Prospectus

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The Rocky Mountain Chapter of the Guild of Book Workers invites members to participate in Rocky Mountain Bound
Exhibition dates: September 1st – November 30th,  2026
Location: Anderson Academic Commons, University of Denver, 2150 E. Evans Ave., Denver, CO  80210

This is an open-theme, non-juried members’ exhibition celebrating the breadth of book works and conservation treatments by members of the Rocky Mountain and Wasatch chapters. 

 

Questions / contact

Questions should be directed to: Alicia Bailey - aliciabailey@mac.com

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Key dates

• June 30th: submissions close

• August 1st: Work must arrive

• September 1st - November 30th: exhibition is open

• Dates TBD: open case event

• Week of December 14: work packed and returned to artists

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Entry Guidelines

Eligibility

• Entrants must be members in good standing of the Rocky Mountain or Wasatch Chapter of the Guild of Book Workers at the time of submission and throughout the run of the exhibition.

• Work must have been completed within the past two (2) years (or no earlier than 2024).

• Work may not have been exhibited in a previous Rocky Mountain Chapter exhibition.

• Open theme: all concepts, styles, and approaches are welcome, provided they meet eligibility requirements.

• Work that exceeds 14 inches in any direction when closed will be difficult to display and may be excluded.

Eligible work: fine bindings, artists’ books, boxes, posters detailing conservation work or treatments

Number of entries: Entrants may submit 1 item.

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Non-juried exhibition note

This exhibition is non-juried, meaning eligible entries will be included as space allows. If submissions exceed available display capacity, the event organizers will close submissions. 

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Submission process

All entries are submitted digitally first.

1. Complete the online entry form by June 30th, 2026 (11:59 pm MT).

2. Upload required images and information (see “Images” and “Information required”).

3. Pay the $15 entry fee.

4. The Exhibition Committee will confirm receipt and provide delivery instructions for confirmed entries.

 

Submission fee

• $15 per entrant (one entry). Fee is non-refundable and supports exhibition costs. Payment is collected through Jotform as part of the online entry submission.

 

Information required (per entry)

• Artist/Binder name (as it should appear on the label)

• Title

• Year completed

• Structure / materials (brief list) 50 words maximum

• Dimensions (H × W × D) 

• Short design statement (required): 100 words maximum

• Credit line for photography (e.g., “Photos by artist”)

 

Images (Physical works)

Entrants will photograph their own work and submit images with the entry form. These images will be used in the catalog.

Recommended image guidelines:

• Up to three (3) JPG images per entrant. 

• High resolution suitable for publicity and print; 300 ppi recommended.

• Images no smaller than 10 inches on the longest side.

• Photograph against a light neutral background, free of seams or harsh shadows; one view per image (no composites).

• File naming convention (example): lastname_firstname01.jpg, lastname_firstname02.jpg, lastname_firstname03.jpg.

 

Images (conservation posters)

In the interest of outreach and education, we’d like to make available an opportunity for members who are primarily book conservators, restorers/repairers to participate. They work on objects that belong to other institutions or clients that are not available for display. The University of Denver has generously offered to output and display posters (30”x30”) that illustrate conservation treatments, including “before” and “after” documentation, documentation of an historic structure, documentation of a specific treatment, etc.The submission fee is the same.

Contact karen.jones@jeffcolibrary.org with any questions.

 

• One PDF per entrant

• High resolution suitable for publicity and print; 300 ppi recommended.

• Files must be 30”x30”. 

• File naming convention (example): lastname_firstname.pdf

 

Delivery / work return

• Delivery method: Items must be shipped to Rocky Mtn Chapter exhibitions, ℅ Alicia Bailey, 820 S Monaco Pkwy 175, Denver, CO  80224. Use a sturdy re-usable box as your work will be returned in the same box. 

• Delivery dates: Ship work to arrive by August 1st, 2026. 

• Return: Return shipping/insurance costs are the responsibility of the entrant. Please include a PREPAID return shipping label with your work or, if that isn’t feasible, email a prepaid shipping label as attachment to aliciabailey@mac.com.

• Work will be returned the week of December 14th.

 

Insurance

• Entrants are responsible for shipping costs and shipping insurance to and from the exhibition site.

• While on display, works will be insured for the stated insurance value.

• Entrants may be asked to assign an insurance value and support that value if a claim is made.  DU will cover the work while it is on display, but not before then so the time between when it arrives at the shipping center and when it is delivered to DU it isn’t covered. 

 

Publicity / use of images

By entering, exhibitors grant the Rocky Mountain Chapter and the University of Denver permission to use submitted images and work details for promotional purposes (print and digital), with appropriate credit.

 

Prizes

Awards and prizes are to be determined and will be announced at a later date. 

 

Display

Objects will be displayed in locked, glass cases. Conservation treatment presentations will be printed and mounted for wall display adjacent to the glass cases.

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