Red Dot Challenge, Season 1 is a program of Rochester Art Collectors.
​
Participating in Red Dot Challenge, Season 1 is FREE and open to the public. None of the players are paying to play or receiving any compensation. The program is privately funded and entirely non-commercial. Red Dot Challenge, Season 1 is not a fundraiser of any kind for any organization.

​The works of art chosen by Red Dot Challenge, Season 1 players for their fantasy art collections are not being purchased with real money. Red Dot Challenge is a FANTASY art collecting GAME. Players are having fun PRETENDING to buy/collect the art and modeling art collecting behaviors.

In all instances the artists retain the copyright for their work as well as all other rights and privileges provided by the law.

If you are interested in purchasing a work of art you've seen during Red Dot Challenge, Season 1 gameplay, please inquire at the venue where the work is exhibited.​​​

We're almost ready to launch Season 1 of our 2024-2025 social media fantasy art collecting game, Red Dot Challenge. 

The opportunity to play the game will be posted and sent out soon.

The first twelve people to complete our form will qualify to participate as players in Season 1. Everyone else will be able to join the fun on social media.

Are you ready?

​Red Dot Challenge, Season 1 is a program of Rochester Art Collectors.
​
Participating in Red Dot Challenge, Season 1 is FREE and open to the public. None of the players are paying to play or receiving any compensation. The program is privately funded and entirely non-commercial. Red Dot Challenge, Season 1 is not a fundraiser of any kind for any organization.

​The works of art chosen by Red Dot Challenge, Season 1 players for their fantasy art collections are not being purchased with real money. Red Dot Challenge is a FANTASY art collecting GAME. Players are having fun PRETENDING to buy/collect the art and modeling art collecting behaviors.

In all instances the artists retain the copyright for their work as well as all other rights and privileges provided by the law.

If you are interested in purchasing a work of art you've seen during Red Dot Challenge, Season 1 gameplay, please inquire at the venue where the work is exhibited.​​​

Description of the game: Red Dot Challenge is a fantasy art collecting game with a social media twist that takes place in real time at real places with real art. Everyone participates alongside the players!

Object of the game: Each player must identify a fantasy art collection depicting at least seven works of art that, taken together, is in some way meaningful to the player. Players must complete their fantasy art collection within the timeframe of the game and without exceeding their fantasy budget.

Purposes of the game: Red Dot Challenge is a fun way to learn about artists and art venues while following the players’ progress. The game encourages players and the public to think deeply about art and assess the developing fantasy art collections in real time. Game organizers hope engagement with the game will lead people to purchase art in real life.

​In all instances the artists retain the copyright for their work as well as all other rights and privileges provided by the law.

NEW elements in Red Dot Challenge, Season 1 as compared to the pilot season of Red Dot Challenge (played from December, 1 2023 through January 31, 2024):

• The number of players is increasing from three to twelve.
• The number of fantasy budget levels is increasing from one to three: $1,000; $5,000 and $10,000.
• Four players will participate at each of the three levels.
• Social media components and other elements have been added that encourage the public to participate in the game.​
• Players’ names will be public but the names will not be associated with their respective fantasy art collections until the “Reveal” event held in February.
• The public will be invited to attempt to determine which collector is associated with each fantasy art collection.
• The public will be encouraged to engage with the fantasy art collections as they develop in real time on social media.
• The public will be offered opportunities to compare fantasy art collections within and between fantasy budget categories.
• Results of accumulated public engagement will be presented at the Reveal event.

Resources/Tools:

• Each player will have access to their own folder on google drive accessible only to the player and the game administrator. The folder will include a copy of these rules, a simple fantasy budget worksheet to help each player track their expenses and one sub-folder for pictures.
• Players must provide their own “camera” to take digital pictures. Phone cameras are fine.

The number of players & fantasy budget levels:

• There will be three fantasy budget levels: $1,000, $5,000 and $10,000.
• Four players will collect at each fantasy budget level. (12 players in total.)

What is considered art?

Generally speaking, for the purposes of the game, objects created with imagination and skill that express important ideas or feelings may be included as long as the object meets all the other requirements of the game. Players are encouraged to be thoughtful and discriminating but not overly restrictive.

