West Collects 2012

West Collects 2012 launches today, and with $100,000 reserved exclusively for emerging artists in the Philadelphia region, everyone should apply!

Here's more info from the email sent out by the Office of Arts, Culture and the Creative Economy:

The West Collection has made $300,000 available for new art acquisitions through their West Collects 2012 art acquisition awards, of which $100,000 is reserved exclusively for emerging artists in the Philadelphia region.  Applications are now open, and will be accepted through April 1st, 2012.  It's free to apply, so why not? If you are 18 years or older and working in painting, drawing, sculpture, photography, installation or video, you are eligible.  Individual artists can apply for themselves and galleries or dealers can apply on behalf of their represented artists.

To apply for West Collects 2012, please visit the official competition site.

Winners will be selected by West Collection Founder and Curator Paige West, and announced on May 15th, 2012.  Additionally, $25,000 of West Collects 2012 will go to one artist whose work is voted "most popular" on the West Collects iPhone app. The app is free to download and easy to use. Friends, family members, fans, and complete strangers can vote for art on the app. The artist whose artwork has the most votes at the strike of midnight, Eastern Standard Time, on May 14, 2012 will win $25,000 cash with no strings attached.

In addition to the acquisition prize money, selected Philadelphia artists will also be awarded the opportunity to have their works featured by the City’s Office of Arts, Culture and the Creative Economy during a six month long exhibit in the Art Gallery at City Hall.

"We are honored to showcase the talent of Philadelphia artists here in City Hall, and to bring the spirit and innovation of West Collects to the City of Philadelphia,” said Gary Steuer, Chief Cultural Officer for the City of Philadelphia. “For more than 25 years, City Hall has provided thousands of emerging Philadelphia area artists a professional venue to showcase their talent through a juried process. This upcoming year, we are thrilled to partner with West Collects to present this exciting new opportunity.”