Monday, October 14, 2013

Open Call for Smack Mellon's Artist Studio Program

About the Program 
Smack Mellon is pleased to announce that we just received funding for our Artist Studio program from The New York Community Trust's Edward and Sally Van Lier Fund, which provides support for talented, culturally diverse, economically disadvantaged young people who are seriously dedicated to a career in the arts. Recipients should reside in New York and generally be age 30 or younger, with demonstrated financial need.

The Artist Studio Program was launched in 2000 in response to the crisis in availability of affordable workspace for artists living and working in New York City. Smack Mellon provides free studio space to six artists working in all visual arts media for an eleven-month period. Benefits include access to a workshop for metal, wood and general fabrication, a common area equipped with the latest technology, and fellowships worth up to $5,000.

Each year, Smack Mellon convenes a panel of arts professionals to select the six Studio Artists from over 500 applicants. The panel also chooses 15 additional "Hot Picks" artists, whose work is featured on our website for one year, along with that of our studio artists. Smack Mellon hosts two Open Studios events annually, as well as sponsored visits from curators, critics and gallerists, which provide significant exposure and invaluable career building opportunities.

The 2014 Studio Program will be housed on the lower level of Smack Mellon's renovated building at 92 Plymouth Street. The residency will take place from May 15, 2014 - April 15, 2015.

Eligibility
All applicants must be US citizens or legal permanent residents of the United States, 18 years or older, may not be enrolled in any degree program and must be able to demonstrate need for a studio. Applicants may not be a resident artist in another studio program at the same time as the 2014-2015 Smack Mellon residency.

Selection Process
A panel of arts professionals and artists will review applications and select artists for the 2014-2015 season. Artists will be selected based on the quality of their work and their potential for making the most of their time in the program. The selection process will be completed by the end of February 2014.

Deadline: Thursday, November 7, 2013, 11:59pm EST
APPLY: http://smackmellon.org/index.php/contact/how_to_apply/

Open Sessions at the Drawing Center

The Drawing Center is pleased to announce Open Sessions, a new program created by Lisa Sigal and Nova Benway, Open Sessions Curators. Open Sessions is a platform for selected artists to find new approaches for contextualizing and exhibiting their work, through conversation, public programs, and gallery installations. The artists selected for Open Sessions may or may not draw as their primary means of art-making. Rather, Open Sessions will foster a dynamic, ever-evolving conversation with new drawing practices and practitioners, viewing drawing as an activity rather than a product. We understand drawing as a practice both concrete and metaphorical; a space for assertion, conjecture and digression. All programming will be developed in conjunction with Drawing Center staff, around the key questions, ideas and approaches that concern the selected artists.

Open Sessions is a two year program of occasional events, described below. The content for all Open Sessions programs will come directly from the participating artists, so applicants should be interested in an ongoing dialogue with their peers, though it is not necessary that they participate in every program. Installations and/or programs will be held approximately bi-monthly throughout the year, schedule TBD. We are open to considering applications from artists who will be in New York for only a portion of the two years.  Applicants will be notified of their acceptance by January 15. Open Sessions will begin in early February.
 
Exhibitions
Open Sessions artists will stage several installations in the Lab gallery, each in association with a public panel discussion or other program. At the end of the two years, a Main Gallery exhibition will present accumulated knowledge and/or questions generated by the artists during their time in Open Sessions. Open Sessions will also seek to forge alliances with partner institutions to expand the audience demographics and exhibition platforms.

Curator and Fellows
In addition to the Open Sessions Curators, each year four artists are selected as Open Sessions Fellows. The 2014 Fellows are Kamrooz Aram, Nathan Carter, Emilie Clark, and E.V. Day. Fellows will lead in the selection of each new group of participating Open Sessions artists, and organize a collaborative event for Open Sessions Artists.

 Summary
·        Two year program
·        Meetings with the Curators throughout the year
·        Collaborative events with Fellows (closed door)
·        Gallery installations
·        Artist-led public programs
·        Main Gallery exhibition


APPLICATION GUIDELINES

Applications can be submitted one of two ways:
·          Upload your images to 
www.dropbox.com, and send them to opensessions@drawingcenter.org (go to Dropbox.com to set up a free account)
·          Via post to The Drawing Center, Open Sessions, 35 Wooster Street, NYC, NY 10013

 Submission Materials:

·          Ten images (Images should not exceed 5.0 MB per image; ideal file size should be less than 1MB)
·          Image caption document (include the title, dimensions, medium, and date for each image)
·          Resume (include email and website address, if applicable)
·          Proposal: What theme provides context for your work, clarifies or adds depth to your thinking and/or elucidates your formal approach? If you were to organize a public event (a panel discussion, group exhibition, performance, etc.) around this theme, who or what would it include? Proposals should be included on a Word or other text document, and should not exceed 150 words. Please indicate if you are or were a Viewing Program member.

·          If you are mailing your materials, clearly label your drive or disc with your name.

Instructions for Dropbox submission:
Go to 
www.dropbox.com
Set up a free account with username and password
Upload your materials
Click the “share” link to share the materials with
opensessions@drawingcenter.org.
We will email you to confirm your submission.

Please read the above information carefully, and feel free to submit via postal mail if you are not comfortable with Dropbox. Email 
opensessions@drawingcenter.orgwith questions that are not answered above.

Applications are due by Friday, November 1
.

ABOUT THE DRAWING CENTER
The Drawing Center is the only not-for-profit fine arts institution in the country to focus solely on the exhibition of drawings, both historical and contemporary. It was established in 1977 to provide opportunities for emerging and under-recognized artists; to demonstrate the significance and diversity of drawings throughout history; and to stimulate public dialogue on issues of art and culture.