• Objects produced in multiples (e.g., prints) with numbered editions of less than 200 may be included. Open editions (e.g., posters) and commercially manufactured objects (lamps, pens, postage stamps, mugs, jewelry, etc.) may NOT be included in the game even if they are rare by virtue of their age, media/material or origin and even though their aesthetic interest may be high. (Elements of this rule may be modified in subsequent rounds.)
• Works created recently as well as older works may be included.
• Works being sold where the proceeds go in whole or in part to the artist as well as works being sold where the proceeds benefit someone other than the artist (e.g., in an antique shop) may be included. 
• Works made in any time period may be included. 
• Three dimensional works as well as two dimensional works may be included. 
• Works in any media or style may be included.

NOTES: 

1. It’s not customary for local photographers to print in editions. The reasons are complicated. Although local photographers do not commonly produce their images in numbered, limited editions their works are rarely printed in excess of 200. So, for the purposes of this game photographs already printed (hard copy) and displayed for sale in venues around our region may be included. The price should be calculated framed, if that is how it is presented at the venue, even if unframed prints are also offered. 
2. Sculptural objects made by hand (e.g., ceramics, gems, glass, metalworks, textiles, paper)  that have a practical/everyday use (e.g., a mug) in addition to being an art object may be included. 
3. Some artists reproduce their original work by scanning and printing it in an open (unnumbered, unlimited) edition. Doing so allows these artists to sell a hard copy of their image at a reduced price as compared to the cost of the original work. If the printed object is on display at a venue, the printed reproduction may be included in the game. The price should be calculated framed, if that is how it is presented at the venue, even if unframed prints are also offered. Similar rules apply with works created digitally and then printed for presentation/sale. 

How players identify works of art for their fantasy art collections:

• Players must visit venues IN PERSON to identify work(s) for their fantasy art collection. Players may visit as many or as few venues as they wish to make their choices.
• ALL publicly accessible (physical) venues in the metro Rochester area (Monroe, Wayne, Ontario, Livingston, Genesee, Orleans Counties only) are qualified. Venues may be “galleries” or any other publicly accessible venues exhibiting art for sale. For example, coffee shops, boutiques, retail stores, offices are all included.
• Works chosen for a fantasy art collection must have a publicly accessible price (label or list) available near the work at the venue location.
• To identify works for their fantasy art collection players must take a clear picture of the desired work "in situ" (e.g., on a wall in the venue). 
• If the photograph of the artwork includes price information, the artist’s name and the title of the work, then only one picture is necessary. If any of the required information is missing, players must take as many additional pictures as necessary to capture that information.
• Once a work of art has been identified by a player it may not be chosen again by another player in the same fantasy budget category. However, the same work of art may appear again, once, in each of the other two fantasy budget categories. The maximum times a single work of art may appear in the game is three with one instance in each fantasy budget category.

NOTE ON PHOTOGRAPHING ART: 

A limited number of venues that exhibit art for sale do not allow photographs. Obviously, if the venue does not allow photography, the artworks in that venue may not be included in the game. Players are advised to verify if photography is permitted at each venue they visit before taking any pictures.

Second, game administrators understand the environment inside some venues may not be ideal for photographing artworks. Indeed, some artworks framed behind glass may also present a challenge to photograph. Players are advised to do the best they can to capture the work. In every case, players should make sure the labels and other printed information is at legible. Unclear information will disqualify the object.

• Artworks on exhibit with “price on request” information do not qualify for the game.
• Artworks for sale by the artist privately (e.g., a private studio sale or a studio sale where the price of the work is not posted on-site) do not qualify for the game. 
• However, artworks exhibited in an artist's studio when the studio is open to the public and when the work is either labeled with a price or a price list is available in the exhibition space may be included.
• Artworks offered online (e.g., an Instagram story sale) that are not on exhibit at a physical venue where a player can visit in person and capture the work with a photograph do not qualify for the game.
• Commissioned works are excluded from this game.
• Works chosen must be photographed and posted before the exhibition closes to the public.
• A work that has been purchased by a real collector (but is still on public exhibit) MAY be included in the game.

