MCBA Artists-in-Residence Application Deadline – October 1

Hello Ladies of Letterpress!

The application deadline for Spring Artist-in-Residence at Minnesota Center for Book Arts is fast approaching – October 1.  Information is posted below and application materials are attached or can be found on the web at: http://www.mnbookarts.org/artistsprograms/air.html.

Please let me know if you have any questions!

Thanks,

Sara P.

 

ARTIST-IN-RESIDENCE PROGRAM

The Artist-in-Residence (AIR) program is designed to support selected artists by providing financial and community resources, space, and equipment to assist in the creation and promotion of their work. Residencies may be from two weeks to three months in duration. MCBA’s AIR program is supported by the National Endowment for the Arts.

Studios and equipment are available to facilitate work in papermaking, printing and bookbinding. Artists-in-Residence also receive generous living and materials stipends, as well as a travel reimbursement up to $500. Participation in the program is based on the artistic merit of proposed projects as well as the degree to which artists further MCBA’s artistic vision: to preserve the traditional crafts of fine printing, bookbinding and papermaking; champion book art as a vital contemporary art form; and demonstrate the critical role artists’ books play in the advancement of cultural and visual literacy.

DURATION

MCBA’s AIR program offers two types of residencies:

• Short-term residencies (2-3 weeks) are designed for research, skill building, and/or work on a single phase of a new or ongoing project, and include a stipend of $2,500. Short-term residencies are available in all three residency periods.
• Long-term residencies (2-3 months) are designed for production of a new work, and include a $2,000 housing allowance, a $2,500 stipend, and a $1,000 materials budget, for a total grant of $5,500. Long-term residencies are available in Summer and Fall residency periods only.

SELECTION PROCESS AND CRITERIA

Applications and supporting materials will be reviewed by MCBA staff and panelists from the book arts community. A variety of factors will be used to assess residency candidates. Base criteria are listed below. These elements should be clearly articulated in the candidate’s letter of intent, project description, artist statement and resume. They should also be supported by work submitted for visual review.

• Technical expertise as demonstrated through the artist?s body of work and practical experience
• The specificity and clarity of artistic goals as expressed through the artist’s project description and artist statement
• Demonstrations of past collaborative work with other artists and arts organizations
• The degree to which the residency benefits the artist?s further development
• A readiness by the artist to engage with MCBA?s community
• MCBA?s ability to offer support and equipment needed for project

 

ARTIST-IN-RESIDENCE BENEFITS

While in residence at MCBA, artists will have 24-hour access to MCBA facilities and equipment, including a dedicated A.I.R. studio space with a press, cutting equipment and ample storage space. MCBA has an extensively equipped letterpress shop with nine Vandercook proof presses (one reserved for A.I.R. use); two 19th century iron hand presses; various sign, etching and platen presses; a well-stocked composing room with wood and metal type; and a polymer platemaker offering on-site production of both intaglio and relief matrices. A large bindery and annex offer a variety of cutting and binding equipment and substantial bench space for larger projects. MCBA?s facility features two papermaking studios providing space for wet work, each containing a hydraulic press and basic papermaking moulds, plus three industrial-scale beaters for making paper pulp and equipment for both Western- and Eastern-style sheet formation. MCBA also has equipment for traditional marbling, wood engraving, screenprinting, calligraphy, leather tooling, and alternative photographic techniques. The Shop, MCBA?s newly renovated retail outlet, offers a variety of supplies for printmaking, papermaking, and binding, as well as sales opportunities for finished work.

The artist is encouraged to submit workshop or presentation proposals to MCBA, with applicability decided by the Artist and Adult Programs Director. Resident artists are paid by contract for teaching workshops at a rate equal to other MCBA instructors.

From time to time, resident artists execute special project work for MCBA or other associated individuals or groups. Under these conditions, artists are compensated at a rate equal to similar MCBA contracts. Special project work is dependent on demand and is not ensured for all program participants.

If a resident artist chooses to market his/her work produced at MCBA through The Shop, MCBA’s retail outlet, staff may choose certain works for sale on a consignment basis. Joint promotion may be undertaken depending on the availability of funding for the project and whether such a project fits into MCBA’s programming.

ARTIST-IN-RESIDENCE RESPONSIBILITIES

• The artist will be responsible for keeping facilities and equipment clean for others’ use and undertake regular maintenance and organizational tasks necessary for upkeep and communal studio use.
• The artist will provide his/her own supplies for works in progress.
• Where possible, regular work hours should be established by the resident artist. A final project calendar should be submitted to MCBA at the beginning of the residency term.
• The artist should show a willingness to conduct demonstrations and/or participate in MCBA programming such as custom tours, Book Arts Roundtable presentations, etc.
• For each editioned artwork created in residence at MCBA, the artist will submit one copy to the MCBA archive. Any material accepted shall be considered a donation and become the property of MCBA.

 

APPLICATION DEADLINES AND RESIDENCY TIMELINES

• June 1, 2012
  Applications due for Fall residencies (one short-term, one long-term; to take place between September 1 and December 31, 2012). Residencies will be announced by June 15, 2012.
• October 1, 2012
  Applications due for Winter/Spring residencies (two short-term; to take place between January 1 and April 30, 2013). Residencies will be announced by October 15, 2012.
• February 1, 2013
  Applications due for Summer residencies (one short-term, one long-term; to take place between May 1 and August 31, 2013). Residencies will be announced by February 15, 2013.

For further information about the residencies at MCBA, contact Adult and Artist Programs Director      Sara R. Parr at 612.215.2526 or sparr@mnbookarts.org.

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