Assignment 1: Exhibition Proposal Assignment Requirements Due Friday February 26 (30%)

 Exhibition Proposal Assignment Requirements (Items 1 to 8 below):

(How does work and proposed project generally relate to mandate of gallery/exhibition space?)

1) Very brief cover letter (no more than a quarter of a page)
This will include researching who or what committee you are addressing the application to.

This will most likely be the brief intro in an email with your attached application in the email.

2) Artist Statement  (half page to one page)

The Artist statement discusses what the work is about in terms of materials and themes (metaphors, and or narratives, etc.) The text should strive to be a synthesis between ideas and formal approaches. (How do your ideas connect with your process and the visual language within the work?) What are the themes, which connect to the images presented in the proposal? In many cases people will have to focus on a specific body of work for this assignment in terms of past work and in terms of work for the future. 

Some people may struggle to convey a consistent thread of ideas in their work when writing the text. People may also have difficulty making connections between their application text and their work. To minimize these potential struggles edit the examples of work - people should avoid using all the variations of past work from various class assignments. Instead commit to a select group of projects/past works which you feel could potentially expand into a series or a more extensive project.

 

250 to 350 words

3) Project Proposal (half page to one page)

Discusses specifically the context that will be created for your work.  How do you transform the space with your work?

Are there potential narratives and or dialogues with your work when installed, displayed or hung in a certain order or in certain ways within the proposed exhibition space? 

 

If you are proposing to do new work which is not presented in the images be very clear about the relationship of the work presented in the images to the proposed new work that is still to be completed. Perhaps one image may show a work in progress or preliminary sketches.  

For some proposals perhaps presenting a floor plan in the proposal indicating the placement of specific works may be useful either along with the text or as one of the images. 

Are you proposing to do work in the gallery space or is it a site specific installation away from the white cube context of the gallery? Does the arts organization/gallery include public/urban works projects as part of their mandate?

300 to 400 words

4) Budget and Equipment Requests

Any special costs attributed to the exhibition or special equipment requirements such as monitors or data projectors. (Any specific requirements regarding the opening of the exhibition)

5) Curriculum Vitae (CV) List items on the CV which are only art related such as: Education - BFA  School of Art, art workshops, employed by or volunteering for arts organizations, exhibitions, published writings or work (such as in Chesterfield), art school awards and grants, any other art practice activities.

6) List of Images for submitted jpeg stills and or video and other time based work.

Numbered list with: title, medium, size, and 
dates 

  

7) 10 to 20 examples of work and or time-based work  (allocate a maximum five minutes for video)  (if you are struggling to meet the 10 image quota submit one or two detail examples of your work and an installation view of your work) Label jpeg images with number corresponding from image list and your name on the jpeg image.

8) Submit Items 1 -7 (above) as a digital application in Specified Order Above on UM Learn

Submit 2 PDFs on UM Learn

Text should all be in PDF #1 

PDF #1 file name should have your name and assignment number.

File Name Example: Last Name, First Name Assignment 1 Text 

Images should be in PDF #2

PDF #2 file name should have your name and assignment number.

File Name Example: Last Name, First Name Assignment 1 Images

On each digital page people should have their first and last name along with the title of the 1 -6 Items.

9) Optional Items: reviews of your work in newspapers or magazines, tv or radio interviews 

The Overall Application:

The overall application must get as close as possible to presenting a proposal and body of work the gallery (and/or curator, and/or selection committee) has not seen a lot of and/or ideas in which they have not encountered.  Of course a high quality of work with clear and sophisticated text will be pertinent, but presenting an innovative combination of images (and/or video) and text in the application will most likely get their attention.

If the gallery is a non-profit space they will most likely have a mandate, some commercial galleries may also have a vague mandate. Consider your work in relation to the gallery or organization’s mandate.

From an art dealer’s viewpoint what do you have to market/sell, which is unique and desirable? Is there a hook to brand and/or market you?