• Click here to see a list of most venues that offer art for sale in our area. Not all venues will have work on exhibit or for sale during the time frame of the game. However, this list will give you a good start finding venues.
• PRO TIP:  The largest exhibits in the metro Rochester area are likely to be at Rochester Contemporary Arts Center, Lumiere Photo, Main Street Arts and Mill Arts Center. These four venues alone will probably account for a combined total of approximately 1,000 works of art or more. Players, however, are not limited to these particular venues.

How players add a work of art to their fantasy art collection:
​

• To add a work of art to their fantasy art collection an image of the artwork must be posted to their designated online fantasy art collection album. Once a work is added it cannot be deleted or exchanged. All postings are final.
• Players must provide the name of the artist; the title of the work; the name of the venue where the work was photographed; and the price of the work.
• The name of the artist will not initially be identified with the image of the artwork in the fantasy art collection albums on social media when the art work is posted. Members of the public will be invited to identify the artist by either visiting the venue or finding a picture of the artwork on a player’s instagram post. If the artist is not identified by a member of the public within a few days, a game administrator will identify the artist. Supporting & promoting artists are both key elements of the game.

A few additional notes about the fantasy budgets
​

• Players are NOT required to expend their entire fantasy budget amount but they must identify and post at least seven works during gameplay. Players deduct the retail price of each work of art from their fantasy budget.
• Once a work has been identified and posted it cannot be replaced with another work. All decisions are final once a work has been posted to their fantasy art collection.
• NO PRICE NEGOTIATION IS ALLOWED. The publicly posted price is to be used in every instance. Each player must track their own fantasy budget. (Each player will have access to a simple template spreadsheet in their folder on google drive to help them track their fantasy budget.)
• The players should NOT add sales tax in their calculations. Only the retail price should be used to track the fantasy budget allocations.

Will there be “winners” or “losers” in Red Dot Challenge, Season 1?

• The game will not recognize the notion that some works of art or some fantasy art collections may be “better” or “worse” than others.​
• Members of the public will be invited to participate in three challenges. Two of the challenges are somewhat competitive and require following gameplay. One of the challenges,however, will involve sharing personal responses and feedback about the fantasy art collections. Information about the three challenges will be posted on RedDotChallenge.org

Red Dot Challenge will offer expanded elements in Season 1 that build on the pilot season:
​

• The number of players is increasing from three to twelve
• The number of fantasy budget levels is increasing from one to three: $1,000; $5,000 and $10,000.
• Players names will be public but the names will not be associated with their respective collections until the REVEAL event in February. The public will be invited to attempt to determine which collector is associated with each collection.
• The public will be encouraged to engage with the collections as they develop in real time on social media.
• The public will be offered opportunities to compare collections within and between budget categories.
• Results of accumulated public engagement will be presented at the REVEAL ​event.

How Red Dot Challenge will work in Season 1:
​

• 12 players will be allocated across 3 fantasy budget categories ($1,000, $5,000 and $10,000) with 4 players collecting at each level.
• Each player uses their fantasy budget to acquire at least seven works of art.
• Players visit venues located in metro Rochester in person to "acquire" works of art.
• Players acquire works of art by taking a photograph of the work & posting it to their collection page on social media.

Organizers expect these additions will result in greater excitement and greater public engagement in the game. 

More details about the game and how the public can participate in real time will be released soon.

​Red Dot Challenge, Season 1 is a program of Rochester Art Collectors.
​
Participating in Red Dot Challenge, Season 1 is FREE and open to the public. None of the players are paying to play or receiving any compensation. The program is privately funded and entirely non-commercial. Red Dot Challenge, Season 1 is not a fundraiser of any kind for any organization.

​The works of art chosen by Red Dot Challenge, Season 1 players for their fantasy art collections are not being purchased with real money. Red Dot Challenge is a FANTASY art collecting GAME. Players are having fun PRETENDING to buy/collect the art and modeling art collecting behaviors.

In all instances the artists retain the copyright for their work as well as all other rights and privileges provided by the law.

