ArtSake

If you’re a performing artist, you can get yourself listed (for free) as a New England States Touring (NEST) artist. Why bother? Because New England presenters can apply for funds through the NEST Program to offset the cost of your performing fees.  Learn more on becoming a NEST artist.

The next deadline for presenters to apply for NEST grants is September 1. These grants are given to nonprofit organizations in New England to support performances by select NEST artists (this could be you). NEST artists must meet the NEST artist requirements on MatchBook.org. So if you’re thing is chamber music, or contemporary dance, or opera, spoken word, puppet theater, storytelling, well you get the picture, go ahead and get yourself listed on MatchBook.org.

View presenter’s application information to apply for a NEST grant.

Image credit: Photograph from the National Archives. WPA Federal Theater Project in New York:Dance Theater:”Young Tramps”, ca. 1935. ARC Identifier 195733. Item from Collection FDR-PHOCO: Franklin D. Roosevelt Library Public Domain Photographs, 1882 - 1962.

Powered by Bookmarkify™

Yeah Big Papi!

95 Artists Call to Artists Extended: Artists who live and work in states touched by Interstate 95 are invited to particpate in a group show in New York City’s East Village at Umbrella Arts, 317 East 9th Street. All media accepted.
Deadline Extended: June 18, 2010

Call to Artists: The Nave Gallery is looking for artists to participate in their Little Critters exhibition. Have you ever used your dog’s hair to make a paintbrush, and then used it for a series of paintings? Ever wonder whether you should save your cat’s hair to use in a fiber art piece, and then actually do it? Do you design clothes for your dogs to wear on holidays? Or did one of your snake’s extra skins end up in one of your collages? This is a call for artwork that not only speaks of our obsession with pets, but art which is inspired by furry (or not) loved ones. Some pieces might evoke this human-animal bond; others might try to imagine life from the animals’ perspective. They are looking forward to viewing artwork, literal or interpretive, that touches on this theme. All media including video and installation will be considered. The exhibition is organized by V Van Sant. The Nave Gallery is a nonprofit art space located in the Clarendon Hill Presbyterian Church near Tufts University run by ARTSomerville in collaboration with CHPC. Contact info@navegallery.org.
Deadline: July 19, 2010

Franklin County Biennial Call for Entries: Turners Falls RiverCulture, Fostering Art & Culture, The Gallery at Hallmark and members of the fine art community, have launched the inaugural Franklin County Biennial of Fine Art. The month long show will take place at the Gallery at Hallmark during the month of October 2010 and will be open to submissions from all artists living or working in Franklin County. Contact Lisa Davol at thebiennial@gmail.com or 413-230-9910.
Deadline: July 19, 2010

Call to Artists: The Gallery at Worcester State College has announced their first Call to Artists in the New England region for an exhibition called In-Between. Artwork that blurs the lines between painting, drawing and sculpture or work that conceptually reflects in-between spaces, time, or identity are welcome. Full submission guidelines available at www.worcester.edu/gallery.
Deadline: July 30, 2010 (postmark)

Call for Chamber Music: In partnership with MakeMusic, Inc. and the Grammy-winning ensemble eighth blackbird, the American Composers Forum announces the Finale® National Composition Contest. The focus of the competition will be chamber music. Three composers from the total applicant pool will be chosen as finalists. They will receive a cash prize and be asked to write a piece for eighth blackbird. The composition will be critiqued in a workshop and will be performed in the ensemble’s Chicago studio. One of the pieces will be chosen to receive the final prize, which includes an additional cash award and a future public performance by eighth blackbird. For more information go to the American Composers Forum Web site.
Deadline: September 15, 2010

Image credit: Photograph from the National Archives.

Powered by Bookmarkify™

Hey neighbors,

Help us spread the word to families with an active military member. Museums across the Commonwealth are participating in the Blue Star Museums Initiative and will be offering free admission to military personnel and their families through Labor Day, September 6, 2010.

Active duty military personnel and/or up to five immediate family members (spouse or child) can gain free access by showing either a Geneva Conventions CAC ID or a DD Form 1173 ID card which includes active duty military (Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard), National Guard and Reserve members at the admissions desk.

