Guidelines for Participation
Participants must meet the criteria stated below and return their completed application and payment by 5 pm of the posted deadline. The deadline and schedule for the Tour is included in the application.
The following are the guidelines for participation that pertain to the Arts and Eats Rural Back Roads Tour.
Geography: General boundaries of the 2012 rural tour will be M-66 (on the east); Lake Michigan (on the west); a northern line from south of Holland to Caledonia and across northern Barry County; and a southern line cutting across rural parts of northern Van Buren and Kalamazoo Counties, following M-43 and going as far south as Gobles and across to South Haven.
Participant Partner Guidelines and Fees: Tour sites must be in rural areas of Allegan, Barry, Calhoun, Kalamazoo, Kent, and Van Buren Counties and are restricted to studios, eateries, art galleries, farms and central sites selected by the Arts and Eats Committee. Up to two artists may participate in any single studio. Sites will agree to be open the designated hours and days of the Tour. By special request, some accommodations may be made for alternate hours.
Central Sites: The Arts and Eats Tour selects central sites to host local artists who do not have their own studios or whose studios are outside the tour boundaries. Central sites will be selected for location, consistency with Arts and Eats mission, willingness to proactively participate in and promote the tour, and suitability for showcasing artists and the Tour.
Promotion: Each site/participant is expected to promote the Arts and Eats tour through its networks independently of the general Tour promotions. Each participant will be provided with a minimum of 25 copies of the Map and Guide for distribution. Additional copies may be available. Participants agree to provide the Arts and Eats Committee with information and photographs/video for the website, Map and Guide, and other promotions/promotional activities. Participants may be asked to assist with general promotions (e.g., speak at a service club meeting).
Signage: Each site will prominently display the Arts and Eats sign outdoors during the tour days to help direct visitors to the site. A deposit may be required for a banner. Participants will pick up signs prior to the event. Limited supplies of weather-resistant, directional signs are available. All signs and banners are the property of Arts and Eats and must be returned by the participant to Arts and Eats at the conclusion of the tour. Signs are to be used only during the Tour weekends (Note: Sidewalk signs may only be displayed
during the tour days).
Map and Guide: The Map and Guide gives the visitor information about tour locations and serves as a reference after the Tour. The map is given out during the year to visitors through Arts Councils, Chambers of Commerce, and other partners. The website includes farms, eateries, studio and artists’ names, websites, addresses, and phone numbers and/or email addresses (per artist request). Therefore, participants are advised to fill out the application completely and accurately. Each site is responsible for assuring its coordinates are accurate for GPS entries as the Tour will be available via mobile technology. QR codes will be included when possible and if provided. Participant Partners are responsible for picking up maps and distributing them to locations near their site for greatest promotional impact.
Website: Arts and Eats posts the most current Tour map and guide on its website. Wherever
possible, links are established to participant websites. Participants are to place a link to Arts and Eats (www.artsandeats.org) on their website. Arts and Eats website is year-round. Participants may send calendar updates and special events to the webmaster who may post throughout the year.
Tour Hub and Welcome Center: Volunteers are on hand at Arts and Eats Central during the tour to answer questions, hand out maps and direct visitors. Participants may display works (e.g., pieces of art, menus, farm products) or offer demonstrations at the central site to help visitors gain a flavor of the tour and to help in their selection of stops. All work submitted must be display-ready and submitted by the posted deadline. The Tour coordinator reserves the right to refuse or limit work too large, not ready for display, or for other reasons determined to not be in Arts and Eats best interest.
Passport: The Tour will make available Passports to all sites. Sites will distribute these to visitors and when they are presented mark visitor Passports with a designated sticker (to be provided). This aids the Tour in collecting evaluation information. Sites will collect completed Passports and turn them in (along with unused Passports and stickers) to Arts and Eats at the conclusion of the Tour.
Survey: An online survey will be available to participating artists and farms following the tour. Participants are asked to complete the survey to continue quality improvement of the tour. Statistics will aid in Arts and Eats’ continuing efforts to garner support and promote its mission and to help fine tune
policies and activities for future tours.
Refunds: If applicants are not accepted to 2012 Arts and Eats, the participation fee will be refunded minus a 10% administrative fee. No refunds will be made if an applicant is selected as a participant and later withdraws.
Note: Arts and Eats is a volunteer collaborative effort of the Allegan Tourist Council, Barry County Chamber of Commerce, Barry County Tourism Council, Hastings Public Library, Pierce Cedar Creek Institute, Promote Michigan, Thornapple Arts Council, MSU Extension, area artists, farmers, restaurants, and a host of energetic and creative volunteers. The Arts and Eats Committee coordinates the Tour, produces the map and guide, coordinates all publicity, and makes and manages policy.
If you have any questions before applying or for more information please contact:
Arts and Eats Rural Back Roads Tour, info@artsandeats.org, www.artsandeats.org, Phone: (269) 945-2002.