If you are interested in purchasing a work of art you've seen during Red Dot Challenge, Season 1 gameplay, please inquire at the venue where the work is exhibited.​​​

In case you haven't been following our announcements too closely, Season 1 of Red Dot Challenge will run from November 1, 2024 through January 31, 2025 with a big public REVEAL event in early February, 2025. Why then, you ask?

Well, during this timeframe there is more art offered for sale than at any other time of the year - BY FAR! In fact, thousands of works of art are presented at over 100 venues in the Metro Rochester area between November 1st and the end of January. So, it's the PERFECT time to look at art and maybe do a little fantasizing about what you'd love to own!

Okay, now a little background about the game itself for those catching up...

Each player must "acquire" a collection of at least seven works of art that, taken together, is in some way meaningful to the player within the timeframe of the game and without exceeding their fantasy budget. (More on the fantasy budgets and how players "acquire" collections in future posts.) Among other things, players must visit venues that sell art IN PERSON. Yup. I-R-L.

ALL publicly accessible venues in the metro Rochester area (Monroe, Geneseo, Livingston, Ontario, Orleans, or Wayne counties) are qualified so long as the venue allows viewers to take photographs of the artworks. Venues may be “galleries” or any other publicly accessible venues exhibiting art for sale. For example, coffee shops, boutiques, retail stores, offices are all included.

Rochester Art Collectors keeps a running list of all the venues in our area on our SOURCES page. 

Beginning now, in early September, we will start hearing about the art exhibitions scheduled to run during game play. Here are just three examples with a combination of over 700 works expected to be exhibited:

​VENUE: Rochester Contemporary Art Center (Rochester, NY)
EXHIBITION: 34th Annual Members Exhibition
NUMBER OF WORKS EXPECTED: 300+
EXHIBITION DATES: December 6, 2024 through February 15, 2025

VENUE: Main Street Arts (Clifton Springs, NY)
EXHIBITION: Small Works 2024
NUMBER OF WORKS EXPECTED: 232 artists from 30 states
EXHIBITION DATES: November 2, 2024 through December 21, 2024

​​VENUE: Lumiere Photos (Rochester, NY)
EXHIBITION: Small Show 2024
NUMBER OF WORKS EXPECTED: 200+
EXHIBITION DATES: November 1, 2024 through December 21, 2024

Remember, ALL publicly accessible venues that present art for sale (and allow photography) in the metro Rochester area (Monroe, Geneseo, Livingston, Ontario, Orleans, or Wayne counties) are qualified to patriciate in Red Dot Challenge, Season 1

​Red Dot Challenge, Season 1 is a program of Rochester Art Collectors.
​
Participating in Red Dot Challenge, Season 1 is FREE and open to the public. None of the players are paying to play or receiving any compensation. The program is privately funded and entirely non-commercial. Red Dot Challenge, Season 1 is not a fundraiser of any kind for any organization.

​The works of art chosen by Red Dot Challenge, Season 1 players for their fantasy art collections are not being purchased with real money. Red Dot Challenge is a FANTASY art collecting GAME. Players are having fun PRETENDING to buy/collect the art and modeling art collecting behaviors.

In all instances the artists retain the copyright for their work as well as all other rights and privileges provided by the law.

If you are interested in purchasing a work of art you've seen during Red Dot Challenge, Season 1 gameplay, please inquire at the venue where the work is exhibited.​​​

It's been awhile since our last post. We've been hard at work getting ready. So, here's a quick update.

Since early August Red Dot Challenge game administrators, Rome Celli & James Tabbi, have been in discussions about expanding on the pilot version of the game  to capture more of the original vision.

Red Dot Challenge, "Season 1" is expected to include a longer timeframe for gameplay, more players as well as more budget categories. In addition, the game administrators are beta-testing a social media component with the hope that members of the public will be able to participate alongside players as the game unfolds in real time. 

Ideas for expansion and improvement have also been informed by a number of additional meetings with collectors and artists. Rome has been meeting with players from the pilot season to review their experiences from the pilot in more detail. He also met with a group at Fuego Coffee to bounce ideas around.  One-on-one meetings have also taken place for those that couldn't make it to Fuego.

If you have some input on the game or if you'd like to be a player in the next season, please reach out to [email protected].