Evaluation - Grading Criteria for  Assignment

Clarity of text and overall professionalism of exhibition proposal assignment                               30%

Quality of work in documentation (images and or video) proposal                                                30%

Integrated and clear relationship between text and documentation (images and or video)           20%

Conceptual substance and innovation presented in overall work, documentation & proposal      20%

Assignments will not be graded out of these above percentages but are offered here so people can gauge where to place emphasis on assignment.

 

Note: Expanding conceptual substance will include researching artists, artist collectives, curators,

reviews (art journals) curated exhibitions, workshops and various art institutions.

Unique and Innovative characteristics of application

Clear relationship between texts (artist statement and proposal) and support materials (images/video/time based work)

Clarity and over all professionalism of application

Did you: follow the 1 to 8 requirements, utilize ideas offered in the assignment and utilize ideas offered during class discussions for the overall application?

For additional information regarding evaluations from course syllabus see additional information at the end of this posting.

Assignment 2: Assignment with Options to Select from Due Friday March 12. (20%)

 The assignment due for March 12 has a list of options with in the assignment for people to select. 

Select 1 Option from the List Below for Assignment 2:

Option 1) Proposal for a Curatorial Project (Group Exhibition and related programming)

Option 2) Application to Residency Program (Thematic Artist Residency?)

                List for residencies programs in Canada and worldwide:     

                 https://artistcommunities.org/residencies

Option 3) Proposal to lead/conduct a Workshop (Theme of Workshop?)

Option 4) Application to Grad School (Why this Institution? Contribution to MFA Program?)

Option 5) Alternative option. This assignment may also include other options for applications which are not listed that people may want to do for their art career. This assignment will require more independent research and decision making than the previous assignments.

If you wish to do something not presented on the list above you are required to contact the instructor immediately to discuss your alternative selection to the options presented above in this assignment. 

(Obviously you do not want to do a grant application or a website/blog as an option since they will be covered in other future assignments in the course)  

Text Requirements and Support Materials for Assignment 2:

1) Very brief cover letter (couple of sentences - no more than a quarter of a page)
This will include researching who or what committee or person you are addressing the application to.

Approximately 50 words (This is once again most likely your brief intro in an email so just get to the point quickly)

2A) Bio One or two sentences summarizing your art practice (these sentences can be taken from artist statement) and summary of your CV. 100 to 150 words for entire bio.

2B) CV List items on the CV which are only art related such as: Education - BFA  School of Art, art workshops, employed by or volunteering for arts organizations, exhibitions, published writings or work, art collections, art school awards and grants, any other art practice activities. List items in chronological order starting from the most recent exhibition.

3) Artist Statement  (half page to one page)

The Artist statement discusses what the work is about in terms of materials and themes (metaphors, and or narratives, etc.) The text should strive to be a synthesis between ideas and formal approaches. (How do your ideas connect with your process and the visual language within the work?) What are the themes, which connect to the images presented in the proposal? In many cases people will have to focus on a specific body of work for this assignment in terms of past work and in terms of work for the future. 

Some people may struggle to convey a consistent thread of ideas in their work when writing the text. People may also have difficulty making connections between their application text and their work. To minimize these potential struggles edit the examples of work - people should avoid using all the variations of past work from various class assignments. Instead commit to a select group of projects/past works which you feel could potentially expand into a series or a more extensive project.

If you feel you could improve on your artist statement for assignment 1 then do so. If you are not sure ask instructor. Overall for each assignment you do not have to re-invent the artist statement but the artist statement should be fine tuned and at least slightly revised to support each application. 

 

250 to 350 words

4A) Project Proposal (half page to one page)

Discusses specifically what will the proposed project create and /or inspire? How does the proposed project relate to the mandate/mission statement of the organization?

Are there potential narratives and or dialogues with your proposed project and the community the organization exists in? 

 

If you are proposing to do new work which is not presented in the images be very clear about the relationship of the work presented in the images to the proposed new work that is still to be completed.

For some proposals perhaps presenting a floor plan in the proposal indicating the placement of specific works may be useful either along with the text or as one of the images. 

