Emerging artists are often presented with many opportunities to enter competitions and juried exhibitions or shows which require an entry fee. While the fee is usually explained as being necessary to cover the costs of the jurying and the resulting show or cash prize, most artists wonder whether the competition is legitimate or even legal.
In most cases, there really is an impartial juror or panel or jurors to select work and there really is a resulting show or payout of a cash prize. But unless the organization sponsoring the event is publicly funded or otherwise allows their financial records to be public, it is difficult for artists to know just where the money is going or why the organizers can't find other sources to fund the event. There is no regulation I'm aware of which prohibits entry fees for juried exhibitions/shows/competitions.
On occasion, a gallery will also have a call for artists which comes with the requirement of an entry fee. Typically, but not always, these galleries will be vanity galleries and in most circumstances are interested in individual shows rather than long-term representation.
Unless an artist has the time and predisposition to create work which is pleasing to a juror or jury, these competitions are a shot in the dark at best and a complete waste of time and resources at worse. Although they are often sponsored by completely legitimate organizations, participation in competitions and juried exhibitions or shows requiring an entry fee are worse than vanity galleries because an artist is, by the very nature of the event, unlikely to secure a cash prize or a place in the show.
Artists are urged to give careful and serious consideration before entering any competitions and juried exhibitions or shows requiring an entry fee.
If you're looking for more information about juried exhibitions, you can request the CARFAC Ontario advisory notices, which includes the document "Guidelines for Professional Standards in the Organization of Juried Exhibitions".
Note: the above article is not CARFAC Ontario's position on entry fees. For their official position, please see the advisory note referenced above.
