Terms & Conditions

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Terms & Conditions

This is the Prospectus for Canadian Society of Painters in Water Colour 100th Anniversary Exhibition at the Helson Gallery. Planning your entry? Please read carefully the strict entry criteria listed below.

Every year otherwise eligible paintings are disqualified before the jurying process because the artist submitting did not attend to the entry criteria. Do not let this happen to you. Read the rules.

CONDITIONS OF ENTRY FOR Canadian Society of Painters in Water Colour 100th Anniversary Exhibition at the Helson Gallery

Canadian Society of Painters in Water Colour 100th Anniversary Exhibition at the Helson Gallery is open to all artists age 18 and over.

  • Artists may submit up to two images. However, only one painting per artist may be accepted.
  • Submitted works do not need to be for sale.
  • Artists must submit their own paintings in their own name.

Allowable media:

  • Paintings must have been painted using water-based media.
  • Paint used must be resoluble in water.
  • There may be a visible drawing made by hand with graphite or India ink.
  • Allowable media:
    • artist’s quality watercolour paint applied opaquely or transparently
    • gouache applied opaquely or transparently
    • watercolour ink
    • watercolour crayon
    • watercolour pencil
    • workable fixative
    • clear wax as a resist permitted

Allowable surfaces:

  • archival fibre paper, which includes watercolour paper
  • watercolour paper glued to wood/composite panel
  • watercolour paper glued to canvas
  • canvas prepared for watercolour
  • watercolour board

Only media listed above are permitted.

Application must be by hand, brush or any tool by the artist without digital or mechanical assistance. Airbrush is not permitted

Paintings must be protected by plexiglass, varnish or wax. No glass is permitted.

Not allowed (media and surfaces)

  • Egg tempera, casein, acrylic paints or mediums, water-based oils or archival felt pens
  • Yupo is not accepted as a painting surface.

Size of work:

  • Submit the size of the work based on the visible portion of the painting.
    • The dimensions of the painting exposed in the mat opening is what you enter in your submission.
    • Do not submit size based on the outer margin of the sheet of paper unless the entire sheet of paper is visible.
    • Do not include the size or depth of the frame in your submission.
  • Elected Member category submissions must be within:
    • maximum of 22 in x 36 in (56x cm x 76 cm)
    • minimum of 8 in by 11 in (20.32 cm x 27.94 cm)
  • Associate category submissions must be within:
    • maximum of 15 in by 22 in (38.1 cm x 56 cm)
    • minimum of 8 in by 11 in (20.32 cm x 27.94 cm)
  • Painting sizes within the allowed minimum and maximum dimensions for each category are acceptable.
  • Paintings within an equivalent area of the minimum and maximum dimensions (e.g., 15 in x 36 in) of each category are acceptable.

Additional Criteria: 

  • Paintings must have been created within the last five (5) years.
  • Paintings may not have been exhibited in a previous CSPWC Members Exhibition (Elected Members or Associates) or Open Water Exhibition, whether in a gallery or online.
  • Paintings must be entirely an original work, created by the submitting artist.
  • Paintings must not have been created under instruction, including but not limited to workshops, classes, online tutorials or mentorship programs.
  • Paintings must not be derivative, based on the work of others, or in any way infringe on copyright.
    • Using stock imagery or photos taken by professional photographers IS NOT permissible, even in the case of permission granted or paid licensing from the photographer.
  • AI (artificial intelligence) and/or computer generated artwork in full or in any portion is not permitted.
  • Mechanically printed images are not permitted.

CONDITIONS OF EXHIBITION:

Sales:

  • Submitted works are not required to be available for sale, but sales may be facilitated through the gallery.
  • Artists will receive 60% of sale price with the other 40% going to Helson Gallery and CSPWC. Please take this into consideration when setting your price. Prices cannot be changed once accepted to the exhibition.
  • Artists who remit sales tax to Revenue Canada will be required to supply Helson Gallery with their HST number.
  • Paintings must be priced in accordance with the artist’s current pricing structure.
  • When a painting sells, the shipping costs are the responsibility of the purchaser.
  • Accepted entries will remain on display and may be available for sale until the end of the exhibition on February 1, 2026.

Framing:

  • Paintings must be framed in a professional manner, using archival materials. They must be wired for hanging. No sawtooth, loop hangers or similar permitted.
  • All larger paintings and all paintings shipped for the exhibition must be protected with plexiglass. Glass is not permitted.
  • If mats are used, they must be white or off-white. Maximum mat border width of 4 inches (10.16 cm). Mats must be archival.

Additional Criteria: 

  • Shipping instructions will be sent promptly to accepted artists upon acceptance.
  • Artists must carry their own insurance.
  • The Exhibition Chair and Jury reserve the right to not exhibit any painting which does not conform to all the rules and conditions of the exhibition.
  • If an accepted artist withdraws their work after adjudication they may not be eligible to enter CSPWC exhibitions for a period of time to be determined.
  • Accepted paintings will persist in an online exhibition on the CSPWC website, www.cspwc.ca. The CSPWC reserves the right to remove any posted painting at any time for any reason.

Entry Fee:

Single submission: $40

Two submissions: $60

Note: Membership or Associate fees must be up to date prior to entry.

Entry fees are in Canadian Dollars and are non-refundable.

Image Requirements:

  • Minimum of 960 pixels on the longest side
  • Maximum of 4800 pixels on the longest side
  • Maximum file size of 4 MB
  • Image to show only the painting; image must not show mats, frames or background
  • Images that are incorrectly formatted may be excluded from jurying

Submission Details:

Submissions open on October 15, 2025
Deadline for submission of entries is November 10 at 2 pm ET (Toronto, Ontario, Canada time zone).

Shipping Information:

  • Shipping instructions will be sent promptly to accepted artists upon acceptance. You will have the choice of:
    • shipping your painting to the CSPWC designated receiver in Toronto, to arrive on or before November 26, or
    • delivering your painting personally to the gallery on or before Dec 1, by appointment.
  • Please note that a handling fee of $25 will be charged on all shipped paintings.
  • Shipping of paintings to and from the exhibition is the responsibility of the artist. This includes shipping costs, brokerage fees and any taxes or duties payable.
  • Although the utmost care will be taken in handling works of art, CSPWC and/or CSPWC’s representatives and Helson Gallery will not be responsible for damage or loss, whatever the cause. Accepted artists release CSPWC, CSPWC’s representatives, and/or Helson Gallery from all liability with respect to loss or damage to the artist’s works of art.
  • Artists must carry their own insurance.

Note:

By submission of entry, the artist agrees to comply with all the terms and conditions of entry as per this Call to Entry and grants the CSPWC the following:

  • the right to use the image of accepted for publicity, education and reference purposes
  • the right to archive their work on the CSPWC’s website
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