The Town of Barnstable, the Hyannis Main Street Business Improvement District and the Arts Foundation of Cape Cod have partnered to assist local artists in forming a cooperative gallery in downtown Hyannis. With generous one-time grant funding from the Massachusetts Cultural Council and the Barnstable County Economic Development Council, the partner organizations will provide start-up business support and hands-on support for the first 12 months of operation. Selected artists will form a cooperative that will undertake the day-to-day operation and management of the gallery, Each member will share in the financial and working responsibilities of making the cooperative a viable business,

Eligibility / Selection Process:

It is anticipated that a minimum of 25 member artists will be selected. Visual artists interested in applying shall demonstrate one or more of the following: (a) he/she has trained at a recognized art institution; (b) has created a significant body of work; (c) is regularly featured in galleries or other public forums and/or media; (d) earns $10,000 or more per year in revenue from the sale of their art; (e) runs an arts-related business. The term visual artist includes two- or three-dimensional works of fine art or craft or other fine art objects including but not limited to painting, print making, drawing, photography, sculpture and crafts.

Selection will be made both on the quality of the work and the prospective member’s demonstrated willingness to contribute hours, fees and other cooperative tasks to making the gallery a success. Diversity and saleability of work will also be considered. Selected artists will use the space for the pursuit of art as a profession, and all items for sale must be original work from participating artists.

Interested artists should complete the attached application form. There will be an initial review of the written and visual materials submitted by each applicant by the partner organizations. At the discretion of the partners, some applicants may be asked to submit additional information and / or be interviewed, A decision on each application will be rendered within 30 days of the application deadline.

Fees / Financial Obligations:

It is anticipated that a monthly membership fee of $150 for a minimum of 25 member artists will be required to support the coop, and there will be an 80/20 sales split with the gallery. The first month’s membership fee will be due immediately upon acceptance into the cooperative. The member artists will create cooperative guidelines, which may include opportunities for consigners. Members will be required to commit to a one year contract upon acceptance into the cooperative.

Staffing Commitment:

The approved hours of operation will be divided among the selected artists to ensure that the staffing commitment is met fairly. The members of the cooperative will ultimately make decisions as to staffing level needed, whether to hire a seasonal part time staff person, and whether to allow members to pay other members to work their shifts. Members should expect to contribute additional hours as needed during the start up phase of the cooperative to ensure the successful opening of the business.

Site of the Cooperative Gallery:

The cooperative gallery will be located in a space consisting of 2,400 square feet on two floors at 20 Pearl Street in downtown Hyannis. Pearl Street is located between bustling Main Street and the harbor front, and is the site of several exciting arts initiatives, including the Shirley Blair Flynn Center for the Creative Arts, Sarah Holl’s Art Space and the Breakdown Lane Gallery, The members of the cooperative will make all curatorial decisions. The site will be open for interested artists to tour on Monday, March 10, 2008, from 11:00 am to 1:00 pm and from 4:00 pm to 6:00 pm.