Are you proposing to do work in the gallery space or is it a site specific installation away from the white cube context of the gallery? 

Once again does the arts organization/gallery include public/urban works projects as part of their mandate?

4B) Note: For Proposed Workshop, Curatorial Projects, or Residency Applications should include: 

Workshop Proposal: Budget, Equipment Requests, and Supplies

Curatorial Proposal: Budget, and Equipment Requests 

Thematic Artist Residency Proposal: Equipment Requests 

Grad School Application: Discuss facilities and access to certain equipment in application

 

Any special costs attributed to the proposed workshop or curated group exhibition? Such as special equipment requirements such as monitors or data projectors? (Any specific requirements regarding the opening or workshop)

300 to 400 words in total combination for 4A & 4B (this is a minimum and may require more for some institutions)

5) Images or Video (10 to 20 images and or video)

As well there should be a portfolio requirement of 10 to 20 images and or video which should also be included in this assignment. In addition to personal work some documentation could include activities you have been involved with that could include workshops, curated projects, and/or residencies.

Submit 2 PDFs on UM Learn

Text should all be in PDF #1  (Items 1 to 4)

PDF #1 file name should have your name and assignment number.

File Name Example: Last Name, First Name Assignment 2 Text 

Images should be in PDF #2

PDF #2 file name should have your name and assignment number.

File Name Example: Last Name, First Name Assignment 2 Images

Application Text (text for assignment/application/proposal):

Once again for many people in the class, when it comes time to do the assignments (such as the exhibition proposal, the assignment with options, the grant proposal and the website/blog assignment) people will have to figure out a way to have a more cohesive artist statement and project statement that either focuses on a smaller selection of their work that they do or further articulates in their text how the various and different works and mediums conceptually connect. 

Clarity in the statements and the proposals in the various applications will always be important.  However as long term goals, people should also be striving to have the highest level of articulation and presentation of unique ideas in their work and in the various proposals in this course. (This is stating the obvious, but people's text and work as  assignments in this course and as long term goals should be presented in clear but also the most unique,  articulate and professional way possible)  

Support Materials (Images and/or Video) and Application Text:
For this assignment (with the various options to select from) the application process for each person will present various challenges and outcomes. It is the hope that this assignment listed in this post can be tailored to a specific application process to suit each person's individual needs. 

Images and/or Video:

However for this assignment with options, the application/assignment must include a minimum of 10 images (maximum 20 images) and or 5 minutes (maximum) of video excerpts along with the application text. The file size of images should range somewhere close to 1MB to 2MB. There are many Video formats - please use a video file compatible  for a MAC computer. 

Evaluation - Grading Criteria for  Assignment

Clarity of text and overall professionalism of exhibition proposal assignment                               30%

Quality of work in documentation (images and or video) proposal                                                30%

Integrated and clear relationship between text and documentation (images and or video)           20%

Conceptual substance and innovation presented in overall work, documentation & proposal      20%

 

Assignments will not be graded out of these above percentages but are offered here so people can gauge where to place emphasis on assignment.

Note: Expanding conceptual substance will include researching artists, artist collectives, curators,

reviews (art journals) curated exhibitions, workshops and various art institutions.

Unique and Innovative characteristics of application

Clear relationship between texts (artist statement and proposal) and support materials (images/video/time based work)

Clarity and over all professionalism of application

Did you: follow the 1 to 5 requirements, utilize ideas offered in the assignment and utilize ideas offered during class discussions for the overall application?

Additional Information:
This additional information here applies to applications for graduate 
school programs but will also apply to other options listed in the 
assignment. For further clarification please feel to contact me or ask 
questions in class.

________________________________________________________________________

Application to Grad School Option:

For the assignment with options if you are choosing to do a graduate 
school application you should include an artist statement at least 
two-thirds of a page (minimum) to one page (maximum) and a statement of 
purpose (proposal) to a specific program which should be one page long. 