​Red Dot Challenge, Season 1 is a program of Rochester Art Collectors.
​
Participating in Red Dot Challenge, Season 1 is FREE and open to the public. None of the players are paying to play or receiving any compensation. The program is privately funded and entirely non-commercial. Red Dot Challenge, Season 1 is not a fundraiser of any kind for any organization.

​The works of art chosen by Red Dot Challenge, Season 1 players for their fantasy art collections are not being purchased with real money. Red Dot Challenge is a FANTASY art collecting GAME. Players are having fun PRETENDING to buy/collect the art and modeling art collecting behaviors.

In all instances the artists retain the copyright for their work as well as all other rights and privileges provided by the law.

If you are interested in purchasing a work of art you've seen during Red Dot Challenge, Season 1 gameplay, please inquire at the venue where the work is exhibited.​​​

People often ask for a quick description of the game, the object of the game and why the game was created. Here are the anwsers.

Description of the game: Red Dot Challenge is a fantasy art collecting game with a social media twist that takes place in real time at real places with real art. Everyone participates alongside the players!

Object of the game: Each player must identify a fantasy art collection depicting at least seven works of art that, taken together, is in some way meaningful to the player. Players must complete their fantasy art collection within the timeframe of the game and without exceeding their fantasy budget.

Purposes of the game: Red Dot Challenge is a fun way to learn about artists and art venues while following the players’ progress. The game encourages players and the public to think deeply about art and assess the developing fantasy art collections in real time. Game organizers hope engagement with the game will lead people to purchase art in real life.

​Red Dot Challenge, Season 1 is a program of Rochester Art Collectors.
​
Participating in Red Dot Challenge, Season 1 is FREE and open to the public. None of the players are paying to play or receiving any compensation. The program is privately funded and entirely non-commercial. Red Dot Challenge, Season 1 is not a fundraiser of any kind for any organization.

​The works of art chosen by Red Dot Challenge, Season 1 players for their fantasy art collections are not being purchased with real money. Red Dot Challenge is a FANTASY art collecting GAME. Players are having fun PRETENDING to buy/collect the art and modeling art collecting behaviors.

In all instances the artists retain the copyright for their work as well as all other rights and privileges provided by the law.

If you are interested in purchasing a work of art you've seen during Red Dot Challenge, Season 1 gameplay, please inquire at the venue where the work is exhibited.​​​

Rochester Art Collectors' social media fantasy art collecting game, Red Dot Challenge, is scheduled to begin late in the fall of 2024 and extend until early in 2025.

The newest season of the game will follow the pilot that culminated with a big reveal event at Rochester Contemporary Art Center on February 1st of this year. Notable changes to the rules and guidelines from the pilot season are anticipated. None of the details for the new season have been announced.

If you would like to be a Red Dot Challenge player this year, please send a note to [email protected].

​Rochester Art Collectors partnered with Rochester Contemporary Arts Center to REVEAL a new fantasy art collecting game: the Red Dot Challenge on February 1st. 

This program was held during the Rochester Contemporary Arts Center's annual Members Exhibition.

The Sitch:

• A small group of players were each given a fantasy budget of $10,000 to "buy" a fantasy art collection of at least seven works of art between December 1, 2023 and January 31st, 2024.
• On February 1, 2024 players REVEALED their choices and the inspiration behind their collections at the Rochester Contemporary Art Center.

​The video above was recorded by Mike Molaire at Rochester Contemporary Arts Center on February 1, 2024

Details about the REVEAL event

• Bleu Cease, Executive Director/Curator of Rochester Contemporary Arts Center, welcomed the group and kicked off the fun.
• Rome Celli from Rochester Art Collectors =gave a brief background about game, described the rules and introduced Red Dot Challenge players.
• Then the players talked about their collections, what inspired them, any goals or themes for their collections and how they responded to the game itself.

The Players

• Susan Mandl & Seth Oser (played as a team of two)
• Elizabeth Forbes
• Matt Vanderlee

After the presentations a handful of people in the audience volunteered to participate in a "lightening round" of the Red Dot Challenge. 

The group of volunteer players had five minutes to each identify their own mini-collection by placing colored posted notes next to their choices. After making their choices each of the lighting round players talked about the works in their mini-collections and why they chose them.

