Portsmouth Historical Society’s Academy Building has two approximately five-week slots available in the beautiful balcony gallery for rental in the fall and early winter. To support our mission and values as it relates to the community, history, and cultural fabric of Portsmouth, we welcome artists whose work can enrich viewers’ lives and connect the past to the present and the future.
Applications are open September 15 through January 15 of the display year. Rentals will be chosen by a committee comprising of Portsmouth Historical Society staff, board members, and community stakeholders.
About Us
- The gallery available for rental can accommodate forty to sixty three- or two-dimensional works, depending on size.
- While the Society may be able to offer plinths and cases for 3-dimensional works, this is not guaranteed.
- All works to be hung on the wall must use the gallery rod system. No nails allowed. We recommend picture wire or D-hooks. Sawtooth picture hangers are not compatible with the gallery rod system.
- Maximum weight for wall-mounted works is fifty pounds.
About You
Preference will be given to applicants who:
- Are groups of two or more Seacoast artists.
- Present themes and content that relate to Portsmouth, the Historical Society’s mission, and/or the themes represented in other exhibitions at the Society that display year.
- Are artists who are willing to host one open-to-the-public gallery tour during regular Society hours over the course of their rental.
Rentals Include
- Staffing for one after-hours reception that can be private or open to the public.
- Point of sale management for consigned artwork.
- Marketing on our website, newsletter, and social media accounts.
Limitations & Restrictions
Applicants will be chosen for display at the discretion of the Portsmouth Historical Society. The Society reserves the right to refuse to display works that we find to be harmful to our public image or inappropriate for our audiences.
Rental dates are not negotiable. The Historical Society has a robust fall schedule and cannot accommodate shorter rentals than the periods listed.
Dates
The 2025 rental dates are listed below. Generally, we recommend the first five or six days of the rental be dedicated to art installation, and two days at the end of the rental for deinstallation. This results in 4 weeks of display and about one week for setup and take-down.
Please note that Portsmouth Historical Society will be closed to the public on Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day and will close early on the day before both. For the December slot, displaying artists may deinstall the first week of January without additional rental fee.
2025 Available Rental dates
- October 20–November 22, 2025
- November 23–December 30, 2025
Rental and Consignment Pricing
We have two rental and consignment plans to choose from:
- A rental fee of $1,550, with a 60/40 consignment split (60% of sales go to the artist)
- A rental fee of $2050, with an 80/20 consignment split (80% of sales go to the artist)