Text Required forApplication:

Most likely a graduate program will request these two items (artist 
statement and statement of purpose)  or something similar so definitely 
include those as requirements in our assignment even if "the real life" 
application does not request these items. 

Note: as discussed in class  the assignments in this course are set up to be 
"real life" scenarios with perhaps additional requests for assignment requirements (depending on the real life applications) The application should be to an actual 
masters program which people have chosen to apply to. 
___________________________________________________________________________________

Screen Shots:

If Application Process is Requires entering text in boxes instead of uploading text files
take screen shots of the application process if 
the application is partially or completely an on line process. 

Additional Requirements for Assignment:

The assignment should also include the following: 10 to 20 jpeg images (and 
or video), corresponding image list, artist statement, statement of 
purpose (proposal) and very brief cover letter as well as anything else the 
application requires such as a reference list (but do not include the 
references contact information). 

Information Not Required in Assignment:
In the assignment with options to be submitted for the honours seminar 
course leave out materials such as grade transcripts, reference 
letters, application fee, medical issues, emergency contact information 
and other personal/private information such as that.

Assignment 3: Grant Application Assignment Due Wednesday March 31 (30%)

 

Assignment 3) Grant Proposals Assignment - 30% of course grade 

Due Wednesday Mar 31 at 6:00 pm

Apply for a grant for individual emerging artists Creation/Production Grant or Project Grants.

Winnipeg Arts Council:

http://winnipegarts.ca/grants-artists

Manitoba Arts Council:

https://artscouncil.mb.ca/grants/

Canada Council:

https://canadacouncil.ca/funding/grants

If you wish to apply for a grant outside of the above options contact instructor immediately.

Summary of Grant Application/Assignment to be Reviewed by a Jury:

The overall grant application must present a proposal for new work and samples of past work that will be assessed by a jury. The jury is the selection committee of 2 to 5 people (professional cultural workers) selected by the funding agency.

In the grant application attempt to present work and ideas to the jurors that they have not encountered or at the very least present an innovative project in terms of themes and use of materials.  Once again like in the exhibition proposal a high quality of documented work with clear and sophisticated text and ideas will be important. Presenting an innovative combination of images (and/or video) and ideas with in the text of the application will most likely get the jury’s attention.

The focus of the grant application assignment will be to consider the ideas in your work in relation to themes, visual languages and materials. This work should focus more on ideas in terms of contemporary art practice and materials and less so on market driven projects. Generally a granting body’s mandate and jurors are looking to fund projects offering: new knowledge in terms of ideas in relation to contemporary practice, use of materials and methods. 

A grant proposal should always be proposing to do a body of new work, which is not presented in the images. Granting agencies will not retroactively fund work that has been completed before any given grant application deadline or during the deliberation of the grant application.

Criteria for Evaluating Assignment:

Clarity of text and overall professionalism of exhibition proposal assignment                               30%

Quality of work in documentation (images and or video) proposal                                                30%

Integrated and clear relationship between text and documentation (images and or video)           20%

Conceptual substance and innovation presented in overall work, documentation & proposal      20%

Consider Questions in Relation to Assignment Criteria:

Does the overall grant application contain Unique and Innovative characteristics? 

Does the application have emphasis placed on the articulation of ideas in the artist statement and project proposal? 

Is there a clear relationship between ideas in the text (artist statement and proposal) and support materials (images/video/time based work)?

Is the application Clear and over all Professionally Presented?

Did you: Follow the 1 to 9 requirements, utilize ideas offered in the assignment and utilize ideas offered from class discussions, presentations and mock juries for the overall application?

Grant Proposal Assignment Requirements (Items 1 to 9 below):

1) Cover Letter

Very brief cover letter (no more than a quarter of a page)

State the name of the grant (for example: MAC Create Grant) and in one short sentence describe your project. In another brief sentence list all materials submitted for application.

