In Practice Open Call

IN PRACTICE PROJECT SERIES: OPEN CALL FOR PROPOSALS

DEADLINE: JULY 1, 2011

The In Practice program supports artists in creating new work for exhibition at SculptureCenter. We invite artists to submit proposals for new projects and installations to be presented beginning in January of 2012. Artists selected for the In Practice program will receive a $500 honoraria and up to $1500 in production support. The level of production support will depend on the scope of accepted works and available funding.

SculptureCenter is a not-for-profit arts institution that takes the history and legacy of sculpture as a framework from which to consider the diverse activity taking place in the field of contemporary art. SculptureCenter's program encourages artists and audiences to explore the possibilities of sculpture and the multifarious ways in which sculpture is developing and connecting to other forms of expression. Past In Practice participants include: Fia Backström, Amy Granat, Joanna Malinowska, Justin Matherly, Marlo Pascual, Xaviera Simmons, Valerie Snobeck, Agathe Snow, Josh Smith, Josh Tonsfeldt, and Erik Wysocan.

SculptureCenter seeks proposals that offer new ways of considering sculpture or further the understanding of the discipline and how it can intersect with architecture, performance, painting, photography, film and video, sound, and new mediums. Proposals will be reviewed relative to the following criteria:

- Quality of the proposal and prior work
- Responsiveness to the site and the specific context of SculptureCenter
- Feasibility of the project

All lower-level project spaces and the building exterior are available for In Practice proposals. Other areas of the building and projects outside the confines of the building may also be considered. For performances, the main space can be considered, depending on the exhibitions on view and the requirements of the performance. Artists are encouraged to experiment with unconventional display and exhibition formats. Collaborative project proposals are welcome. Applying artists are encouraged to visit SculptureCenter during open hours. Building images and floorplans may be viewed and downloaded on our website, as well as previous works presented at SculptureCenter. There are no geographic eligibility requirements, but the budget does not provide for travel, housing or accommodation costs.

SculptureCenter staff and advisors will conduct a preliminary review of proposals. A limited number of artists will be contacted for further information and/or studio visits. Submitting artists will be notified by email by September 1, 2011. No calls please.

All applications must be submitted electronically via SculptureCenter's website. Please note that we are not accepting submissions by mail, drop off, or email. We strongly recommend that you review the below list of required information in advance, complete a separate document offline, and copy your finalized responses into the online fields.

IMPORTANT: Your application must be submitted through our website by midnight of July 1, 2011. We strongly recommend that the application be completed online several days in advance of the deadline, as we anticipate high volume on our server on the night of July 1st, and we cannot guarantee an error free application process during the last 24 hours of the Open Call.

Questions? Please read the FAQ below! If you feel you have a question that is not addressed, email us at inpractice@sculpture-center.org.

Pictured above, left to right: Valerie Snobeck, Xaviera Simmons, Justin Matherly, and Josh Tonsfeldt.

View the Open Call as a PDF here.

Submission Guidelines

The online form will ask for the following information:

__ Contact information

__ CV
There is a provided field you will be asked to paste the text of your CV into.

__ Artist statement (1250 character limit)

__ Project proposal (5000 character limit)
In your proposal, please describe how the images you are submitting relate to the proposed project (i.e. related prior work, work in progress, etc.)

__ Project proposed budget
This may be preliminary but must be realistic. Artists selected for the In Practice program will receive a $500 honoraria and up to $1500 in production support. The level of production support depends on the scope of accepted works and available funding.

__ Work samples
Work samples may be of the work proposed and/or of prior work that relates to the proposal. You may include up to 15 total images and 5 video or audio links.

Images: Uploaded JPEGS MUST be named as follows: Lastname_Firstname_Number.jpg (example: Duchamp_Marcel_01.jpg). Images should be no larger than 800 pixels x 800 pixels, at 72 dpi. Images that are formatted incorrectly may not be reviewed.

Video/Audio: Video or audio work samples must be online so that you can provide a link to view it.

__ Work sample captions (1000 character limit each)
Each image and/or link to a video/audio work should provide title, date, media, dimensions, and any relevant descriptive information for each submitted sample.

FAQ for In Practice

Can I hand deliver, mail, or email my application?
No. All applications must be submitted using our online submission system. We are unable to accept email or paper submissions.

Does the online application have to be completed in one sitting?
Yes. You cannot save your work to return to at a later time. It is recommended you complete your answers in another document before you begin the application, and copy them into the provided fields.

Do I need to put the image caption in the actual jpeg?
There is a field for each image caption that corresponds to the image uploaded.

When I review my submission, should I be able to see the images I submitted?
No - the system will show just the names of the files and the captions.

Do the character counts include spaces and line breaks?
Yes - all characters including spaces and returns count.

What is the height of the lower-level?
The height of the lower-level ranges from 6'10"-8'9". Please refer to the Section Looking South and Section Looking West floorplans for more specific information.

How do I specify my chosen lower-level site so it's clear where I'm referring to?
Please use the space designations as shown in the Cellar Floorplan. If that doesn't apply for some reason, please provide a detailed description so that we will be able to locate the corresponding site in your proposal.

What are the specifications for submitting JPEG files? How will they be viewed?
JPEGS must be named as follows:Lastname_Firstname_Number.jpg (example: Duchamp_Marcel_01.jpg). Images should be no larger than 800 pixels x 800 pixels, at 72 dpi. Images that are formatted incorrectly may not be reviewed. Images will be viewed both on a computer monitor and also projected through a video projector.

Can I submit a combination of past work and proposal images for my work samples?
Yes, whatever combination you like, up to 15 total images.

What spaces are available for proposals?
All of the lower-level project spaces and the building exterior are available for In Practice proposals. Other areas of the building and projects outside the confines of the building may also be considered.

May I submit a proposal for exhibition space A on the ground floor?
No, that space is not available for In Practice projects. The exception might be a temporary performance piece.

May I submit a proposal for exhibition space B on the ground floor?
No, that space is not available for In Practice projects. It is possible to build temporary walls in the lower level project spaces, but please keep in mind the site-specific nature of the open call.

May I submit a proposal for the SculptureCenter restrooms? What about the billboard?
The restrooms are open for proposals. SculptureCenter does not control the billboards and thus cannot guarantee their availability.

May I submit more than one proposal?
The panel will review one proposal from each artist or artist team.

May I specify alternate locations for my proposed project?
Yes.

Is the open call limited to New York based artists only?
Artists from anywhere in the world are encouraged to apply, although the budget does not provide for travel, housing, or accommodation costs.

Can I apply as part of a collaboration or artist team?
Yes. Please designate one mailing and email address.

What are the dates of the In Practice exhibitions?
The exact exhibition dates have not been determined. We will be choosing artist projects beginning January 2012.

How long will I have to install?
Although the exact dates have not yet been determined, it is likely you will have two weeks to install, subject to discussion with the curator and staff.

What other exhibitions will be on view with the In Practice exhibitions?
Programming for the year ahead is still being determined. Most likely the In Practice exhibitions will be paired with a solo show or two person show by mid-career artists in exhibition spaces A and B.

Floor Plans
Here you may download a printable version of the SculptureCenter floorplans. Please click on the link of the plan you would like to download. If you don't have one already, you will need a copy of the free Acrobat Reader. The below versions include written measurements, but may not be to scale. Section Looking North and Section Looking South floorplans include basement height measurements.

Ground Floor
Section Looking North
Section Looking South
Section Looking West
Cellar Floor