Participating museums include:

Attleboro Arts Museum
Boston Children’s Museum
Cape Cod Museum of Art, Dennis
Children’s Museum at Holyoke
Children’s Museum in Easton
Concord Museum
Discovery Museums, Acton
Fairbanks House, Dedham
Fuller Craft Museum, Brockton
Griffin Museum of Photography, Winchester
Harvard Museum of Natural History, Cambridge
Historic New England, Boston
Institute of Contemporary Art, Boston
Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, Boston
Martha’s Vineyard Museum, Edgartown
Museum of Fine Arts, Boston
Museum of Russian Icons, Clinton
Nantucket Historical Association
New Bedford Whaling Museum
Norman Rockwell Museum, Stockbridge
North Andover Historical Society
Old South Meeting House, Boston
Peabody Essex Museum, Salem
South Shore Natural Science Center, Norwell
Sterling and Francine Clark Art Institute, Williamstown
Vilna Shul, Boston’s Center for Jewish Culture, Boston

Image credit: from the National Archives at College Park - Archives II (College Park, MD), Creator: Office for Emergency Management. Office of War Information. Domestic Operations Branch. Bureau of Graphics. (07/31/1944 - 09/15/1945)

Powered by Bookmarkify™

The following was recently overheard by ArtSake on the banks of the river Charles: “Ok buddy, I’ll let you sit on me. I’m a big fan of modern art and pencil sketching so I’d be delighted to lend my scales to sit on. By the way, have you ever read Alligator’s All Around by Maurice Sendak? It’s my favorite book. I posed for him when I was just a baby gator.”

Call for Performing Artists: The New England Foundation for the Arts invites performing artists to get designated as New England States Touring Artists (also known as NEST). Learn more about the NEST Program here. Funding is available for presenters to hire NEST performing artists.

Call to Artists: Manifest Gallery is now accepting work for an international exhibit exploring the uncovered human form in current art. Traditional and non-traditional genre and media are accepted.
Deadline: May 28, 2010

Call to Choreographers: The 2nd Annual Pittsfield City Hoopla Festival in the Berkshires is looking for Choreography that uses the art and craft of Hula/Hoola Hooping. The festival takes place on July 24th from 12-5pm in Springside Parks’ Public Gardens and from 8-10pm at the Pittsfield State Forest Amphitheater. More information: Stefanie@fertileuniverse.com.

Call for Artists: The West Springfield Arts Council’s Celebrate the Arts is looking for artists to display and/or sell their work at this years event on June 10th (rain date June 11th) at Landmark at Monastery Heights, West Springfield MA. For more information contact Diane Clark at wespac01089@aol.com or 413-737-1909.
Deadline: May 28, 2010

Call to All Artists: If you have a show, an open studio, a performance, a reading, etc., that you want people to know about, be sure to ‘like’ ArtSake’s Facebook page so you can include it on our wall.

Image credit: Cover image from Gentleman’s Journal

Powered by Bookmarkify™

One If By Land: Vermont Studio Center has received funding for 10 new Joan Mitchell Foundation Fellowship awards for visual artists based on quality of work and demonstrated financial need. The Vermont Studio Center is an international residency program open to all artists and writers. Year-round, VSC hosts 50 artists and writers per month, each of whom receives an individual studio, private room, and all meals. Residencies last from 2-12 weeks and provide uninterrupted time to work, a community of creative peers, and a beautiful village setting in northern Vermont. In addition, VSC’s program includes a roster of Visiting Artists and Writers (2 painters, 2 sculptors and 2 writers per month) who offer slide talks/readings and individual studio visits/conferences. Applications and information available here. Deadline: February 16, 2010

Two If By Sea: Dune Shack Residencies: Applications for residencies in the historic Fowler and C-Scape Dune Shacks in Provincetown for artists, writers, and the general public are available at The Provincetown Community Compact. One residency includes a $500 fellowship for a visual artist, and there are two funded weeks for writers. The general public is encouraged to apply for this unique, primitive experience in the Cape Cod National Seashore. Deadline: February 15, 2010

Three If By Virtual: National Arts Marketing Partnership Webinar: Marketing for the Independent Artist. How to Advance Your Career and Build Your Business. Discover the basics of marketing strategy based on those objectives and how to make it real. Presenter Deborah Obalil will address the difficult balance of making art while running a thriving small business. This webinar is free to professional members of Americans for the Arts. Americans for the Arts members should register here. Non members can learn more here. The webinar takes place on Thursday, February 18, 2010 at 2 p.m. EST

Image credit: John Singleton Copley, Paul Revere, 1768, Oil on canvas, 35″ x 28 1/2″, Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. The Paul Revere House Web site details his midnight ride and Longfellow’s poem.

Powered by Bookmarkify™

Boston Center for the Arts (BCA) invites anyone interested in contemporary art and culture to apply to Conversations about Curating, a free program focused on the critical and practical issues at stake when putting together an exhibition. The first part of the program consists of a series of four lectures/discussions delivered by well-established curators, as well as a roundtable discussion on marketing, budgeting, and producing an exhibition, and a networking session. The application process is via email only. There is no fee to apply. To apply, please submit a concise exhibition outline (250 words or less, no images) and your CV with detailed contact information to millsgallery@bcaonline.org.
Deadline: Applications must be received before February 10, 2010.