2) Curriculum Vitae (CV)

List items on the CV which are only art related such as: Education - BFA  School of Art, art workshops, employed by or volunteering for arts organizations, exhibitions, published writings or work, art school awards and grants, student council activities which connect with arts related events, any other art practice activities.

3) Artist Statement  (half page to one page with small paragraphs) 250 to 350 words

The Artist statement discusses what the work is about in terms of materials and themes (metaphors, and or narratives, etc.) The text should strive to be a synthesis between ideas and formal approaches. How do your ideas connect with your process and the visual language within the work? What are the themes, which connect to the images presented in the proposal? 

Also like in the exhibition proposal in many cases people will have to focus on a specific body of work for this assignment in terms of past work when selecting images for the grant application. The focus of the new body of work for the grant application should primarily be discussed and described in the project proposal, but some brief (one or two sentences) philosophies or theories of the new work may also be discussed around the end of the artist statement for the grant application.

4) Project Proposal (half page to one page with small paragraphs) 250 to 350 words

Discusses specifically the context that will be created for your work.  Like the exhibition proposal, are there potential narratives and or dialogues with the new proposed body of work when installed, displayed or hung in a certain order or in certain ways within the proposed grant application? 

As stated earlier, a grant proposal should always be proposing to do a body of new work which is not presented in the images. Granting agencies will not retroactively fund work that has been completed before the grant application deadline.  It is important to be very clear about the relationship of the work presented in the images to the proposed new work that is still to be completed. The artists statement (history of your work) should focus on being separate from the project proposal (your future work yet to be completed)

Overall articulate the ideas in the proposed project or series of work. Discuss those ideas in relation to the visual language of the work in the proposed project and in relation to the work presented in the images. 

Not recommended but as an option submit one or two images that show a work in progress or preliminary sketches, but be authentic and professional if you choose to present a work in progress as part of your proposal. 

For some proposals perhaps presenting a floor plan or site plan in the proposal indicating the placement of specific works may be useful either along with the text or as one of the images.

Like the exhibition proposal assignment, consider if the project proposal for the grant application assignment will be for a gallery space (confirmed or unconfirmed) or is the project proposal for a site specific installation away from the white cube context of the gallery? If the project is outside the gallery context consider some options: Is the project proposal more of an intervention work, or is there some sort of social or political relation to the project? 

In part the project proposal can also be about the potential research for the proposed project. Here again it is important to discuss the relationship of this research in relation to the overall project proposal and the images.

5) Budget and Equipment Requests

Any special costs attributed to the project or special equipment requirements such as rental monitors or data projectors. Printing costs for creating the work is eligible for funding but generally the printing of promotional materials are not eligible for funding.  

Eligible Expenses and Ineligible Expenses for Budget & Proposal:

Non-expendable equipment and items not allowed such as computers or cameras.

Expenses for external hard drives can be used as expenses for the WAC applications.

If a gallery/arts organization is receiving operating funding typically the gallery will cover printing for promotional materials. However a grant could cover unusual requirements regarding an exhibition opening that a gallery would usually not cover.

6) Image List

List of Images for submitted jpeg stills and or video and other time based work. Each image should have a number and your name when naming each image file. 

The images should correspond to a Numbered list indicating: title, medium, size, and 
dates of each image provided.

  

7) Additional Items* 

If it is possible to include forms do so. If you can access online forms use Winnipeg Arts Council or Manitoba Arts Council (or maybe even Canada Council)  and requirements/directions as your grant proposal assignment. Any additional items the grant application requests not listed in this assignment. Do not put your personal information on submitted forms for assignment such as address, phone number, date of birth, or any other private information. 

8) Images or Video (10 to 20 images and or video)

As well there should be a portfolio requirement of 10 to 20 images and or video which should also be included in this assignment. Allocate a maximum five minutes for video  

If you are struggling to meet the 10 image quota submit one or two detail examples of your work and an installation view of your work. 

Each image should have a number.

In addition to personal work some documentation (1 or 2 images) could include activities you have been involved with that could include workshops, curated projects, and/or residencies.

