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. 

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 speleoart@hawaiiflow.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:

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

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

      Sketch (All work produced in pencil and ink mediums)

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

      Mixed Media (All work produced by a mixture of mediums INCLUDING 3D WORK)

      Textile (All work in the textile medium) INCLUDING QUILTS

SUB-CATEGORIES for CARTOONS, WRITTEN WORD, and HISTORICAL

ARTIST CATEGORY (PLEASE INDICATE ON FORM)

1. Amateur- This is for artists new to the art form they are using and new to showing their art to the public. Judging will take into consideration the learning process and provide excellent critique awarding according to beginner level.
2. Advanced- For artists who have experience showing their work, have more practice and/or training/qualification in their art form. Includes previously awarded artists.
3. Expert- Artists who have previous Best of Show Awards, professionally trained, vendors and/or published works.

SUB-CATEGORY for JUNIOR- Please indicate AGE. Artists under 16. JFAS (pronounced "jay-fass") The youngsters will be critiqued by our professional judges and have their own caver vote box!

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 FORM can be found HERE They may be copied, filled out and printed. They can be emailed as attachment. Photos of each entry can also be emailed along with the entry forms.

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 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.

Fine Arts Judging Criteria for additional information.

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 12noon.

Awards will be announced at Thursday's Salon Night

FURTHER INFORMATION - Questions may be referred to

CHAIR Fine Arts Salon:
Carolina Shrewsbury
speleoart@hawaiiflow.com

Fine Arts Salon Treasurer
Kim Fleischmann
115 Stoneleigh Rd
Bel Air, MD 21014

Where to send material for the 2024 NSS Convention:

Shipping address to be supplied prior to the convention.