Application and Membership Terms
Last updated: October 10, 2026
Paid applications are not open. These are the pilot terms Real Artist Guild is preparing to use. Do not send money until an application page says applications are open and shows the full terms before payment.
Who the pilot is for
The planned pilot is open to people who are at least 18 and live in the United States. People across human creative practices are welcome, including visual art, music, writing, performance, dance, design, craft, film, code, and other ways of making and performing.
You do not need a degree, professional title, income, large audience, gallery representation, union membership, or paid commissions. Review is about your practice and evidence, not prestige or popularity.
Price and what it includes
The application review fee is $29.99, paid once. There is no fee to join the founding-interest list. The fee is charged only when a reviewer begins substantive review of a complete application. If review does not begin, no application fee is charged.
The fee pays for the review. If approved, it also includes one initial 12-month membership, one physical Real Artist Card, and standard shipping to a U.S. address. No automatic renewal or recurring charge is planned for the pilot. Membership ends after 12 months unless a renewal option is offered and accepted under terms shown at that time.
Decisions, refunds, and appeals
A reviewer may approve an application, ask for a focused clarification, defer it when evidence or capacity is not ready, or decline it under the published criteria. We will send a plain-language decision and next steps.
If an application is not approved, the full $29.99 fee will be refunded to the original payment method within 10 business days after the decision. If that route fails, we will contact the applicant to arrange a documented alternative. Appeals are free.
An applicant may request one appeal within 30 days of the decision. A reviewer who did not make the original decision and has no conflict will review it. The appeal may address a process error, new relevant information, or inconsistent use of the published criteria. Our target is to respond within 20 business days. We will let the applicant know if an unusual delay occurs.
What the card means
The card is intended to confirm only that a Real Artist Guild reviewer assessed submitted evidence of an ongoing, human-led creative practice as of the decision date. It does not authenticate every work, establish sole human authorship, certify originality or quality, establish skill level or professional status, verify education or income, prove copyright ownership, or determine legal rights.
The review is based on evidence available at that time. A card is not a guarantee, endorsement, employment credential, license, or judgment about who may call themselves an artist.
Review process and evidence
Before applications open, the form will explain the criteria and evidence options. Evidence may include a small work sample, dated draft or process note, rehearsal or performance record, live walkthrough, or collaborator reference shared with permission. We will offer accessible ways to explain a practice. We will not require public social media, expensive equipment, formal education, a large audience, or paid commissions.
Reviewers consider connection to a practice, meaningful human creative contribution, whether the practice is current or continuing, and whether the evidence and explanation fit together. They do not score taste, polish, identity, popularity, or prestige. Digital tools, collaboration, or AI assistance do not automatically qualify or disqualify a person.
Payment and renewal
The payment page will identify the payment provider and show the full charge before you confirm payment. Real Artist Guild will not store full payment card numbers in WordPress. The pilot does not automatically renew. Any future renewal price, term, card replacement fee, or other charge will be shown and accepted before it applies.
Privacy and access needs
The Privacy Notice will be updated before applications open to explain evidence, reviewer notes, payment and shipping data, access, and retention. To request an accommodation, ask a question, or withdraw before review begins, use the Accessibility and Contact page. Do not send private work through the free interest form.
Current status
The founding-interest list is free and is not an application. Paid applications remain closed until the application form and service operations are ready. The terms presented in the application flow will control for that application.