Art Show staff to mark the item as a Quick Sale. The bidder will pay the Quick Sale price for the item when they pick it up on Sunday. The item is considered sold, but will remain on display until Sunday.

For the Art Auction

Any piece with two or more bids and any piece the art show staff deems worthy will be taken to the Auction. At the Auction, the works are sold to the highest bidder.

When the Art Show opens after the auction, any unsold pieces will be available for immediate purchase at the After Auction price.

Picking Up Purchased Art

Purchased artwork will be available for payment and pickup after the Art Auction. Any one that needs to make other arrangements will need to speak to Art Show staff. Purchasers are asked to be responsible and pay for and pick up their purchases in a timely fashion prior to Closing Ceremonies on Sunday.

PICKING UP/RETURN OF UNSOLD ART AND RECEIVING PAYMENT

Any attending artist should come to the show around noon on Sunday to pick up any unsold artwork. Payment for artwork sold will be mailed to the artist in a timely fashion.