Call for Artists: Studio Residencies at the Camera Obscura Art Lab
Application Deadline: Tuesday December 12, 2023, by 10:59 PM PDT

Introduction

Santa Monica Cultural Affairs, a division of the City of Santa Monica, seeks proposals from visual, digital and performing artists living in Los Angeles County for a fourteen-week studio residency at the Camera Obscura Art Lab in Palisades Park, Santa Monica.

The Studio Residency Program offers artists a glass-walled studio with a spectacular ocean view in an iconic midcentury park building overlooking the Santa Monica Pier, four blocks from the terminus of the Expo line. The City seeks artists whose work offers opportunities for inspiring the public through example and instruction. All disciplines and mediums will be considered.

Residency Description

The City of Santa Monica established the Studio Residency Program at the Camera Obscura to support the work of local visual, digital and performing artists, highlight the intersection of fine art and craft, and provide the public with access to a variety of artistic practice and instruction.

This Studio Residency spans 14 weeks and three terms are available; Feb 1- May 9, 2024; May 16- August 22, 2024; and August 29 - December 12, 2024. The terms are approximate and may be adjusted slightly to accommodate developing schedules. The selection panel is directed to select either two individual artists, one collective, or a combination, to share the 46’x16’ dividable studio space for each time period.

The City presents this opportunity to artists who need both a place to practice and create, and are deeply invested in sharing their work for the public’s benefit.

An honorarium of $2500 and use of the facility is offered to the successful applicant(s). Parking is not guaranteed but a parking permit will be available during the day to park in front or within two blocks of 1450 Ocean depending on availability.  Please note: the city does not cover parking tickets. There is a paid parking garage two blocks away as well.

Other details:

· The residency offers studio work-only space. Access is from 8:00am-10:00pm M-F and 9:30am-10:00pm Sat-Sun, with some exceptions.
· Residents present at least four participatory workshops for the public, and a final presentation (location for classes/workshops and final presentation are TBD). 

PLEASE NOTE: The Camera Obscura Art Lab building (1450 Ocean) is in transition and may open to the public during the AiR sessions.  Applicants are expected to be flexible and work with staff as the building and its use evolves. If the building has opened to the public by the time residency begins, resident artist may be allowed to teach in-person at the Camera Obscura. Otherwise, artists will work with staff to provide workshops or classes at other city buildings during their residency including, but not limited to: The Annenberg Community Beach House, Virginia Avenue Park, The Main Library Courtyard. 

· Resident Artists are responsible for preparing classes and workshops by creating materials lists, class descriptions, and providing images to advertise class. 
· Resident Artists are required to advertise classes on their own social media platforms and work to fill each class. Resident Artist must be available to teach on weekends.

· Classes and workshops range from 2-3 hours and focus on arts/crafts skills, community building, and hands-on participation for adults. They need not relate directly to the residency project. Active and participatory rather than presentational formats are preferred.
· The Resident must utilize the studio at least three times per week in addition to offering their classes.
· Equipment available: tables, chairs, whiteboard, video projector/screen, relief printing press, and various craft equipment.
· Also provided: electricity, free City Wi-Fi and access to a kitchen with refrigerator/ stove/ sink/ microwave/filtered water. Slop sink available for nonhazardous cleanup.
· If the building is open during the session, work in the studio will be in public view and should be appropriate for a general audience.
· The studio, though lockable, is part of a shared space; use of fragile, hazardous or very valuable materials is not allowed, and a waste removal plan is required for any proposed waste generation.
· Resident is responsible for covering the floor of the studio to protect it from damage.
· If there is a COVID-19 outbreak during a session, masks must be worn for ten days in all communal areas of the building and no visitors are allowed during that time, except to help with load-in and load-out. Artist can request a special dispensation to be made for onsite studio visits by gallerists and collectors.  Requests must be made in writing to camera@santamonica.gov at least one week prior to scheduled visit.

Eligibility

The residency is open to all artists, artisans and makers who reside in Los Angeles County. Artist teams will be considered; partnerships and groups should apply through one coordinating member. MFA students in their final year are eligible to apply. All forms of artistic production are eligible; previous residents have employed quilting, printmaking, painting and drawing, choreography, puppetry, sculpture, illustration, music, opera, social practice, performance, videography, and animation among other forms.