Samuell Day Gallery is looking for artists and craftspersons for the 2010 season. Please send pictures to c_samuell@hotmail.com or come by the gallery with work samples between 10 am - 5 pm, Wednesday - Saturday at 4030 Route 6A, Cummaquid.
Deadline: All submissions must be in by March 1.

Call to Artists: LA GALERÍA at Villa Victoria Center for the Arts in Boston ’s South End and Essex Art Center in Lawrence, MA are pleased to announce a Call to Artists for their collaborative juried exhibition project, Exchange, to be mounted simultaneously in each art center in the Fall of 2010. Designed to unite diverse communities of artists and audiences, Exchange encourages visual artists working in innumerable mediums to approach the concept of exchange in just as many ways. Go here for guidelines.
Deadline: March 15, 2010

The Sturgis Library has exhibition space available. Visit online for exhibits and displays and for an application form. 3090 Main Street, Barnstable. For more information call 508-362-8448.

Central Productions has announced their annual open call for submissions to the 9th Annual Boston Cinema Census (BCC) hosted by the Brattle Theatre. The BCC-curated annual showcase of work by local emerging filmmakers, students, professionals, struggling artists, and film enthusiasts. Go here for more information, entry guidelines and forms.
Deadline: February 10, 2010

Image credit: Date: 11.12.1966, Photograph of Astronaut Edwin E. Aldrin Jr., pilot of the Gemini 12 space flight, performs extravehicular activity (EVA) during the second day of the four day mission in space. ID: S66-62939
Credit: NASA Johnson Space Center (NASA-JSC)

Powered by Bookmarkify™

Grand Canyon National Park: Guidelines and applications now available for the North and South Rim artist-in-residence programs. Go here for more information. Questions, contact Rene Westbrook at 928-638-6483 or Rene_Westbrook@nps.gov.
Deadline: Applications for either program, postdated between February 1 and April 1, 2010

The Dance Residency at the Boston Center for the Arts provides choreographers an opportunity to create dance without the financial constraints of rehearsal studio or theater rental. The BCA will serve as the host for the selected company and develop the audience for residency events. Contact Andrea Blesso Albuquerque, Boston Center for the Arts, 539 Tremont Street, Boston MA 02116 or ablesso@bcaonline.org
Deadline: Monday, February 8, 2010 by 5 pm.

Call to artists for juried show Wide Open
Jurors include Anne Strauss, Associate Curator, Metropolitan Museum of Art; Nicholas Baume, Mark Hughes, Bill Murphy.  For more information, contact Jane Gutterman at 718-596-2506 or info@wideopenartshow.org
Deadline: Monday, January 25, 2010

Every summer in the land of Alcott, Emerson, and Thoreau lives a great opportunity for emerging choreographers. Summer Stages Dance at Concord Academy’s Choreographers’ Project Fellowship provides the opportunity to develop new work in a supportive environment. Fellows select a cast of dancers from the Workshop and have access to rehearsal space in the evenings and on weekends. Fellowship awards include: mentorship by workshop faculty and resident artists; access to all Summer Stages Dance classes and select performances; studio space and rehearsal time with dancers drawn from the Workshop; weekly seminar classes that include informal showings of the new work and culminate in a dialogue about the developing work with faculty and guest artists; open rehearsal and a fully produced public performance of work created during the residency; and subsidy for housing and meals. That’s a whole lotta good stuff. For more information, call 978-402-2339.

Image credit:  Photograph of Grand Canyon National Park by Michael Quinn, National Park Service

Powered by Bookmarkify™

The Studio Museum in Harlem is now accepting applications for their artist in residence program. They are offering a 12 month studio residency for three emerging artists. Each artist is granted a free non-living studio space, a $20,000 fellowship, and a $1,000 material stipend. The program is designed to serve emerging artists of African descent locally, nationally and internationally.

Call to artists: ALCHEMY: Art and Science Call to Artists at the Schiltkamp Gallery, Traina Center for the Arts, Clark University. This show will explore the intersections of art and science; art that is inspired by science or scientific images/models that are transcendent. The concept of “science” is open and may include new technology as well as the traditional sciences. Application Instructions: 10-20 images in slides or as jpegs on a CD (no power point or slide shows). List of art work or other materials submitted, including titles, date, media, dimensions. C.V. or bio and a brief (one or two paragraphs) statement about the work submitted. For more information contact Eli Crocker at 508-793-8818 or ecrocker@clarku.edu
Deadline: Submissions due January 18, 2010

Nave Gallery Call to artists: The Beast In Me—Johnny Cash: Art Influenced by the Struggle of a Man. The Nave Gallery is seeking artwork, literal or interpretive, which speaks to the spirit of Johnny Cash. All media are welcome, including video and installation. For more information email info@navegallery.org
Deadline: February 1, 2010

Image credit: Photograph of Royal Rooter beating a drum, 1903 World Series. Photographer unidentified. Fan on the the visitors dugout provides percussion for the Boston American fans in game against the Pittsburgh Pirates. Boston Public Library McGreevey Collection. Accession No.: 06_06_000012

Powered by Bookmarkify™

It’s December in New England. So put on your hat and gloves and get ready to shovel through some winter artist opportunites.

