There may be a limit to the number of artists accepted based on amount of applicants and available space in the gift shops. The following is a partial list of criteria used by the jury when evaluating submitted work. 

• Originality: Is the work original in design? Is the work mass-produced or printed? Greeting cards or prints are accepted, but are determined on an individual basis and they must be from the artist’s original artwork. If the work has an imprinted retail price, it must be sold at that price. Is the work a replication of other artists' work, or does it have a strong resemblance to another artist’s work? Is the work unique and in a media not offered elsewhere in downtown locations or currently in the Toe River Arts gift shops?
• Handmade elements: Is the work from kits or patterns? Are the major elements used in the work handmade? Is the overall appearance of the work handmade as opposed to commercially manufactured or machine made?
• Quality and integrity of the work: Is the work professional, well crafted and ready for display?
• Size: Is the size of the work reasonable for the gift shops?
• Price: Is the work within the price points that are sellable in both gift shops?

The gift shop jury is comprised of gallery/gift shop staff, Toe River Arts board members and professional artists familiar with different artistic media and interested parties in the community. The jury changes every year. Artists not accepted may reapply the following year.

Gift shop applicants would typically be asked to bring in their three pieces to the Toe River Arts Spruce Pine gallery to be juried in person. In an effort to limit physical contact, we ask that applicants submit images of their work instead. This application will act as a first round of jurying, and applicants may be asked to bring in work samples at a later time if the jury deems it necessary.

Applicants will be notified by email of their status by the end of April 2021.

• Applicants must be current Toe River Arts members at the $50 level or higher to jury for gift shop representation. Visit our website for more information about artist membership.
  • If you are unsure of your membership status, please call us at 828.765.0520 before submitting your application. If you need to pay a membership fee, please call to do so or visit our website to join. 
• Applicants must be current residents of Avery, Mitchell or Yancey counties.
• All work must be handmade and original. 
• Artists may apply in more than one media; however, a separate application is required for each media.
• Artists producing collaborative work should fill out one application together. Collaborating artists producing work individually as well must have their independent work juried in if they would also like it sold in the gift shop. Please fill out additional applications accordingly.

By checking the box below, you agree to and acknowledge the following:

• Works accepted into Toe River Arts gift shops are on a consignment basis. (Artist receives 60%; Toe River Arts receives 40%)
• Prices reflect the retail value of the work.
• A Toe River Arts receiving report must be completed by Toe River Arts staff for all incoming inventory and should contain a complete description and retail value of each item. Discrepancies between the receiving receipt and the delivered goods will be reported to the artist but are not the responsibility of Toe River Arts. Please allow one week for new work to be inventoried, tagged and displayed.
• Work may be rotated in or out of stock at the discretion of the artist or gift shop manager/staff.
• If there is a lapse of six months where an artist does not have work in either gift shop and the reason for this lapse is not discussed with the Gift Shop Manager, the artist will be expected to rejury. 
• Only work in media that have been juried in may be displayed. Different or additional media must go through jury process.
• All work must be ready for display when it is brought to the gallery.
• Artists must make an appointment with the Gift Shop Manager in order to deliver their work to the gift shop.
• Work that is not of the highest quality, is damaged or unsuitable for any reason, will be removed from stock and returned to the artist, or not accepted for display.
• Sales are calculated at the end of each month, and commission checks mailed by the 15th of the following month.
• Toe River Arts carries insurance against fire, theft, and vandalism, subject to standard policy exclusions. In the event of damage or theft, the policy pays 60% of the retail value.
• Toe River Arts has an open policy about photographing items displayed in the gift shops.
• Please be sure that selling your work at either or both Toe River Arts gift shops does not conflict or violate the language or spirit of any agreement you may currently have with another gallery/location.
• I am a current member of Toe River Arts. I agree to keep my membership current while my work is represented in either of the Toe River Arts gift shops. I understand that if my membership lapses for more than two months, my work may be removed from display (Work that has been removed will remain in house for no longer than three months after the artist is contacted. After three months the work becomes the property of Toe River Arts).
• I currently reside in Avery, Mitchell or Yancey County and agree to notify Toe River Arts if I move to a county outside of this eligibility.