Rochester Art Collectors anticipates a second season ​of the game later in 2024 or early in 2025.

If you would like to participate in a future game, please write to [email protected]

​Red Dot Challenge is a program of Rochester Art Collectors.
​
Participating in Red Dot Challenge is FREE and open to the public. None of the players are paying to play or receiving any compensation. The program is privately funded and entirely non-commercial. Red Dot Challenge is not a fundraiser of any kind for any organization.

Works of art selected by players for their fantasy art collections in Red Dot Challenge never leave the venue where they are exhibited. Information about the availability of works on exhibit and how to purchase works of art that are available will be apparent at the venue where you see the work exhibited.

About one month ago Rochester Art Collectors announced it would run a pilot season of the Red Dot Challenge social media fantasy art collecting game it devised in 2019 but delayed launching until this year due to the pandemic.

The pilot season will run from December 1, 2023 until January 31, 2024 with a REVEAL event early in February, 2024 at a location yet to be determined.

The rules listed below are for the pilot season of Red Dot Challenge only. Rules for subsequent seasons of the game will have modified rules and guidelines. Similarly, any rules dating back before this year do not apply to the upcoming pilot season and probably will not apply on subsequent versions of the game. 

Rochester Art Collectors is actively seeking players to participate in the pilot season of Red Dot Challenge. If you are interested in playing, please write to [email protected]

Object of the game: 

• Players “acquire” at least seven works of art from venues all over the area and articulate the rationale behind the resulting collection while staying within the $10,000 budget. 

Timeframe of the game: 

• December 1, 2023 through January 31, 2024 at 5:00 pm EST​

​Resources/Tools:

• ​Each player will have access to a folder on google drive accessible only to the player and the game administrator. The folder will include a copy of these rules, a simple budget worksheet to help track their expenses and two folders. One folder (the “Collection Folder”) will include the final pictures of each work in their collection and a picture of the price for that work. The other folder (the “Research Folder”) may be used to store any additional photos, documents or additional subfolders related to the game. The contents of the Research Folder will not be considered. Only the contents of the Collection Folder will be accessed as described below.
• Pictures in the collection folder will be private to the player and the game administrator until the game concludes on January 31st. Eventually, photos in the collection folder will be shared at a culminating public REVEAL event (probably sometime in February) at which the players will present & discuss their collections with the group.
• Players must provide their own “camera” to take the digital pictures. Phone cameras are fine.

Budget: 

• $10,000. Players are NOT required to “spend” the entire $10,000 but must acquire at least seven works. Players deduct the retail price of each piece from their budget.
• NO PRICE NEGOTIATION IS ALLOWED. The publicly posted price is to be used in every instance. Each player must track their own budget. (Each player will have access to a simple template spreadsheet in their folder on google drive to help them track their budget.)
• Do NOT add sales tax. Use only the retail price to calculate your budget.

How players “acquire” a work of art for their collection:

• Players visit publicly accessible (physical) venues in the metro Rochester area (Monroe, Wayne, Ontario, Livingston, Genesee, Orleans Counties only) IRL. Players take a picture of a desired work "in situ" (on the wall in the venue) to acquire the work. Players also take a picture of the retail price of the work (either the label or the appropriate page of a published price list). Both pictures must be retained and uploaded to the player’s google drive folder for this purpose. Pictures chosen for their collection are added by each player to their Collection Folder. Only the works found in the player’s Collection Folder will be included.
• Players do not have to visit any particular number of venues so long as they have at least seven qualifying works in their Collection Folder on January 31st at 5:00 pm EST.
• Works on exhibit with “price on request” do not qualify for this pilot. Works for sale by the artist privately (e.g., studio sale) or online (e.g., an instagram story sale) do not qualify for this pilot. Works must be found in publicly accessible (physical) venues.
• Players may switch works/pictures in and out of their Collection Folder at any time during the game. Only the works/pictures in the Collection Folder as of January 31 at 5:00 pm will be considered.

