Open Calls for Artists’ Proposals at Socrates Sculpture Park

Attention artists! Two Open Call deadlines are coming up at Socrates Sculpture Park in Astoria, Queens

Wednesday December 19 is the deadline to submit proposals for The Socrates Annual Fellowship 2019 – an annual residency program that awards fifteen artists the opportunity to produce sculpture and installation for The Socrates Annual exhibition.

Fellowship recipients will receive a $5,000 production grant to support their project, and will have seven-days-a-week access to the resources and fabrication facilities of Socrates’s outdoor studio for 5 months. The completed works will become part of The Socrates Annual exhibition, opening in Fall 2019. To accompany the exhibition, Socrates will produce an electronic publication that will be made available online for free. A printed version of the publication will be provided to The Socrates Annual Fellows.

Applicants are encouraged to visit Socrates and to explore Socrates’ website  and exhibition archive  to learn about the history and context of the organization and the factors that affect installations in the Park before submitting their applications. Applications must be completed online and submitted by the deadline (December 19, 2019 at 11:59PM). Fifteen proposals will be selected for the 2019 program based on the compelling nature of the project, clarity of intent and unique approach to the site and public context.

Fellowships are awarded to artists whose careers and artistic practices would benefit from the opportunity. Artists who are enrolled in a school, college, or university at the time of application are NOT eligible for The Socrates Annual Fellowship program. Artists who have applied before (but never shown at Socrates) are eligible. Proposals can only be submitted through Socrates’ online portal.

Learn more about the application process and ask questions at an information session on Wednesday, November 28th from 7 – 8 pm, at Triangle Arts Association at 20 Jay Street, 317 & 318. RSVP: curatorial@socratessculpturepark.org.

Socrates Sculpture Park is also calling for submissions for Folly/Function 2019: Kiosk. This proposal is for a kiosk to mark the entry to the Park. Periodically staffed with two visitor service volunteers during large-scale events, the kiosk will serve as an information and visitor service hub and merchandise sales point. The kiosk should be functional and durable, with integral storage and signage, and moveable on a seasonal basis. The structure should not need foundations or tethering, but it should be stable enough for bad weather conditions.

The submission deadline for the Kiosk proposal is Monday, January 7, 2019 at 11.59 pm. The recipient will receive a total $12,000 production grant to realize the proposed project for the kiosk. Applicants are encouraged to visit Socrates and to explore the Park’s website to learn about the history and context of the Folly program. A competitive proposal should address the site’s rugged, urban outdoor environment. The Park has facilities and equipment that can be utilized in the fabrication, assembly, and installation of the project. The winning proposal must meet safety and technical requirements to be able to withstand the effects of weather and public use.

Learn more about the application process for Folly/Function 2019: Kiosk and ask questions at an information session on Tuesday, November 27th from 7 – 8:30 pm at the Architectural League of New York at 594 Broadway, Suite 607. RSVP for the information session here.

 

Photo credit: Sherwin Banfield, A Cypher in Queens, Socrates Annual 2018; photo credit Clare Doyle