AOV3 Call (closed)

This call is closed

Northern Lights.mn announces a third round of Art(ists) on the Verge commissions (AOV3). AOV3 is an intensive, mentor-based fellowship program for 5 Minnesota-based, emerging artists or artist groups working experimentally at the intersection of art, technology, and digital culture with a focus on network-based practices that are interactive and/or participatory. AOV3 is generously supported by the Jerome Foundation.

Deadline

Monday, April 11, 2011.

Informational Meetings

Informational sessions (optional) will be held at the following times and locations:

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Art(ists) on the Verge Background

In 2008 the Jerome Foundation partnered with Northern Lights to inaugurate the Art(ists) On the Verge program. Information about the first AOV program is here and here. Information about the 2010 AOV2 program is here and here.

AOV3 is based on the experience of and lessons learned from the first two Art(ists) On the Verge programs, and its core goal remains to support network-based, experimental art practice by Minnesota-based emerging artists with the following key elements:

  • critical support and evaluation
  • monetary and technical support resources
  • audience development and institutional recognition through presentation, exhibition, and publication

AOV3 Fellowship Program

New this round, the AOV3 Fellowship program will be co-directed by Steve Dietz and Christopher Baker.

A total of five $5,000 commissions will be awarded with additional support for technical development and public presentation available. Each commissioned artist or artist group will participate in an intensive 10-month fellowship program from May 2011 to March 2012, culminating in an exhibition at the Soap Factory March 1 – April 15, 2012. The fellowship program will consist of several elements:

  • monthly thematic meetings with experts in the field
  • monthly meetings with individually selected mentors
  • at least three one-on-one meetings with AOV3 Co-Directors Steve Dietz and Christopher Baker
  • three critiques by external reviewers
  • optional field trips to exhibitions and events
  • participation at least monthly in the AOV3 blog
  • consultation with “writing mentor” Sarah Peters
  • public presentation of work at the beginning of the fellowship
  • exhibition and programming at the Soap Factory at the end of the fellowship
  • critical writing and publication documenting the fellowship work

Participation in fellowship programming is not optional and can only be done in person. Please note that all group monthly meetings will occur on Saturdays, May 14, June 11, July 9, August 6, September 10, October 8, November 12, December 10, January 14, and February 11. If you cannot attend at least 8 of these dates, you should not apply.

Exhibition

The AOV3 Fellowship is not a research grant per se. It is expected that all AOV3 Fellows will publicly exhibit or otherwise present a final project as part of the exhibition and programming at the Soap Factory, March 1 – April 15, 2012.

Publication

A printed publication of the final projects with critical commentary by at least one outside writer will be produced for AOV3.

AOV3 Project Criteria

AOV3 is for artists or artist groups working experimentally at the intersection of art, technology, and digital culture with a focus on network-based practices that are interactive and/or participatory.

  • Experimental. How does your proposed project fall outside or straddle traditional and discipline-based notions of art practice? Note. This is not a research grant and personal experimentation with a practice that is new to you does not in itself constitute experimental practice.
  • Intersection of art, technology and digital culture. Your proposal should incorporate technology in a meaningful way. It does not have to be new technology, but if your technology is the pencil, it should be an innovative use. Art is broadly defined in relation to digital culture. For example, video games or Twitter can be your art.
  • Network-based practices. Primarily, this means the Internet and any related or dependent platform or protocol from Second Life to Facebook to FTP. Your project does not have to be network exclusive, however, and we encourage hybridity, particularly in relation to physical public space.
  • Interactive and/or participatory. Your project should have some significant, dynamic component to it, which is not fixed.

The goal of the AOV3 Fellowships is not to be prescriptive but to support artists’ practice that often falls between the cracks of traditional programming opportunities. We’re convincible. However, AOV3 is not a program in which technology is used to expand upon, distribute or document work in other disciplines.

