Art in General : Call for entries

Art in General publicly launched its New Commissions Program to develop and exhibit, in its galleries or beyond, challenging new projects by artists. The new commissions program began in 2005. Check the website archive at www.artingeneral.org for projects that have been completed and were on exhibition – beginning in October 2005 with Melissa Martin’s Father, Sharon Hayes’s After Before, and Lee Walton’s The Experiential Project.

The New Commissions application process invites New York city-based artists to propose projects in any medium or discipline, from painting to sculpture to performance to video to other, perhaps undefined, types of art or inter-disciplinary work.

In your open call, what do you mean by “…other, perhaps undefined, types of art or inter-disciplinary work.”?

Surprise us!

I read your open call, and it seems that it is only geared to artists. What about submitting exhibition proposals prepared by guest curators or other organizations?

At this time, our program is focused on supporting individual living artists by initiating, developing, and presenting/exhibiting new works. Artist collectives, groups, and collaborations can propose a project hat might result in an exhibition, and artist-teams can be formed to jointly propose a project that might incorporate an exhibition format. However, conventional curatorial projects will not be considered at this time.

How do I apply to your programs?

Please visit our website’s a href=“http://www.artingeneral.org/projects” target="blank"> projects section to learn about our programs and guidelines. At this time the only application form is through the New Commissions open call for proposals .

h4. Is it an online application form?

Yes, there is only an online application. Printed and/or mailed applications will NOT be considered or reviewed without prior consultation with Art in General (please email help@artingeneral.org or come into the gallery at 79 Walker Street NY, NY 10013 from 12-6 Tuesday through Saturday)

I cannot open, view, or print the online application form from my computer! What is going on?!

Please email us at help@artingeneral.org.

What if I’m using a public computer (e.g. I am renting a computer at Kinko’s or borrowing it from a friend), and I cannot open, view, or print the online application form nor am I authorized to download a software program to this computer?

Most likely, you will have to find another computer to work from, as the application can only be submitted online and does not require special programs to view. If you continue to have problems on multiple computers please email us at help@artingeneral.org. Please note, due to email volume, it may take up to 1-2 weeks to get a response so plan accordingly.

What happens if I submit an incomplete application?

Unfortunately, the system will not accept your application, and therefore it will not be reviewed. Before sending it, be sure to check that you have completed every step, responded to all questions, and submitted the proper formats and types of support material requested.

How do I contact you if I have questions regarding my eligibility or my project proposal?

If you have questions regarding the application process, please feel free to contact us via email at help@artingeneral.org. Your subject heading should be “New Commissions Application Inquiry”. Due to the number of requests we receive, it might take us 1-2 weeks to respond. Please take this time into consideration. Unfortunately, we will not be able to take phone calls regarding Open Call applications at this time.

How much information or explanation should my project proposal have?

Provide the most information you can, but since there is a word limit, try to be brief and concise in your descriptions and arguments. When writing, think about or answer the following questions:

What do I want to do? Why do I want to do this? How does this relate (or not) to my past work or concerns, and in what ways? How do I envision my project will be made? How long will it take? How will it be materialized, presented or exhibited? Is this one way or are there several ways? If a given audience is important to the development of the reception of your work, describe the ways in which the public will be intrinsic to such stages of your project.

I got an award or grant from a foundation recently, and I am looking for matching funds and a venue for my project. Can I apply to your program?

Art in General has designed its program to commission new work from artists. We are not a foundation giving artists’ grants or fellowships. However, if you are initiating or developing a project that has already received some financial support but you are unable to realize or finalize it for some reason, please explain this in your application, and propose the ways in which Art in General could serve as an appropriate and involved co-producer. Please take into account that having secured funds will not secure your position over other project proposals.

I am an artist that does online projects, net art, web-based work, etcetera. Can I submit URLs as support material?

Unfortunately, due to the time constraints during the review process, we are not accepting URLs as support materials for any format other than video. As an alternative, we advise that you submit screenshots or video of your work in the Images or Video categories. If you select in the Image category, you will have the possibility of including 6 images, each with a caption and project description. Explain there what we are looking at, e.g. what part of your website (a site map, homepage, specific section). If you submit in Video, you can preface it by saying that what is being viewed is a guided virtual tour of the website.

I am an art student, but my expected date of graduation will be May 2009, can I apply?

Yes you can apply. However, if your project is selected and you are still enrolled in an art degree-granting program past summer 2009, we will be unable to work with you and another short-listed project will be selected in its place.

I read your Guidelines, and it seems that this program is only designed for people that live in or around New York City. What if I live outside of the 60-mile range of New York City or what if I live elsewhere but I am planning to move to New York City this summer/fall 2009?

This program is designed for artists living and working in New York City or the surrounding region, because we want to closely attend to the artist’s and the project’s needs. We also have a national and international artist residency program, where we invite artists from outside of New York City. (Unfortunately, applications for the residency program are not available at this time.)

If you are seriously planning on moving to New York City in the Summer/Fall 2009 whether or not your proposal is pre-selected or selected, then feel free to apply: send your application, and make a note of this in the proposal section. Just be aware that the projected funds for proposals are designated for honoraria and for the making and presentation of the work, and not for covering traveling, moving, or accommodations.

If I am selected, and the project proposed is realized, will this be exhibited in your gallery and if this is the case, how long will the exhibition period be?

Selected projects developed and materialized will be presented either in exhibitions or, depending on the project, a presentation or format that is more suitable to the work (to be discussed with the artist). Exhibitions of individual projects will be for a period of 6-8 weeks, although the project might require a shorter or extended period of time. (If the “exhibition” period is an intrinsic part of the proposal for any reason, mention and explain this in the proposal section). Most likely, for part of this exhibition period, the exhibition might be the only project at our gallery, or part of the exhibition period might be shared with another parallel, loosely related exhibition. We also accept proposals that are event-based and may require the use of the space as stage/audience for a single performance or a series of events.

When is the application deadline?

Sunday, March 1 at 11:59 PM, EST. Your application should be complete and submitted online no later than the end of that day, at 11:59 PM.

When will I know if I was short-listed or selected?

We will contact you by the beginning of June 2009 to let you know about your application status.

How many artists will be short-listed and asked for a more developed proposal?

Approximately 20 artists.

How many artists will be selected and commissioned to produce new projects?

Approximately 4-7 artists.

Who will be in the selection panel reviewing proposals?

The short-list will be made by an Advisory Panel formed by a group of prominent artists and arts professionals. Then, the final selection will be made by the curatorial/programs staff at Art in General. The list of names of this Advisory Panel will be made public in September 2009. The Advisory Panel will serve as active “advisors” during 2009.

The Advisory Panel is made up of a group of prominent, intelligent, curious, and open-minded artists and arts professionals that will make a short list of artists after the review of all applications. The members of the Advisory Panel rotate every year. The list of names of the 2007-2008 Advisory Panel was made public in November 2008.

What is the role of the Advisory Panel?

The Advisory Panel will serve as active “advisors” during 2009. The members of the Advisory Panel rotate every year so that we continuously have fresh and diverse views and criteria for selection.

Will there be another open call, and if this is the case, when?

Yes, in early 2010 we will release an open call for projects to be initiated, developed, and presented/exhibited during 2010-2011. There will be new guidelines and a new application form.

Please check our website at that time.

New Comissions: 2009

What is this I hear that Art in General commissions new work from artists?