Who We Are
Juneau Artist Gallery is co-operatively run by 23 local artists who display their art and staff the gallery business themselves. The gallery opened its doors in Novemebr 1985 as a new enterprise for the holiday season. The gallery was only opened seasonally for many years. The gallery is now opened for business year-round.
Becoming A Juneau Artists Gallery (JAG) Member
Overview of Juneau Artist’s Gallery
Juneau Artist’s Gallery Ltd. (JAG) is a CO-OPERATIVE of Juneau artists and artisans.
JAG operates as a for profit corporation that provides member artists a place to show and sell their work. Members have a dedicated space allocation and arrange their own work as they see fit, they set their own prices, provide their own display materials and share the responsibilities of owning and operating the gallery.
Member responsibilities include:
- Shop duty (All members are required to work in the Gallery)
- Helping with special events like First Fridays, Gallery Walks, and other open house events,
- Members are encouraged to work on committees, volunteer for special projects, contribute at monthly meetings, and serve on the Board of Directors
- Attending and contributing to monthly meetings (3rd Weds of month, in Jan; 2nd Weds 7pm)
Becoming a member involves:
- A three step application process: The application itself, an interview with the Membership Selection Committee and acceptance by existing members via a jury process
- A minimum one-year financial commitment to the co-op
- A ongoing commitment in time and energy toward gallery operations
Member’s Commitments to JAG
Members are in effect shareholders of the gallery and, as shareholders, share the financial burdens—rent, phones, bankcard service, supplies, advertising, and the like.
The following three basic financial contributions are required of members:
- An Initiation Fee of $250: essentially a buy-in to the co-op. Of this amount, $50 is refundable after the first year of membership is complete; the refund is forfeited if a member fails to fulfill the 1-year contract with the co-op. If necessary, and with board approval, this fee can be paid in up to 4 monthly installments of $62.50. The initial gallery fees are the same for all new members.
- Monthly Fixed Expenses (primarily a prorated rent expense) that covers the member’s individual portion of the gallery’s fixed expenses. Currently the fixed expense per standard size space is $250.00 / month. This amount may change as our shop lease changes, as our membership drops or rises, or when we need to move into new shop space. The membership agreement commits the artist to 12 months of fixed expenses, payable monthly. New members may join JAG with as little as one half of a standard size space allocation. Fees for non-standard space allocations are prorated based on a standard size space fee; minimum size is a half space.
- A gallery Commission based on sales is deducted from artists’ monthly checks to cover other shop costs, such as bankcard services, phone bills, supplies and bookkeeping services. Currently ( June 2015) the gallery commission is 15%. (Note: Members are paid only for sales of their own work, and they are charged these fees only on their individual sales.)
Non-Financial Commitments required of JAG members:
- JAG members agree to sharing the responsibilities of operating and managing the gallery. These duties include staffing the Gallery. Hours to be worked are assigned monthly by the JAG scheduling officer. The number of hours required of each member is prorated by the amount of the members’ space allocation and by the number of hours the Gallery is scheduled to be open. Summer hour requirements are about twice those of winter hours (for a full space the required monthly work hours are currently approximately 20 – 25 in summer and 10 – 15 in winter)
- JAG members are encouraged to attend monthly meetings and thereby contribute to the planning, managing, and operations of JAG. Members who attend meetings are credited the time spent at the monthly meetings as hours worked.
- JAG members are encouraged to join standing committees, serve on special committees, volunteer for standing and special appointed positions, and run for the Board of Directors of JAG. Members are credited for their time spent in these activities as hours worked for JAG.
JAG Space Allocation
Standard Rental Spaces are 80 inches wide and from floor to ceiling for spaces adjacent to gallery walls, displays are limited to 18” in depth with special consideration being given to spaces in corners and odd shaped areas. There are also a number of “standard” spaces not located adjacent to walls. These spaces are primarily reserved for 3D artwork and are at a minimum equivalent a half space with some being equivalent to a full space.
Members may choose to have less than (or more than) a full space allocation depending on available space and seniority of the member. Currently, members may opt to have as little as a half of a standard space allocation and as much as one and one quarter of a standard space allocation. Requests for non-standard space allocations are subject to the approval of the “Design Committee” and a vote of the entire membership should a conflict go unresolved. Non-standard space allocations are subject to availability of space. All members have one vote in JAG matters regardless of space allocation.
The Gallery has been divided into artist spaces that are subject to rearrangement as artists join and leave the Gallery. The Design Committee works with the existing members to reallocate spaces and coordinate moves as members join and old members leave JAG. The Design Committee has been charged by the membership to maximize the rentable space in the Gallery subject to maintaining the overall design and aesthetics of the Gallery. Space allocation priority is given to the members by seniority subject to Design Committee concurrence.
Applying for Admission
By now, you have likely talked to at least one of our members about the Gallery. If you wish to apply, the next step is to speak to the Chair of the Membership Selection Committee (MSC) Currently: Devita Stipek-Writer (907) 957-2758. She will be happy to answer any questions you may have.
The Application link is below. Please fill out the form as best you can. The MSC will review your application and evaluate it on: Quality of your artwork, Salability of your Artwork, Your availability to JAG, and the Professionalism of your presentation.
http://juneauartistsgallery.com/uploads/jagapplication_1398632539.doc
When minimum requirements are met, the applicant will be asked to come to an interview, bringing sale ready samples of their work, with 3 members of the MSC. In this 20- 30 minute interview, the applicant will be asked about their artwork, employment experience, competency in a retail environment, and about themselves in general. Applicants with positive interviews and completed applications with then have their work juried by the membership. Allow 2-3 weeks for this process.
If space is currently available in the Gallery, successful applicants will be invited to become a Member of Juneau Artists Gallery. Unsuccessful applicants will be notified as well. If display space is not available, the applicant’s name will go onto a waiting list, maintained by the Chair of the MSC until space comes open, then the applicant will be invited to join. If more than one person is on the waiting list, the members retain the right to choose the type of art most beneficial to the Gallery at the time space opens up.
Successful applicants will be required to complete the final membership paperwork, pay initiation fee and beginning rent. They will then work with the Design Committee to set up their display in the Gallery. New members also receive JAG Handbook which includes a copy of the bylaws, current policies and procedures, member lists etc.
As co-owners and representatives of JAG, members are expected to act businesslike and responsibly, maintain courteous and friendly relations with each other and the public, handle and promote other members’ work as they would their own, get to know each other’s work, keep the gallery looking and sounding inviting.
Shop time can be rewarding, even fun—it’s what the artist makes of it. The co-op encourages artists to bring their projects in to work on, if possible; this tends to draw people’s interest and stimulate conversation with prospective customers. Whether you’re practicing your art, catching up with paperwork, or doing needed gallery chores between spurts of sales activity, the most important thing is to make those who wander into the Gallery feel welcome, to feel our little Gallery is special! It is.