Provincial Art Bank Program

Rhonda Pelley (St. John’s) The Eight of Cups, Edition 3/6, 18.5” x 21.25”, Archival inkjet print, 2018. Government of Newfoundland and Labrador Collection.

2019 Art Bank Selections
2020 Art Bank Selections
2021 Art Bank Selections
2022 Art Bank Special Call Selections
2023 Art Bank Selections

Download the Provincial Art Bank Guidelines (PDF)

Download the Provincial Art Bank Submission Form (PDF) 

New for 2024!

  • Special for 2024 Year of the Arts! In celebration of Year of the Arts, extra funding is available for acquisitions this year. Eligible artists will be permitted to submit FIVE (5) works for adjudication with the possibility of our purchasing up to THREE (3) of those works.
  • Online Submission Option: (Finally!) Avoid the hassle of thumbdrives and snail mail! Starting in 2024, artists can submit works for consideration directly online through The Rooms Sharepoint Website. To obtain a custom link for your submission, please email artgallery@therooms.ca.
  • We’re expecting a lot of submissions this round! Due to the expected increase in the number of submissions and the introduction of the online submission portal, processing 2024 applications may take longer than previous years. We thank you for your patience!

Deadline for submission: September 1 of each year

The Government of Newfoundland and Labrador began the Art Bank Collection in 1984 to provide economic benefit to artists and to promote the cultural heritage of the province. Today, the Art Bank Collection is managed by The Rooms and encompasses close to 3000 works of art by over 250 Newfoundland and Labrador artists. The Government of Newfoundland Labrador provides funding to The Rooms to acquire new artworks every year. Artworks that are part of this collection may be exhibited at The Rooms, and are also installed in government offices and public buildings across the province.

Applications for acquisition are reviewed once per year by an independent, external jury. Artworks are recommended to The Minister of Tourism, Culture, Art and Recreation for purchase by the Province. Artworks are ranked based on quality, not on the professional experience of the artist.

Note that the acquisition process may take 5-6 months, as there are a number of steps within the review and approval of acquisitions.

Eligibility

  • Open to professional and non-professional artists, who have been residing in Newfoundland and Labrador for least 12 continuous months prior to the application deadline.
  • Artwork by members of the jury or their immediate family is ineligible while the individual is a jury member. 
  • Artwork must be owned by the artist. Artwork owned by a collector or other third party is ineligible.
  • Artwork must be available for acquisition at the time of submission. Proposals for future work are ineligible.
  • Artwork must be unframed.
  • Artwork must be produced with permanent, archival-quality materials (ex: artworks are ineligible if produced on MDF board, with non-permanent pigments, are dry-mounted, etc.)

Submission Checklist

  • Download and complete the Provincial Art Bank Submission Form.
  • Current CV, including up-to-date exhibition and collection record (Max. 3 pages)
  • 250-word artist statement, explaining your current creative focus.
  • Artists may submit up to 3 artworks to be considered for acquisition each year, however, only one work may be purchased from a single artist within a given year.

Images of artworks must be formatted as follows with the artist’s full name:

  • When documenting artwork, consider composition, photograph against a neutral background (ex: white matboard), try to ensure that colour is as accurate as possible, eliminate or reduce glare from frame glass as much as possible (note that work must be unframed for purchase), turn off the camera flash, use natural or diffuse light.
  • For each 2-D work (prints, drawings, paintings, etc.) – please submit only 2 images: one image of the entire work (edges must be visible, no cropping) and one image that is a detail (a close-up, enlarged area of a section of the artwork to show surface detail)
  • For each 3-D work (relief, sculpture, etc.) – please submit only 3 images: including at least one image showing one full side of the work. Other images may show different angles, and/or details of texture, etc
  • Images must be saved as a PC-compatible .jpeg/.jpg file format (300 DPI at 5”x7” or 1500 x 2100 pixels). Do not compress files (WinZip, Stuffit, etc.). Do not submit a hyperlink or internet address. Do not submit MAC files. Do not submit a presentation file, such as PowerPoint. Do not submit files that require additional software, plug-ins, extensions or other executables that need to be downloaded or installed in order for them to open.

Image files must be labeled as follows: 

  • Artist’s Last Name_Title of artwork (ex: Doe_oceanwaves.jpg)
  • For images of details, number the files sequentially (ex: Doe_oceanwaves01.jpeg and Doe_oceanwaves02.jpeg)
  • Do not use any special characters, punctuation, symbols or quotation marks (ex: #/-&…) within the file name

Submission documents and images of artworks must be submitted by either:

  • Mailing or dropping off on a thumbdrive to the address below. Note: all documentation required (CVs, artist statements, individual submission forms, images) can be stored on the thumbdrive. Printed copies are NOT required for submissions

           OR

  • Uploading your submission to The Rooms Art Bank Sharepoint website. To obtain a custom link for your submission, please email artgallery@therooms.ca

IMPORTANT NOTICE: If you are unable to meet the guidelines listed above or have any questions, please contact us for more information: 709-757-8040 or artgallery@therooms.ca

 

Send your submission by September 1 to:

Mailing Address:
The Rooms
Art Gallery Division
Re: Art Bank
P.O. Box 1800, Station C
St. John's, NL A1C 5P9

Courier Address: 
The Rooms 
Art Gallery Division
Re: Art Bank
9 Bonaventure Avenue
St. John's, NL A1C 3Y9

We’re here to help! For more information about ways to submit your artwork for purchase, please call (709-757-8040) or email (artgallery@therooms.ca) us and ask for John McDonald, Art Bank Technician. 

IMPORTANT NOTICE:  Submissions sent by fax or e-mail will not be accepted.