Participating Artists

The statement represents your voice to those who seek additional information and insight about your artwork on view. Visitors and catalogue readers are looking for specifics and details to better understand your artwork and get to know you.

You can proceed with your statement in two possible directions:

1. Prepare a statement that expresses your ideas, feelings, and reactions to the artwork or that explains the creative process that brought the work into existence. We suggest approximately 250 words to ensure there is sufficient substance for a solid statement.
   Note: Current, original, and relevant writing is required. Do NOT use a statement previously published or developed for general marketing purposes.
2. Respond to questions or topics suggested in the Artist Statement Writing Prompts. A Museum staff member then drafts a statement from the provided answers.
   Artist Statement Writing Prompts

With either scenario, Museum staff edit statements to conform to space limitations and to the Museum’s style sheet. The final published statement will be less than 200 words.

When filling out your forms, upload your statement within the Catalogue & Gallery Label section. If you do not have your statement ready when you fill out your forms, please email or snail mail your artist statement following your forms submission but by Monday, June 3.

We love all the tidbits we can get about your artwork! Information in your statement also helps the Museum’s education department prepare docent-training materials, artist voices content, Art Kit activities, and other educational resources. If you have materials you’d like to donate to the Museum’s education department that would help educate visitors about your artwork (examples: samples of wood used or photos that document the stages of your creative process), the Woodson will gratefully accept them. Please let us know!

Upload or Send your Image File

Digital images should be RGB or CMYK; at least 300 dpi; TIFF format preferred (JPEG and EPS acceptable); longest dimension must be at least 2850 pixels or 9.5 in (25 cm).

All artists must provide a digital image via upload within the Forms or it can be sent afterwards via email, DropBox or similar cloud-based file delivery, or USB flash drive. Images that were submitted during the jury process are not high enough quality to go to print.

If an artist-supplied digital image does not meet the Museum’s requirements, the artist will have to pay the additional photography fee of $150. Since the quality of images received by the Museum determines catalogue reproduction quality, the Museum reserves the right to reject inadequate digital images and require immediate shipment of the artwork to the Museum along with appropriate payment.

Permission to Use Images

The Museum cannot reproduce any artwork selected for Birds in Art in the catalogue or in any other print or electronic format without the Permission to Use Visual Image Form completed by the photographer of the artwork, even if you photographed your own work. This form is within the Birds in Art Forms.

Payment is due by Monday, June 3 alongside the Birds in Art Forms. Within the Forms, you will be directed to our payment processing site and asked to acknowledge that you have made the payment. Scholarships are available, please ask.

Participation Fee: $150.00
Must be completed by all artists included in the Birds in Art 2026 exhibition.

Photography Fee: $150.00
The Museum will professionally photograph your artwork for an additional $150.00 if you elect for this option or if you are unable to provide a print-quality digital image.

Looking for payment links post completing the forms?

Go to General Fee Payment

Go to Alternative Fee Payment

After reviewing the information above and preparing your artist statement and image file, please proceed to the Birds in Art Forms. Once started, you can save and return to complete your forms at a later time.

The Birds in Art Forms must be completed by Monday, June 3.

Go to Birds in Art Forms

If you choose not to fill out the online form, download the PDF below, fill it out, and mail it to the Museum’s address.

Woodson Art Museum, Attn: Birds in Art Forms
700 N 12th St
Wausau, WI 54403-5007
United States

DOWNLOAD THE PDF VERSION

The Museum does NOT pay for packing or crating costs. To ensure the safety of your work in transit and so the Museum’s fine arts insurance coverage will apply to your incoming shipment, you MUST follow these packing preparation and crating specifications.

Artwork Packing Preparation

• Frame two-dimensional works requiring glazing with plexiglass instead of glass whenever possible. Plexiglass is lighter and safer for shipping. Plexiglass should never be taped.
  • If glass must be used, it SHOULD be crisscrossed with masking tape to prevent damage to the artwork’s surface should the glass break in transit.
• Remove hanging wire before shipping.
• Two-dimensional works should be placed in a plastic bag or wrapped in paper or clear plastic sheeting to protect the artwork and frame from damage during shipping.
• Three-dimensional works should be properly supported and protected within the crate to prevent unnecessary movement and/or damage.

