Fine Arts Salon Submissions

Updated for 2025. NOTE: New rules - there is a deadline for entry forms (April 30, 2025). Photos of artwork MUST be included with entry forms by deadline. Payment must be made by deadline. However, judging will occur on Monday of the NSS Convention week.

Also: A portion of the Print Salon has now been folded into the Fine Arts Salon. See below for details.

The Fine Arts Salon is the official venue for exhibiting speleologically inspired artwork. Artwork can be in any medium, from painting and sketching to digitally altered photography, computer graphics, pottery and sculpture, textiles, and mixed media. The subject must involve cavers, cave life, karst and caves, focusing on the central interest of speleology.

SpeleoArt began as an SIG (special interest group) as a part of the BCRA in the UK, in response to a number of artists worldwide who wanted recognition for caves in art. SpeleoArt Exhibitions were presented in Switzerland for the UIS in 1995, then Australia, Germany, and France before an invitation from the NSS, to set up a fine arts exhibiting venue for artists in the USA in 1998.

ENTRIES: All entry forms must be submitted by April 30, 2025. In addition to the entry form, photos of the artwork must also be included. The photo of your choice will be used in the Thursday night Salon Awards show in case the entry garners an award. Payment must also be included by the deadline.  The number of entries is limited to 4 per person for competition; an optional additional 4 can be entered for show only, they must all be on a cave subject. Artwork can be displayed but not judged if the artist wishes but must be stated on the entry form.

Email entry forms to joelhaus@gmail.com. Artwork to be shipped will go to a secure address given on acceptance a week before Convention, or to arrive in the Salon in person, by 5pm Saturday of Convention week. All artwork must be labeled with TITLE and NAME OF ARTIST. All exhibits are encouraged to be sold at the Salon or entered for the NSS Auction. The NSS will deduct a 20% commission from all art sold. Previously awarded work is encouraged to be exhibited but will not be judged in the Salon. Applications will be screened and artists will be notified by mail or E-mail. Additional information and the Convention address to send artwork will be supplied at time of notification.

ART CATEGORIES: Art will be judged in 6 categories:

      1. Paint/Pastel (All work in paint or pastel medium)

      2. Sketch (All work produced in pencil and ink mediums)

      3. Textile (All work in the textile medium)

      4. 3D (All sculpture, ceramic, installation and performance art, craft and product design.)

      5. Digital Multimedia (All work in digitized photographic and reproduction programs)

      6. Mixed Media (All work produced by a mixture of mediums)

      7. Analog Photographic Prints (Prints emphasizing hands-on craftsmanship with no digital intervention)

Up to 4 winners will be selected in each category for MERIT or HONORABLE MENTION, and a BEST of SHOW overall. Judging will occur at the Convention. Judging for the Cavers Choice SpeleoArt Award will be by caver ballot.

ENTRY FEE - Entry Fees are per person: $15

$5 for youth (15 and under).

Payments are to be made through PayPal or credit Card through the form below, or pay by check or money order. Checks are to be made out to "NSS FAS". Send checks to Fine Arts Salon treasurer (see below). Payment must be made by the deadline defined above.

RIGHTS AND CONDITIONS:
All entrants retain copyright and all moral and intellectual rights to their work. Credit will be included with all objects displayed. The NSS requests the following rights, which are optional. Indicate your agreement by marking the box(es) on the entry form.

 The NSS may project these images during the award ceremony.
 The NSS may publish images of winning objects in periodicals for the purpose of showcasing contest winners, within one year of the contest.
 The NSS may use low-resolution images of these works on Web sites to announce the winners of this competition, for not more than one year.
 The NSS may use images of these works in low resolution in a CD/DVD of all entries for an indefinite period. This CD/DVD will be lent to NSS members for viewing at no charge.

JUDGING - Pre-selection for exhibition will occur prior to Convention. Judging will occur Monday 9am with 2 professional artists and one caver of high standing within the NSS. SpeleoArt "Caver's Choice" Award will be by ballot which starts at the opening reception on Monday afternoon until Thursday at noon.

Awards will be announced at Thursday's Salon Night

FURTHER INFORMATION - Questions may be referred to

CHAIR Fine Arts Salon:
Joel Haus
joelhaus@gmail.com

NSS Salons Treasurer
Kim Fleischmann
115 Stoneleigh Rd
Bel Air, MD 21014

Where to send material for the 2025 NSS Convention:

Shipping address to be supplied prior to the convention.