Big Hair Ball 2015
Salon Call for Entry
The Des Moines Art Center and its member affiliate group, Art Noir, are proud to announce the seventh
installment of Big Hair Ball.
Big Hair Ball is an unforgettable evening of glamour and entertainment that celebrates hair as a form of
contemporary self-expression. In 2015, the event will once again include a salon runway show, featuring
modeled hair of all shapes, colors, and styles. More than 750 people attended the event in 2013. The
2015 Big Hair Ball will be held on Saturday, August 15, 2015 at the Des Moines Art Center, 4700 Grand
Avenue, Des Moines, Iowa.
In preparation for the 2015 Big Hair Ball, Iowa-based stylists and salons are invited to submit a proposal
for an individual runway program. Runway programs should be choreographed and may include video,
design elements, music, and dance and last from 2-5 minutes. Up to eight salons will be selected to
participate, as well as 2-3 independent stylists to be featured in the independent showcase.
The theme of the 2015 Big Hair Ball runway show is 2015: A Big Hair Blowout.
Please use the theme and inspirational Pinterest board(s) as a brainstorming tool and starting point when
designing your individual salon runway show. We are seeking and welcome any and all fun and creative
ideas.
Think:
● Cosmic collision, epic exploration, and galactic grandeur
● Constellations, lunar blackout, infinity, space soiree, glass, stars, light play, modern, minimalistic,
edgy, sexy, tech-y, dark labyrinth, metallic, electricity
● David Bowie, The 5th Element, 2001 Space Odyssey, Barberella, Labyrinth
Truly, the sky is the limit.
Eligibility
Entries shall be original by the salon and/or stylists submitting. No reproductions or plagiarized work will
be accepted. All entries will be considered and judged on merit if they meet the following requirements:
1) Salon/stylist must be located in Iowa
2) Salon theme/idea must be original in nature and comply with the Big Hair Ball theme of 2015
3) Salon and all participants must be available for a rehearsal on August 14 th, 2015 as well as the
actual show on August 15th, 2015
PLEASE NOTE: PRIOR ACCEPTANCE DOES NOT GUARANTEE A SPOT!
Entry Documentation Requirements
1) Completed entry form (including salon bio)
2) Complete project statement and/or letter of intent
3) Visual proposal (sketches, photos, models, idea boards, etc.)
4) Signed release form
5) Application Fee ($50)
The project statement and/or letter of intent must be between 150-200 words in a Word or PDF file. The
visual proposal should represent your idea or theme and can include examples of the salon/stylist work
on a mannequin head, a photo collage and/or sketches. The application, project statement and visual
proposal will not be returned to sender and will be property of the Des Moines Art Center.
Entry Deadlines and Application Fee
Entries must be submitted digitally or delivered by post to the Des Moines Art Center by midnight
February 25, 2015. Entries will not be accepted after the due date. The $50 application fee can be paid
by check or credit. If paying by credit please call Jenna Ekstrom, membership & visitor services manager,
at 515.271.0327.
Salons selected to participate will be notified by March 16, 2015. All salons will be notified by late March
2015.
Entries should be submitted to:
Des Moines Art Center
Attn: Jenna Ekstrom
4700 Grand Avenue
Des Moines, IA 50312
Or artnoir@desmoinesartcenter.org
Please contact the Des Moines Art Center with questions regarding the call for entry at 515.271.0327 or
artnoir@desmoinesartcenter.org.
Salons will be chosen based on:
● Creative use of theme
● Demonstration of effective use of resources to execute an idea
● Quality of visual proposal
Tickets will be given in-kind to the following for each salon:
● A maximum of 8 models participating in the show
● A maximum of 5 salon representatives
All other tickets needed for the salon, models, or staff must be purchased.
The purpose of the Big Hair Ball is to support the Des Moines Art Center. While we encourage
salons/stylists to promote their businesses and services by participating in this signature evening, the
primary focus of participation should be to build awareness of the Des Moines
Art Center. Thank you!
Call For Entry Form
Submission Deadline: February 25, 2015 (midnight)
Information and work submitted for this event will be taken from the information and materials submitted
by the entrant. Accuracy of this information is essential.
Salon/Stylist Name: ___________________________________________________________________
Lead Contact: ________________________________________________________________________
Address: ____________________________________________________________________________
City, State, Zip: _______________________________________________________________________
Phone & Fax: ________________________________________________________________________
E-Mail ____________________________________ Website: __________________________________
Number of employees/stylists available for the event: _________________________________________
Have you participated in Big Hair Ball? ____________________
If so, what year(s) ________________________
Please Include:
Title/Name of Runway Show: ___________________________________________________________
Description of project/art:
● Please include your project statement and/or letter of intent
● Please include your visual proposal
Salon Biography (100 words or less)
Release Form
Salon/Entry Release Form
By making a submission and signing below, the entrant certifies that s/he is the sole creator of the work
and/or proposal being submitted and that the information contained in the entry form and any other
material submitted is correct and accurate. All errors and omissions are the sole responsibility of the
entrant. The entrant further agrees to relieve the Des Moines Art Center from any responsibility for loss or
any damage of any kind to the work submitted.
The entrant further certifies that s/he has obtained all permissions necessary to give the
Des Moines Art Center Big Hair Ball the right to publish, without financial or other obligations, any
information about, photographs of, or other information related to the proposal displayed for publicity
and/or educational purposes.
Entrant Name: _______________________________________________________________________
Signature: __________________________________________________________________________
Date: ______________________