Call for Artists: Downtown Crossing Holiday Market through December 30. The Holiday Market at Downtown Crossing 2009 is a fully tented, bazaar-style, seasonal market for the public to enjoy access to artists, artisans and specialty food retailers during the busy holiday shopping season. Applications will be juried on a rolling basis as they are received. The number of artists in each media category will be limited. 28 spaces in total will be available for each week.
Deadline: December 11, 2009

Call to Photographers: The New Orleans Photo Alliance is seeking contemporary photographs that explore questions about the American Dream. The juror is Dr. Deborah Willis, chair of the Department of Photography and Imaging at New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts and one of the nation’s leading historians of African American photography.
Deadline: December 14, 2009

The Writers’ Room of Boston, Inc., a nonprofit organization that provides affordable, quiet, and secure workspace in downtown Boston for area writers, is now accepting applications for four fellowships for 2010. The fellowships award use of the Writers’ Room to Boston Area residents at no cost for one year. Residencies will begin in February 2010.
Deadline: Submissions due December 31, 2009.

LA GALERÍA at Villa Victoria Center for the Arts in Boston’s South End and Essex Art Center in Lawrence, MA have a call to artists for their collaborative juried exhibition project Exchange, to be mounted simultaneously in each art center in the Fall of 2010. Designed to unite diverse communities of artists and audiences, Exchange encourages visual artists working in innumerable mediums to approach the concept of Exchange in just as many ways. The Call to Artists is open to artists at any stage of their career. Go here for detailed application instructions.
Deadline: March 15, 2010

Image Credit: Photograph of Stone stairs at Ward’s Pond in Jamaica Plain, MA by Leon H. Abdalian, Feb. 21, 1931. 6.5×8.5 glass negative. From the collection of the Boston Public Library.

Powered by Bookmarkify™

SHIFTboston is launching a competition, seeking to collect visions that aim to enhance and electrify the urban experience in Boston. They’re looking for innovative, radical ideas for new city elements such as public art, landscape, architecture, urban intervention, and transportation. Competitors could explore topics such as the future city, energy efficiency, and ecological urbanism. The winning entry will receive a cash prize and will present at the SHIFTboston Forum at The Institute of Contemporary Art on January 14, 2010, and will be displayed on billboards, bus shelters, subway cars, and postcards throughout the Metro Boston area. For information visit www.shiftboston.org or their blog.
Deadline: Submissions due Friday, December 11.

Letters of inquiry are currently being accepted for Cinereach Grants, ranging from $5000 to $50,000 for film projects in any stage. Deadline for letters of inquiry: December 1, 2009. Past recipients of Cinereach grants include Marlo Poras (Film & Video Fellow ‘05), director of Run Granny Run, for her current project The Mosuo Sisters. Cinereach is a nonprofit that “facilitates the creation of films that challenge, excite, innovate, offer new perspectives, and inspire action.”

Public Artists: A commission opportunity from the Rhode Island State Council on the Arts for an artist to design, fabricate, and install a bronze statue of a state trooper in full uniform for the exterior entrance at the front and center of the new State Police Headquarters in Scituate, Rhode Island. For questions regarding the submission of materials, or the scope of the project, please contact Elizabeth Keithline, elizabeth@arts.ri.gov.
Deadline: Request for Proposals must be received by December 1, 2009

Filmmakers: Central Productions has announced their annual call for submissions to the 9th Annual Boston Cinema Census hosted by the Brattle Theatre.
Deadline: February 10, 2010

Photo Credit: Beacon Hill from the present site of the reservoir between Hancock & Temple Streets, Accession No.: 07_10_000109, Cab. No.: Cab 23.58.1, Lithographer: J.H. Bufford & Co., Date: 1898 (approximate), Genre: Photographs; Lithographs, Description: Copy photograph of color lithograph by J.H. Bufford’s Lithography, from original watercolor drawing done on the spot in 1811-1812 by John Ruebens Smith. The lithograph was published in 1858 by Smith, Knight & Tappan, 186 Washington Street. Boston Public Library Print Department.

Powered by Bookmarkify™