• Click here to see a list of most venues that offer art for sale in our area. Not all venues will have work on exhibit or for sale during the time frame of the game. However, this list will give you a good start finding venues.
• PRO TIP: The largest exhibitions scheduled to be running during the pilot are Rochester Contemporary Arts Center, Lumiere Photo, Main Street Arts, Mill Arts Center. These four venues alone feature a combined total of more than 1,000 works of art. Players are not limited to these particular venues.

Culminating Event

• Players will be invited to share collections and their impressions of the game at a date/time TBD (probably sometime in February).

Will there be a winner?

• No. The pilot season ​of Red Dot Challenge will not establish a winner.

​Red Dot Challenge is a program of Rochester Art Collectors.
​
Participating in Red Dot Challenge is FREE and open to the public. None of the players are paying to play or receiving any compensation. The program is privately funded and entirely non-commercial. Red Dot Challenge is not a fundraiser of any kind for any organization.

Works of art selected by players for their fantasy art collections in Red Dot Challenge never leave the venue where they are exhibited. Information about the availability of works on exhibit and how to purchase works of art that are available will be apparent at the venue where you see the work exhibited.

Rome Celli, organizer of Rochester Art Collectors announce the group's intention to launch a pilot season of their new social media art fantasy art collecting game, Red Dot Challenge later this year.

The game will run from December 1, 2023 until January 31, 2024 with a big reveal event in February, 2024 at a location to be announced.

​Celli indicated that players in the pilot season would each be allocated a fantasy budget of $10,000 to acquire at least seven works of art during the pilot. All the other rules and guidelines for the pilot season will be announced soon.

The idea for Red Dot Challenge was conceived and then developed in 2019. Rochester Art Collectors held numerous meetings that year to gauge interest and spread the word. The game was scheduled to launch it's pilot season in the spring of 2020 but the COVID pandemic hit. Since then the idea has been on an extended hiatus.

During 2023 it became apparent arts venues were actively hosting exhibitions and planning a return to their big holiday art shows and sales. The prospects looked very promising for the pilot.

Stay tuned!

​​Red Dot Challenge is a program of Rochester Art Collectors.
​
Participating in Red Dot Challenge is FREE and open to the public. None of the players are paying to play or receiving any compensation. The program is privately funded and entirely non-commercial. Red Dot Challenge is not a fundraiser of any kind for any organization.

​Works selected by players for their fantasy art collections never leave the venue where they are exhibited and remain available to be purchased by any interested buyer/collector in real life. Information on how you can purchase a work of art is available at the venue where you see the art on exhibit.

   In March, 2020 Rochester Art Collectors was forced to delay the launch of our new social media fantasy art collecting game, Red Dot Challenge, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Here we are some ten months later and the pandemic is still surging. However, it appears the end is in sight. So, you might be wondering what's the update on Red Dot Challenge?

   The good news is we DO plan to launch the game after the pandemic recedes. As of today, however, there is no planned launch date for Red Dot Challenge in 2021. Since the game calls for in-person visits to venues where art is sold we will hold off launching the game until many, most or all arts venues re-open to the public. The most likely launch will take place late in 2021 or sometime in 2022.

   In the meantime, If you would like to help prepare the Red Dot Challenge launch, please send a note to [email protected].

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.

​Rochester Art Collectors is pleased to announce our Community Partners in support Red Dot Challenge by spreading news of the game and encouraging followers within their communities. Our list of Community Partners will be added to this page as they sign up.

On Tuesday, March 31st  we welcomed Hungerford Urban Artists as our newest Community Partner!

Brief summary: Red Dot Challenge is a free fantasy art collecting game with a social media twist.  Each Collector (that’s what we call players) is assigned a fantasy budget to assemble a fantasy art collection over a six month period. The Collectors add art to their fantasy art collections by visiting venues anywhere in the world art is exhibited for sale (in real life) and taking pictures of the art they want to include. Then they post the pictures to Instagram with #RedDot2020 so you can find and follow the collections as they develop. At the end of the game we’ll have a fun event to hear from the Collectors and celebrate the results. There’s a lot more to it but now you get the general idea.

   Red Dot Challenge is a fun way to engage more people in experiencing and thinking about art by developing fantasy art collections and sharing those collections through social media.

