REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS

Qualifications are requested from artists and/or artist teams interested in creating site-specific public artworks(s) for a one-year project at The Pennsylvania State University’s Woskob Family Gallery, on the gallery’s dramatic 22’ high, 30’ long curving wall.

DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSIONS: March 16, 2018
SUBMISSIONS ACCEPTED ONLINE ONLY AT:
https://thewoskobfamilygallery.submittable.com/submit
TOTAL BUDGET: $10,000

PROJECT SUMMARY

The Woskob Family Gallery is a space for contemporary arts and culture in downtown State College, PA, operated by the College of Arts and Architecture Research Office. The gallery is housed within the Penn State Downtown Theatre Center. Viewable from the street, the panoramic, curving wall is the entrance way to the gallery space. Now in its third year, the wall has hosted artworks by artists Katie Bell (’16-’17) and Keith Lemley (’17-’18). The wall and artwork are visible from the street day and night, and the gallery is especially interested in works that respond to and make innovative use of the existing architecture while activating the wall throughout the day and engage passersby. For past examples of work, please click here.

Applicants are encouraged to submit images of previous work, created within the last five years, demonstrating experience working site-specifically and at a similar scale to the wall. Statements of interest should outline an understanding of our space and the nature of the project. The gallery seeks projects that foster active viewer engagement and are designed for repeat viewing, while remaining coherent with the artist’s regular studio practice. Applicants should consider that the selected artist will be required to independently fabricate and install their work, and that the work must be durable and not require maintenance over the one-year period it will be on view.

Please note that this is a Request for Qualifications; artists are invited to submit images of previous work, not to propose specific ideas at this point. After reviewing applications, gallery staff will invite a small group of semi-finalists to propose specific artworks.

BUDGET
The total project budget is $10,000. Semi-finalists will be provided with sample budgets from past projects and asked to generate a budget for project expenses as outlined below. The budget shall be inclusive of all costs associated with the project including, but not limited to: Artist’s Honoraria/Fee, travel and accommodation, a public lecture and studio visits with students, materials and tools as well as any subcontractors, site modifications, per diem expenses, project documentation, commercial liability insurance, insurance for the work during the period of the exhibition, complete de-installation, and contingency to cover unexpected expenses.

ELIGIBILITY

Artists must be legal U.S. Residents and currently working within the United States. Artists may not be enrolled in a degree-granting program.

SELECTION PROCESS AND SCHEDULE
The Selection Committee will review only completed applications. A short list of semi-­finalists will be invited to prepare and present a design proposal.

Semi-finalists will be paid an honorarium of $100 for the design and presentation of the proposal. Design proposals may be sketches, models, or computer-generated images. All semi-finalists must schedule a time to present their proposal to the selection committee in person or via video chat.

The tentative schedule is as follows:

FEBRUARY 2, 2018 – Call for Entry Open

MARCH 16, 2018 – Deadline for Applications

MARCH 30, 2018 – Committee Review Applications and Semi-Finalists Selected

APRIL 30, 2018 – Semi-Finalists Submit Proposals and Schedule Presentations of Work

SUMMER 2018 (Exact Dates TBD) – Finalist Conducts Site Visit; gallery works with artists to coordinate fall site visit and installation details

OCTOBER 2018 (Exact Dates TBD) – Fall Visit and Installation Complete

OCTOBER 2019 (Exact Dates TBD) – De-Installation