Eligibility

Applicants must be:

  • Minnesota residents at the time of application and during the fellowship program, May 2011 – April 2012
  • Considered an emerging artist. An emerging artist shows significant potential yet is under-recognized by peers, curators, producers, critics and administrators. Evidence of some professional achievement is expected, but not an extensive record of accomplishment. Full-time students are not eligible, with one exception. If an artist enrolls in an undergraduate or graduate degree program or takes classes while maintaining a current and active professional practice of creating and presenting work to the public, she/he is eligible. Artists may be supported as individuals or as equal collaborators.
  • Committed to participating fully and regularly in the fellowship program.

Selection Process

Artist proposals are sought through an open call.

Jury

A jury consisting of Steve Dietz, Artistic Director, Northern Lights.mn, Ben Heywood, Executive Director, The Soap Factory, and Amanda McDonald Crowley, Executive Director, Eyebeam Art and Technology Center, will make the final selection. Five projects will be selected by the jury.

Evaluation

Proposals will be evaluated primarily based on their excellence and applicability to the program (see Project Criteria). In addition, each proposal should demonstrate and will be evaluated on:

  • Quality of past work as demonstrated through work samples. Note, this does not mean that the artist is required to be expert in all the technology or fields required to successfully complete the project.
  • Ability to artistically accomplish in a timely manner an artwork for public presentation as demonstrated in prior work
  • Articulated interest in participating in a creative and critical process with peers and mentors. Note, it is acceptable but not required to have a mentor in mind you would like to work with. Mentors receive a small honorarium for their participation.

Notification

Selections will be announced by May 1, 2011.

Application Online

Please note that the following elements should be combined into a single PDF file. See the submission page for further information or email info[at]northernDOTlightsDOTmn

Checklist for AOV3 Application

(Include all of the following. All files should be uploaded as .PDF files.)

  • Artist Statement
  • Proposal
  • List only of work sample URLs and descriptions
  • Bio + Resume
  • Budget and Timeline
  • References (optional but recommended)

Artist Statement

Your Artist Statement (2 pages max) should articulate both how your artistic goals match the program criteria and your interest in participating in an intensive fellowship program.

Project Proposal

Your project proposal (2 pages max) should discuss your project’s core concept, your approach to realizing it, the kind of support you think you will need, and what the public outcome will be. The project proposal should be as specific as possible about goals and outcomes. It is less critical to know exactly how these will be accomplished. In any case, the project proposal is considered a starting point, and we recognize that it may change, even radically, over the course of the Fellowship.

Work Samples List

Provide a list of your work samples with title, date, medium, link, and a brief description for each sample.

All work samples should be accessible via the web. They can take any form, as long as they are accessible via the web. You may include up to 8 minutes of work samples. Note: more is not necessarily better, and you should include only work samples relevant to your proposal. If one of your work samples is a website, include specific pages to view and how to navigate to them, if there is no direct URL.

Bio + Resume

Include a short narrative bio, 150 words max, as well as a complete resume of exhibitions and related work. If you are applying as a collaborative, include resumes of all involved equal collaborators, noting the role of each person’s involvement in this work (no more than 2 pages per person.) You do not need to but may include the names of supporting collaborators, such as a programmer or performer, for example. Note: In the case of collaboratives, the artist honorarium will be split amongst the collaborators, and all equal collaborators need to participate in the Fellowship programming.

Budget and Timeline

Include your best estimate of a production timeline and project budget, which can include your own fee. The budget is not determinative, and both it and the timeline can and probably will change, but the scope should roughly match the resources and timeline of the Fellowship program.

References

References are optional. Include up to three letters of reference. The references are most useful in relation your ability to work in a collaborative environment and follow through on commitments. Your work samples will be your primary indicators of artistic excellence. Ask your references to write about their experience with your process and their estimation of your ability to benefit from the AOV3 program. Actual letters should be provided.

Contact

Email AOV[at]northern[dot]lights[dot]mn with any questions.

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