   Players - Red Dot Challenge refers to them as "Collectors" - Collectors are assigned one of four fantasy budget levels: $600, $6,000, $60,000 or $600,000 to spend on art over a six month period: April 1, 2020 through September 31, 2020. During that time Collectors are encouraged to visit venues in person anywhere in the world art is sold to experience and evaluate the work on exhibit.

   If a Collector wants to acquire a piece of art for their collection, the Collector just snaps a picture of the work with their phone while they are in the venue, records some information about the work, sends it to the game administrator and then posts the picture to Instagram tagging @RedDotChallenge, #RedDot2020 and @RochesterArtCollectors as well as the artist who made the work and the venue (if those are found on Instagram).

At least two collectors will be assigned to each budget level. Here's the kicker: the Collectors will be anonymous until the game concludes. Their identities will be revealed at a program organized by Rochester Art Collectors in October.

   Followers of Red Dot Challenge will be able to track the Collectors, their acquisitions and their thoughts in real time on Instagram.  The most complete information can be found right here at RedDotChallenge.org.

   Rochester Art Collectors will reveal the identities of all Collectors at a special program in October, 2020. Collectors will present highlights from their collections and share stories about their experiences as well. The program will be open to the public. Program details will be announced soon.

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.

Rochester Art Collectors has CANCELLED their second public information session about Red Dot Challenge that was scheduled for Monday, March 16th starting at 6:30 pm at Boulder Cafe & Lounge on South Clinton Avenue in Rochester’s South Wedge neighborhood.
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Instead of rescheduling we added details about the game to the main Red Dot Challenge web page. 
Click here to read the Red Dot Challenge:2020 rules.
Click here for your invitation to play Red Dot Challenge.
If you want to talk through questions or if you really want to dig in on the details of the game, send a note to inspire@rochesterartcollectors or call/text Rome at 585-732-1767.

Brief summary of the game: Red Dot Challenge is a free fantasy art collecting game with a social media twist.  Each Collector (that's what we call the players) 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 all the full details of the game.

​Information session schedule:

6:30 pm to 6:45 pm - Social mixer. Check out the new Forefront Collective art exhibit in the seating area of Boulder Cafe & Lounge. Forefront artists include Rachel Coutant, Gage Forster, Chloe du Plessis, and Rachael Christman.

6:45 pm to 7:15 pm - Information session. Topics that will be covered at this meeting:
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• The goals of the game;
• How to become a player;
• How the game is designed to work;
• The rules of the game;
• The role of social media in the game;
• Who can play; and
• The rollout

7:15 pm to 7:30 pm - Questions & answers

The event is FREE and open to the public. Please click on the button below to register. You do not have to be a member of Rochester Art Collectors to participate in this program.
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A brief overview of Red Dot Challenge will also be offered at every Rochester Art Collectors program through the balance of 2020.

Rochester Art Collectors is inviting businesses and organizations to collaborate on the new social media fantasy art collecting game, Red Dot Challenge.

Everything about Rochester Art Collectors is free and easy. So is the Community Partnership program. The only thing we are asking from our partners is to help promote and support the game generally. So, your organization or business might post info and links about the game to social media. if you're willing, maybe your business or organization will offer flyers or handouts or other free promotional materials about the game at your location. Really, we're just looking for help to spread the word. Click here or on the button below to add your business or organization as a Community Partner.

Rochester Art Collectors is rolling out the super-fun FREE fantasy art collecting social media game Red Dot Challenge here in Rochester beginning this Spring!

​You’ve heard of fantasy sports games like fantasy football, right? Well there’s also fantasy dating games, fantasy travel games, and fantasy role playing games. Fantasy art collecting is a recent entry into the growing social media fantasy gaming world.

Brief summary of the game: Red Dot Challenge is a free fantasy art collecting game with a social media twist.  Each Collector (that's what we call the players) 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.
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Informational meetings about Red Dot Challenge:

• Wednesday March 4th, 2020 6:30 PM – 7:30 PM @ Boulder Cafe & Lounge - CLICK for more information and to register
• Monday March 16th, 2020 6:30 PM – 7:30 PM @ Boulder Cafe & Lounge - CLICK for more information and to register