Applicants who have received a Santa Monica Artist Residency or Fellowship in the past two years, are current grantees or resident artists through another City of Santa Monica program, or are currently employed by or serve on a Board or Commission of the City of Santa Monica, are not eligible to apply.

Selection Process

All eligible applications are evaluated by a panel of arts professionals, which rates and selects the final awardees according the following criteria:

· Quality of previous work
· Applicant’s proposed plan for the residency period
· Ability of applicant to design and implement effective interactive classes/workshops/activities with the public
· Suitability of the artist’s practice for the space

The City of Santa Monica may request additional information from, or schedule initial interviews with selected applicants. The City also reserves the right to not select applicants and recall and/or cancel the Call for Applications at any time at its sole discretion.

Notification of the selected resident will take place mid-December, 2023.

The Camera Obscura Art Lab

The Art Lab hosts both the historic Camera Obscura mechanism (c.1898) and an ongoing series of arts, crafts, movement, and culture classes for adults. As a place for creativity and inquiry, areas of focus at the Art Lab include visual arts, crafts, dance/movement, performance, and participatory culture. 

COVID-19: Since COVID-19 the building has been closed to the public until further notice. This does not affect the Resident Artist Program which will continue to operate.  The building is staffed minimally for cleaning purposes.  All staff follow safety protocols.  Between residencies the building is deep cleaned, disinfected and all air filters are replaced.  During residencies the building is cleaned daily.  The building may open to the public at anytime. 

Proposal Submission Requirements

The following list is provided for information only; all proposals must be submitted through CaFE (Call For Entry).

A complete application will consist of a proposal letter and a resume.  For the proposal letter, please include the answers to the following prompts:

• Describe your practice.
• What project do you intend to embark upon/finish during the residency period?
• What experience have you had teaching or working with the public, and how can you translate this to your work at the Camera Obscura?

Also include:
• Work sample images, video or audio: NOTE: Panel will review a maximum of 5 mins of video, 5 mins of audio, and a minimum of 5 images or a maximum of 20.
• A proposed schedule and descriptions of public workshops/activity
• A proposed schedule of working hours
• Any special requirements for move-in/out, space, storage, electricity, or equipment, and a list with usage and disposal plans for any chemicals or bulky objects.
• A brief artist statement for publicity

For the resume, please include:
• A single paragraph biography
• Your residential address
• Previous showings of your work, awards, residencies, and related accomplishments

Contact

For questions about the Studio Residency Program, please write to: Attn: Cultural Affairs Supervisor, at camera@santamonica.gov or (310) 458-8350 extension 6.

For information about the Art Lab and its activities, visit https://www.santamonica.gov/places/cultural-venue/camera-obscura-art-lab

Due Date

Applications must be received by 10:59 PM PT on Tuesday, Dec. 12, 2023.

Application Requirements

A complete application will consist of a proposal letter and a resume.  For the proposal letter, please include the answers to the following prompts:

• Describe your practice.
• What project do you intend to embark upon/finish during the residency period?
• What experience have you had teaching or working with the public, and how can you translate this to your work at the Camera Obscura?

Also include:
• Work sample images, video or audio: NOTE: Panel will review a maximum of 5 mins of video, 5 mins of audio, and a minimum of 5 images or a maximum of 20.
• A proposed schedule and descriptions of public workshops/activity
• A proposed schedule of working hours
• Any special requirements for move-in/out, space, storage, electricity, or equipment, and a list with usage and disposal plans for any chemicals or bulky objects.
• A brief artist statement for publicity

For the resume, please include:
• A single paragraph biography
• Your residential address
• Previous showings of your work, awards, residencies, and related accomplishments

Eligibility Criteria

The residency is open to all artists, artisans and makers who reside in Los Angeles County. Artist teams will be considered; partnerships and groups should apply through one coordinating member. MFA students in their final year are eligible to apply. All forms of artistic production are eligible; previous residents have employed quilting, printmaking, painting and drawing, choreography, puppetry, sculpture, illustration, music, opera, social practice, performance, videography, and animation among other forms.

Applicants who have received a Santa Monica Artist Residency or Fellowship in the past two years, are current grantees or resident artists through another City of Santa Monica program, or are currently employed by or serve on a Board or Commission of the City of Santa Monica, are not eligible to apply.