Rochester Art Collectors announced a minimum one month delay launching Red Dot Challenge, the new fantasy art collecting social media game, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Since the game calls for Collectors (a.k.a., players) to visit venues where art is exhibited and sold in person starting the game now could put both players and the public in harm's way. As soon as the new launch date is scheduled it will be announced here and on all our social media channels.

Brief summary of the game: Red Dot Challenge is a free fantasy art collecting game with a social media twist.  Each Collector is assigned a fantasy budget to assemble a fantasy art collection over a pre-determined period. Collectors add art to their fantasy art collections by visiting venues in person anywhere in the world art is exhibited for sale and taking pictures of the art they want to include. They post pictures of the works they've chosen to Instagram with #RedDot2020 so you can find and follow the collections as they develop. At the end of the game Rochester Art Collectors will produce a fun event featuring the Collectors and celebrating the results. There’s a lot more to it but now you get the general idea.​

​Click here for the full details about Red Dot Challenge.

Beginning later this year Rochester Art Collectors will roll out the super-fun FREE fantasy art collecting social media game Red Dot Challenge here in Rochester!

Red Dot Challenge happens in real time, in real places and in real life. Players have a limited amount of time and a fantasy budget to choose art anywhere in the world. They take pictures of the works they love and post them to Instagram. Follow the Collectors, the collections, the artists and the venues where art is sold. Match Collectors with their collections to win.

Get started here on RedDotChallenge.org and then go to Instagram @RedDotChallenge.

What is the Red Dot Challenge definition of art?

“An object created with imagination and skill that expresses important ideas or feelings.” 

This is the first version of Red Dot Challenge. We consider this a pilot. We’re calling this version of the game “Red Dot Challenge:2020”

Who can play Red Dot Challenge:2020?
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• You can. CLICK HERE FOR YOUR INVITATION TO PLAY RED DOT CHALLENGE:2020. Hurry! The game will begin soon.
• In this version of the game the number of fantasy collectors will be limited. We hope to expand the number of fantasy collectors in future seasons of Red Dot Challenge;
• Fantasy collectors will be chosen by the mutual consent of those who would like to play and Rochester Art Collectors after an orientation session.

 

• NOTE: We call players “Collectors”.

What are the rules and guidelines?
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• Collectors will have a limited amount of time to choose at least one work art each month and no more than one work of art each week while the game is running.
• Each Collector will be assigned a pre-set fantasy budget level of $600, $6,000, $60,000 or $600,000. (No money will be used or spent to qualify a work of art to be included in the game.) At least two Collectors will be assigned to each budget level so comparisons will be possible;
• Collectors choose works of art for their fantasy collections by visiting public venues anywhere art is presented for sale, taking pictures of the desired artworks inside the venue and reporting their choices along with other pertinent information to the game administrator;
• The works of art must be offered for sale in a public setting (open to the public) like a gallery, pop-up venue, artist’s studio sale, “First Friday” event, cafe, salon, household sale, and so on. Works of art shown without pricing or works labeled “price on request” will not be eligible for this game except with the permission of the artist or the artist’s representative. No artist commissions. No auctions. No private studio sales. No private sales between individuals. No trades;
• To qualify a work of art must be unique or, if produced in multiples, one of less than 1,000 at the time the work is chosen by a Collector. Mass produced objects will not be included in the game regardless of how rare they may be at the moment;
• For accounting purposes the fantasy acquisition amount will be recorded as the full retail price including any gallery commissions but excluding sales tax, shipping/handling fees, etc. No negotiation with the artists, gallery or venue will be permitted;
• Works of art will be added to a Collector’s fantasy art collection when the information about the Collector’s choice is received electronically by the game administrator; and
• Each Collector will be allowed to remove one work of art from their fantasy collection during the game. The decision may be applied by the Collector at any time during the game to stay within the Collector’s assigned budget or to refine their collection.​

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• ​NOTE: It is important to remember that in all instances and at all times the artist (i.e., the maker of the work of art) retains all legal rights related to the works they create including the copyright to their work. Nothing in this game is designed to limit or infringe on the artists’ rights. The game is designed to support and promote artists as well as the venues that help artists sell their work. 

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How will followers stay in touch and get involved?
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• On Instagram visit and follow @RedDotChallenge to see game info and updates. We’ll post the Collectors’ Instagram accounts so you can follow some or all of the Collectors in real time;
• Also on Instagram, follow #RedDot2020 to see every decision made by every Collector in one spot;
• ​​Come back to RedDotChallenge.org for all of the above info plus special additional content about the game and the Collectors that you won’t be able to find anywhere else.
• Collectors will post a picture of each work of art they want to include in their fantasy art collection to their Instagram account. Each post will include: @RedDotChallenge, @RochesterArtCollectors and #RedDot2020. If Collectors can find the Instagram accounts for the artists who made the work and the venues where they saw the work, they will also tag the artists and venues. At their sole discretion Collectors may also post other information about their experiences; and
• Rochester Art Collectors will produce a program in October to share Red Dot Challenge 2020 results and reveal our Collectors’ identities. Collectors will present highlights from their collections along with stories about their experiences playing the game at that program.