Submit 2 PDFs on UM Learn

Text should all be in PDF #1  (Items 1 to 7*)

PDF #1 file name should have your name and assignment number.

File Name Example: Last Name, First Name Assignment 3 Text 

Images should be in PDF #2 (Item 8)

PDF #2 file name should have your name and assignment number.

File Name Example: Last Name, First Name Assignment 3 Images

9) Optional Items*

Digital versions of reviews of your work in newspapers or magazines, tv or radio interviews.

Assignment 4: Personal Artist Website Assignment Due Friday April 16 at 6pm (20%)

 

This assignment will have people develop their website for  specific audience members and should involve the following: 

Mechanics of the Website:

- Clear Intent

- Actionable Items (Develop items on the website in terms ease in which people navigate through the website but is still interesting and unique for them)

- Consider the written and visual language in relation to the technology and the overall layout of the website. (Layout will be determined primarily by website template)

- This artist website assignment is about showcasing your work and ideas as an artist (and also potentially showcasing your work and ideas as curators and/or art writers).

Demographics (Audience) for Personal Artist Website:

Curators/Arts Administrators

Art Critics

Artists

Art Historians

Art Buyers*

Art Appreciators (art educated and non-art educated people)

Addressing the above demographics is mandatory but there is also the option of informing the following audience as art appreciators:

Friends, Fans, Family and General Public.

Website Menu Requirements:

1A) Bio: (100 - 150 words) In third person. One or two sentences summarizing your art practice (these sentences can be taken from artist statement) and summary of your CV.  (Some websites will have the bio and cv on the same page, and sometimes instead of the heading "Bio" artists will simply use the heading "About")

1B) CV: List items on the CV which are only art related such as: Education - BFA Honours  School of Art, University of Manitoba, art workshops, employed by or volunteering for arts organizations, exhibitions, published writings or work, art collections, art school awards and grants, school of art student council, any other art practice activities. List items with headings and in chronological order starting from the most recent exhibition, etc.

2) Artist Statement:  (250 - 350 words) Once again the artist statement is a summary and history of your (recent - ish*) work. Statement should correlate with all or most images and examples of work on website.

Very import to discuss the connections between the visual language in the work and their themes/metaphors. Every choice in terms of creating visual form, subject matter and the process has the potential to mean something. In many ways the artist statement is about discussing the chosen visual languages and process and how those choices of visual language and process specifically communicate those themes/metaphors.

Some people have a large and diverse body of work which may require an artist statement that discusses all their work in general and then will require the use of separate texts that are shorter which address specifics about different sub-categories of work listed in the website menu.

3A) Images of Work:  Requires one or more of the following: Stills, Video, Sculpture/3D Work, Installations, Commissions, etc. Check other artist websites to get ideas how they organize their work and menu on their homepage) 

3B) Professional Quality of Images: Must demonstrate proper format, cropping, exposure and resolution. There can be a rare exception to proper format, exposure and resolution but intent must be clear and once again ideas should connect with the visual language of the work. 

For each work state: Title, medium(s), dimensions and date

For videos/animation: Title, play-time and date

Categories for Work: 

Those sub-categories of your work could be theme based or medium based. If the website is set up by different projects perhaps there could be statements for the different projects

Other arts related menu items could include: curating projects, art writing or media coverage.

Copy Right Issues:

If copy right is a concern people could add the description of each work with their name and the copyright symbol after each image.

Criteria for Evaluating Assignment:

Unique and Innovative characteristics of website

Clear relationship between texts (artist statement and bio) and work (images/video/time based work)

Clarity and over all professionalism of website.

Deadline for Assignment: 
Instructor must receive an email with link to website by Friday April 6 at 6:00pm

Email Instructions for Assignment:
Please email instructor at Derek.Brueckner@umanitoba.ca

In subject of email please put last name, then first name then website assignment.

Sharing Website with Classmates (Optional):

If people wish as an option people may share their website with classmates by putting a link of website in Discussion Thread on UM Learn, and/or email link to classmates.