Win this American Idol-like competition and you'll get a show in the the BK Museum

Will you be next to Keith Haring at the Brooklyn Museum?

Attention Brooklyn visual artists: Here’s your chance to compete for a chance to show your work to your neighbors and their out of town parents at Brooklyn Museum! The exhibit is the culmination of “Go: A Community-Curated Open Studio Project” and will premiere at free Target First Saturday on Dec. 1, and run through the end of February 2013. Featured artists will be chosen through an American Idol-esque nomination process in which the community will visit artists studios during the weekend of Sept. 8-9 and vote for which artists should be included in the show. But it’s not quite as simple as texting Art06 to an 866 number as instructed by Ryan Seacrest. There is a registration process for both artists interested in participating and art lovers/friends of artists who want to vote. The “Official Rules” are long, legal and poorly drafted, but we’ll try to explain some of them below. You’re on your own for the rest.

ARTISTS: You are eligible to participate only if you have a “studio” that is located in the borough of Brooklyn (the Official Rules does not map out the official parameters of our fair borough, but from the language it seems like the Bushwick/Ridgewood boundary might actually matter in this case).

If you are also 18+ yrs of age, register online from June 4-29 by completing an “Artist Profile” and uploading images of your original artwork. For more details, instructions, and restrictions read the Rules thoroughly. [Note: Pay special attention to Paragraph 4 where they describe the rights you are granting to Brooklyn Museum by agreeing to the terms of registration, including “the right and license in perpetuity (*i.e., forever) to reproduce, publish, display, use, edit, adjust, modify, duplicate, abridge, condense, create derivative works from (?), and excerpt such Artist Submission in any way, in any and all media, and to sublicense such rights, without limitation and without further compensation.” This clause throws up some lawyer flags. It’s probably intended to cover use of your work in pamphlets, books, and promotional materials across all current and future technologies. Ask your lawyer about it before clicking “I agree.”]

Oh wait, there’s more. VOTERS: Of course you can just go check out art, but in order to be a good supportive friend you’ll have to register for your vote to count towards artist nomination. Registration for official “Go” voters opens Aug. 1 and runs through the start of the open studio weekend.

The rules make it seem dense and complicated, but nothing that’s worth it is ever easy. This is an opportunity to have your work displayed at the premier institution of artistic culture in our beloved borough. Make the effort. Good luck!

Intended exclusively as translation from legalese, NOT to be relied on as legal advice.

Follow Rachel @raeinbk.