Gallery Route One’s Annual BOX SHOW™
A San Francisco Bay Area tradition, THE BOX SHOWTM is an annual showcase of the inventive and ingenious ways works of art can emerge from the starting point of a simple wooden box. This exhibition is not only a remarkable opportunity for artists to flex their creativity in their chosen medium and beyond, but it is also Gallery Route One’s biggest fundraiser of the year.
Proceeds from our annual silent auction exhibition go to fund our programs which include our Exhibitions Program, Visiting Artist Program, Fellowship Program, Artists In the Schools Program, the Artists’ Exchange, and the Latinx Photography Project.
Backstory
The Box Show is in its 23rd year and was established in 1999 by Betty Woolfolk and her husband Nick Corcoran. It was conceived of as a spin off on Joseph Cornell’s work and at first, they had to beg people to make boxes. It wasn’t long before the idea caught fire and people were begging to be in the Box Show. We now show 150 unique artworks by 150 different artists every year. We currently have a wait list of over 70 people who are hoping to be one of the Box Show Artists.
Entering a Box in 2024
Many more people are interested in being in THE BOX SHOWTM than we can accommodate. Although we do not have a jurying process, there are a few ways for you to sign up for a chance to be the next year’s box show:
Waiting List
Currently we have about 60 names on the list. When artists drop out of the box show (sometimes at the last minute), we take names from this list. You can sign up for the waiting list in the gallery during THE BOX SHOWTM or by writing to boxshow@galleryrouteone.org.
Raffle
Each year we raffle off 5 spots for the next year’s show. Tickets cost $1 and are on sale at Gallery Route One during the show. This year we were able to welcome 7 new box artists. Once you become a Box Show artist you can participate for as many consecutive years as you wish.
Bid on a Future Box
We offer one Future Box in the current The Box ShowTM Silent Auction for you to bid on. The winning bidder will be given a box for next year’s Box Show.