All artwork accepted into MAA shows must be exhibition-ready at the time of drop-off. Work that does not meet these standards may not be accepted into the show, and it is the artist's responsibility to arrive fully prepared.

Framing & Wiring Standards

• Framed works must be wired for hanging to professional standards. Use D-rings and weight-appropriate wire that is not visible when the piece is hung.
• Do not use saw-tooth hangers, spring clips, or other frame hardware not designed for hanging. Spring clips are meant to secure backing and glazing inside a frame — they are not a substitute for D-rings and wire and are not strong enough to safely support the artwork when hung.
• Do not submit wet canvases.
• Glazing requirements apply only to works on paper (drawings, watercolors, prints, photography on paper, etc.) — not to paintings or photography on canvas. Works on paper larger than 20"x28" must be glazed with Plexiglass (or equivalent). Pastels must be glazed regardless of size.

⚠️  We strongly advise using real glass rather than Plexiglass for pastels; the static charge from plexiglass can literally pull the pastel dust off the page and onto the inside of the plastic sheet, ruining the artwork.

Examples of Proper wiriing and D-ring placement -- below.  

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Unframed Canvas / Gallery Wrap

Paintings on canvas do not require a frame, provided the canvas is gallery wrapped — stretched over a deep stretcher bar (typically 1.5" or deeper) so the canvas completely covers the sides, with no visible staples or tacks — and the wrapped edges are finished using one of the following methods:

• The image is continued or wrapped seamlessly around the sides (gallery wrap), or
• The edges are painted a clean, solid, complementary color (often neutral grey, charcoal, or black).

Canvases on thinner, standard-depth stretcher bars (around 0.75") typically can't be gallery wrapped cleanly and should instead be enclosed in a traditional or floater frame to fully conceal the edges.

Not accepted: wrong/sloppy gallery wrap 

Raw or unpainted canvas edges are not accepted, even if the canvas is properly stretched. Unstretched canvas must be framed — the no-frame exception only applies to canvas that has been stretched and gallery wrapped as described above.  Photos of each acceptable edge treatment can be seen in our Gallery Wrapping Guidance. 

⚠️ Unstretched canvas must be framed. The no-frame exception only applies to canvas that has been stretched over bars (gallery wrapped) with finished edges — not to unstretched or rolled canvas.

Not accepted:  raw edge canvas - exposed staples 

If Framing or Wiring Doesn't Meet Standards

It is the artist's responsibility to properly frame and wire their artwork to meet show standards before drop-off. If framing or wiring is faulty at the time of hanging, the artwork will not be hung in the show. However, as a courtesy, MAA usually has tools on hand at drop-off that artists may use to fix minor framing or wiring issues. If the issue cannot be resolved to meet standards at that time, the artwork will not be hung — plan to pick it up from the show manager.

⚠️ Framing/wiring checked at drop-off. It's the artist's responsibility to meet standards before arriving. MAA may have tools on hand as a courtesy to help fix minor issues, but unresolved problems mean the work will not be hung.

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MAAartists@gmail.com