Concord Art Curatorial Program

Deadline for proposals:  March 13, 2008

Call for Proposals

The Concord Art Association is sending out a request for proposals for exhibitions by guest curators for late 2008 and 2009.

For ninety years, the Concord Art Association has showcased art works from many sources, and we are looking to build on the history of varied group exhibits to produce vital popular offerings for the future.

Our guidelines are for exhibitions in either the large Elizabeth Wentworth Roberts gallery, or for the Roberts Gallery plus the first floor French and Abbott galleries. Scale drawings are available to download from the website: www.concordart.org or request them by phone from the Concord Art Association at 978-369-2578.

Proposals can involve a variety of mediums, and can be organized around social, cultural, regional, political or physical concepts.  For example in checking our website, you can see the exhibit on Dreaming the Light from December 2005.  It featured a number of artists whose focus was on light in darkness.   Curators who are artists themselves may include their work in the exhibit, but should not propose themselves for one-person shows. (The Concord Art Association’s venue for one-person shows is the Members Exhibit program in the Loring Coleman gallery – see website for details)

The Art Association will provide:
1. postcards sent to a 1200+ mailing list plus cards for each participating artist,
2. press releases to regional art publications, both print and on-line,
3. help with the hanging of the show,
4. formatting and printing label copy,
5 insurance coverage throughout the time the work is on-site, and
6. an opening reception.
Additionally, for each exhibit, the Concord Art Association will pay a curatorial honorarium of $1000 at the completion of the exhibit.
The Art Association will receive a 33% commission on sales.

For their part, curators will be responsible for:
1. preparing a curator’s statement,
2. communication with artists,
3. writing label copy,
4. art transport, and
5. any unusual installation needs. 

Any artist included in the curator’s proposal must have agreed to participate.  Further, the curator is encouraged to present in the proposal the actual work of the particular artist to be included in the show and then (in unusual circumstances the Concord Art Association will consider representative work of that artist should the actual work not yet be completed.). 

 

Acceptance criteria include:

1. Quality of the artwork;

2. Strength and appropriateness of the organizational concept as presented in the curator’s concept statement;

3. Suitability to gallery space, and for related educational opportunities; and

4. Ability and experience of the curator to carry out the project in a professional and timely manner.

Review
All proposals will be reviewed by the Concord Art Association Art Committee, composed of professional artists, collectors, educators, and Association staff.   The reviewers will not consider proposals for one-person shows, those which need additional financial support, or late or incomplete applications.  All artists and curators are invited to apply; there are no membership, geographic or other restrictions.
 

Timeline

Information sessions: February 21, 2008
Deadline for submissions March 13, 2008
The Concord Art Association will announce the exhibit schedule on May 2, 2008

To apply please send:

1. Application form including a one-page Curator’s Statement, describing how each artist’s work fits into the central idea.  (7 copies);

2. Resumes for the curator and each of the artists; (7 copies)

3. List of images which list should set forth –

Image number,
Artist’s name
Title of work
Date
Medium
Dimensions

4. Images, which can either be in slide or digital format.
Slides may be presented in full page sleeves, a maximum of 100 images.
Digital images must be on a CD labeled with Curator’s name and exhibit title, and must be viewable in MAC and PC format.  They should be JPEG’s at 300 dpi.

 

Please deliver these by mail or by hand to the Concord Art Association, 37 Lexington Road, Concord, MA 01742 by March 13, 2008  Questions? Please contact director@concordart..org or call 978-369-2578.

 

  click for application

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