FAQs

Q: Why is your definition of art so broad?

A: It’s awfully hard to define art. We prefer a broader, more inclusive definition. It’s up to each Collector to make their own determination as to what sort of art is worth collecting. You can make your own mind up as to what you think works and what you would like to collect.

Q: What’s up with the red dot? Why call the game “Red Dot” Challenge?

A: Traditionally when a work of art is sold the venue places a red dot next to the work to indicate the work has sold. Although Collectors in our game are not literally buying works of art we thought the red dot would be an appropriate and a powerful symbol.

How much does this game cost?

A: There is no charge or fee of any kind to play or follow.

Q: How many people will be chosen to play?

A: This time around we are looking for at least two Collectors in each fantasy budget category ($600, $6,000, $60,000 and $600,000). Because the game must be administered by hand the first time around we have to limit the overall number of Collectors. We expect to open the game up to a larger group of Collectors in future versions.

Q: How will Collectors be able to include works of art into their collections?

A: A Collector chooses a work of art for their collection by taking a picture of the work and submitting the picture along with other information to the game administrator. No one In the game will use real money to play. There is no prohibition against a Collector actually buying a work of art they see for their private collection.

Q: How did you choose the fantasy budget levels?

A: We presented budget options to some experienced art collectors. They gravitated to a series of pre-determined levels for easy comparisons between equally funded collections as well as between the different levels.

Since we are probably using a six month game period we thought it would be fun to tag the amounts with catchy, easy-to-remember amounts ($600, $6,000, etc.) and consequentially easy $/month calculations ($100/month, $1,000/month, etc.). Future iterations of the game will almost certainly have different budget levels.

Q: Why will the Collectors be anonymous?

A: We’re giving fantasy gaming a new twist by masking the players in Red Challenge:2020. Followers will be encouraged to speculate on the identity of the Collectors by considering the works chosen as well as the developing collections. We’re going to give our followers a HUGE hint before the game begins. Can you imagine? Stay tuned for details about this aspect of the game. It’s going to be so, so, so much fun!

Q: What happens if a Collector spends more or less than their assigned fantasy budget?  

A: ​Collectors may use less than their fantasy budget without consequence. However, if a Collector exceeds their fantasy budget at the end of the game, works from their collection will be eliminated on a “last-in-first-out” basis so that the collection stays within the fantasy budget limit.

Q: Are Collectors restricted to collecting works by living artists?

A: No. Artworks from any period of time may be collected.

Q: Are Collectors restricted to collecting works from Rochester or western New York area venues?

A: No. Works of art may be included from anywhere so long as the venue is open to the public. The Collector must be physically present in the venue with the work of art and the Collector must personally take the picture.

Q: Can Collectors change their mind about a work of art they’ve chosen for their collection after it has been registered with the game?

A: Each Collector will have just one opportunity to remove a work of art from their collection in order to refine their collection or meet their fantasy budget.

Q: What happens if a Collector sees art work for sale in public venue like a hair salon but the work isn’t priced and interested buyers have to call the artist, business manager/owner for a price?

A: Works of art shown without pricing or works labeled “price on request” will not be eligible for this game unless the artist or the artist’s representative approves the work’s inclusion.

Q: How will the game handle “sales” pricing or “discounts” on artworks.

​A: If a work of art is publicly offered to everyone at the same amount - regardless of how the amount is characterized (e.g., “sale price” or regular price) - the public offering amount will be the recorded amount for the purposes of the game. However, if an unadvertised sale price or discount is offered to a Collector, the sales/discount amount will not be acceptable and the amount offered to the public will be used instead.

Q: Are Collectors required to choose works of art with any regularity or on any schedule?

A: Collectors will be asked to choose at least one work of art for their collection each month and accumulate no more than one work each week of the game.

Q: Is it okay for the Collectors to post images of the works they choose to social media?

A: In all cases the artist (i.e., the maker of the work of art) retains all legal rights related to the works they create including the copyright to their work. Nothing in this game is designed to limit or infringe on the artists’ rights. All parties connected with the game will obey the law. The game is designed to support and promote artists as well as the venues that promote artists and help them sell their work.

Q: What about the cost of framing, mounting, displaying or storing a work of art? Will those costs come out of Collectors’ budgets?

A: No. It’s a fantasy collection!

​Q: Will other social media platforms like Facebook or Twitter be used for Red Dot Challenge: 2020?

A: No. We may expand to other platforms in the future.