Crating Specifications

• Air Float StrongBox, ULINE Delux Artwork shippers (U.S.) or Museumpak (U.K.) are preferred for shipping small and medium two-dimensional artwork. These crates are sturdy, lightweight, and easy to pack and unpack. Please ensure that egg carton foam is not directly in contact with your artwork’s surface.
• If you prefer to ship a wooden crate, use an all-plywood-constructed crate.
  • Use 3/4 inch (2 cm) plywood for your crate frame and either 3/8 inch (1 cm) or 1/2 inch (1.2 cm) plywood panels. Line with styrofoam insulation and attach the removable lid with Phillips or square-drive screws; drywall screws work well. NOTE: If 1/4 inch plywood panel is used in crate construction and damage should occur, our insurance underwriter will deny the claim.
  • Use styrofoam insulation cut to fit your artwork snugly on all sides. Styrofoam sheets cut nicely on a table saw using a coarse-tooth blade or can be scored with a utility knife and broken.
  • Museum staff prefer crates designed with easy access for removing artwork. Avoid using loose packing materials such as crushed paper or packing peanuts that provide inadequate protection and are time consuming to pack and unpack.
  • Use Phillips or square-drive screws on the access panel. Do not use nails or mixed screw types.

Artwork Return

• If a crate is inadequate for the safe return of the work, the Museum will invoice the artist/lender for the cost of labor and materials to construct a proper crate. Notification will be sent prior to construction of a new crate.
• If the artwork is purchased by the Museum or an outside buyer, the crating will NOT be returned to the artist.

Questions about shipping, packing, and crating.

Send an email to the Shipping Team

The Museum will insure the loaned object under its fine arts policy while on its premises, on tour (if applicable), and in transit for the Fair Market Value as specified on the Loan Inventory Agreement within the Birds in Art Forms. For transit coverage, the artwork must be packed according to the specifications and precautions provided by the Museum. If the Museum’s packing/shipping instructions are NOT followed and damage results, responsibility for the artwork will be the artist’s or lender’s.

Allow sufficient time for your work to reach the Museum prior to the June 26, 2026 deadline. Ship artwork to be delivered second business day. The Museum will NOT pay for next-day delivery service.

• The Museum will pay the cost of incoming and outgoing shipping charges (excluding next-day service). The Museum will NOT pay packing or crating costs.
• The Museum’s preferred air and ground carrier is FedEx, which serves the Wausau area from Central Wisconsin Airport (CWA), located in Mosinee, Wisconsin.
• Use the Museum’s FedEx account to pay for the shipping charges. Click here to receive the account number.
• When completing the airbill, show No Value Declared in the section marked VALUE since theMuseum’s fine arts policy will provide adequate insurance coverage if your work is crated according to the Museum’s specifications.
• If you elect to purchase insurance through the air carrier, the Museum will invoice you for the incoming insurance expense billed to us by the carrier.
• Be sure a return address is clearly visible and securely adhered to the outside of the crate for identification.
• Prior to sealing the crate, place the shipper’s [you] and the recipient’s [Woodson Art Museum] names, addresses, and telephone numbers INSIDE the crate. This is extremely important; do not rely solely on the to/from addresses on the outside of the crate. Note: Remove old labels from the
  crate face to avoid confusion in transit.

Museum staff will receive hand-delivered artwork on Monday – Friday, 8 am – 4 pm only. Please call the Museum +1.715.845.7010 prior to delivering your artwork. Unless a crate is provided by the artist/lender, all hand-delivered artwork must be picked up following the close of the exhibition or completion of the tour.

Artists shipping internationaly are required to complete the Remote Pickup Request Form. The form can be found below.

DOWNLOAD INTERNATIONAL SHIPPING FORM