Call Description

Art That Matters to the Planet: Clarity
Aug 3 – Oct 27 2024

The Roger Tory Peterson Institute in Jamestown, NY, invites artists to submit work for our third annual juried exhibition of Art that Matters to the Planet.

Art that Matters to the Planet explores the ways in which art and artists can help to shape a more sustainable future. Each year, the theme is selected from the Roger Tory Peterson series of field guides. With our 2024 theme inspired by A Field Guide to Freshwater Fishes, Art that Matters to the Planet: Clarity will focus on freshwater ecosystems (including lakes and ponds, rivers and streams, and freshwater wetlands) across the country, and all of the life they support (including fish, reptiles and amphibians, birds and mammals).

For Art that Matters to the Planet: Clarity, we are requesting submissions from artists who have partnered with scientists, naturalists, and writers on collaborative and interdisciplinary projects. Through the exhibition, we hope to show the ways in which art can help us preserve and sustain the natural world, including actions taken by and on behalf of artists to address environmental issues.

Artists will be judged based on three criteria:

1)      Originality: artwork that explores dynamic ways to communicate, and demonstrates the persuasive role that artists can play in advocating for the preservation of our earth.

2)      Personal Voice or Vision: artwork with an authentic and unique point of view and style, especially in regards to the artist’s understanding of/research about their subject(s).

3)      Technical Skill: artwork that uses technique to advance an original perspective or a personal vision or voice, and shows skills being utilized to create something unique, powerful, and innovative.

We are especially interested in interdisciplinary projects which have demonstrable environmental impact, and which creatively combine art and science in order to reflect on the relationship between society and nature. In a world of exceptional natural beauty and overwhelming environmental challenges, help us to make a case that art is indispensable to create a better world.

ABOUT THE JUROR

Art that Matters to the Planet: Clarity will by juried by Toby Jurovics. Jurovics is founding director of the Barry Lopez Foundation for Art & Environment. He was chief curator at Joslyn Art Museum from 2011 to 2020; prior to this, he was a curator of photography at the Smithsonian American Art Museum and the Princeton University Art Museum. He has curated over fifty exhibitions of photography, painting, works on paper, and video seen at venues across the country and has published widely on nineteenth and twentieth century American landscape photography. Jurovics holds a B.A. in art history and English from the University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill, and an M.A. in art history from the University of Delaware.

ABOUT THE ROGER TORY PETERSON INSTITUTE

Roger Tory Peterson’s signature contribution to the arc of the global conservation movement was the modern field guide. Trained as an artist, Peterson understood the power of art to inform, inspire and illuminate about the natural world. The experience of using the field guide sparked a revolution–it helped millions of people across the globe really see the natural world. To be inspired by it. To fall in love with it. Throughout his multifaceted career, Peterson helped us to see the challenges, too–the devastating impacts of pesticides, habitat loss and other environmental ills. Through art and action, he also demonstrated that each and every one of us can make a difference in protecting the earth’s diversity of plants and animals.

The Roger Tory Peterson Institute is a living embodiment of the field guide. In fulfillment of our strategic vision, a primary goal is the nurturing of the next generation of artists working at the nexus of art and nature. More than ever, we need art–we need artists–to explore dynamic new ways to help us experience the beauty of the natural world, the environmental challenges we face, and the opportunities for recovery and redemption.

APPLICATION INFORMATION:

Artists should focus on a specific series or project which aligns with the exhibition themes. Artists may submit any combination of materials that provide a holistic picture of their overall artistic practice. In addition to images of finished artwork and an artist statement, submitted materials may include images of sketches, journal entries, photographs, published writing, videos or other relevant materials. All submitted materials must be available for inclusion in the exhibition. Include descriptions both for series/projects and individual artworks, including title, date, processes, materials, dimensions, and insurance value. Once artists are selected by the jury, RTPI will work with artists to decide which artworks will be featured in the exhibition. RTPI may choose multiple artworks from selected artists in order to fully represent a series or project. Artists may also include whether they would be interested in presenting talks, workshops, or demonstrations, should scheduling allow.

APPLICATION DEADLINE: All entries must be submitted online via CaFÉ by Friday, March 29, 11:59 pm, MDT. Due to the expected volume of submissions, we will be unable to respond to inquiries about the application requirements or process. For assistance with your application, please refer to: https://www.callforentry.org/artist-help-cafe/how-to-apply-artists/#apply

EXHIBITION DATES: Aug 3 – Oct 27 2024

LOAN DATES: July 1 – Dec 6 2024

LOCATION: The Roger Tory Peterson Institute, 311 Curtis Street, Jamestown, NY 14701

ACCEPTABLE MEDIA CATEGORIES: All categories of art are welcome.

SPECIFICATIONS: 

• For crated works, crate dimensions shall not exceed: 78” L x 36” W x 78” H, shall not exceed 165” in length and girth (2x width + 2x height) combined, and shall not exceed 150 pounds.
• All submitted works must be in good condition and able to withstand transport via domestic shippers (UPS or FedEx).
• All work must be original to the submitting artist.
• Recent works (created since 2018) will be given preference.

NOTIFICATION:

• All submitting artists will be notified by email upon the receipt of their submissions, and will be notified regarding exhibition selection by May 10, 2024.
• Artwork packing and shipping instructions will be sent with selection notification.

ARTIST RESPONSIBILITIES:

Artists selected for Art that Matters to the Planet exhibition are responsible for the following:

• Packing costs
• Works which are ready for display
• Publication quality images of works selected for the exhibition

RTPI RESPONSIBILITIES:

The Roger Tory Peterson Institute is responsible for the following:

• Insurance of the artworks while in transit and onsite at RTPI
• All costs associated with shipping and installation of artworks
• All costs associated with producing an exhibition catalogue

TIMELINE 

 

February 1 – Call for entries opens

March 29 – Submission deadline

April 1-30 – Exhibition jurying

May 10 – Selected artists notified

May 31 – Deadline for receipt of loan agreement

July 1 – Deadline for art to arrive at RTPI

August 2 – Exhibition opening reception

August 3 – Exhibition open to the public

October 27 – Exhibition closes

December 6 – Artworks returned to artists

Application Requirements

APPLICATION INFORMATION:

Artists should focus on a specific series or project which aligns with the exhibition themes. Artists may submit any combination of materials that provide a holistic picture of their overall artistic practice. In addition to images of finished artwork and an artist statement, submitted materials may include images of sketches, journal entries, photographs, published writing, videos or other relevant materials. All submitted materials must be available for inclusion in the exhibition. Include descriptions both for series/projects and individual artworks, including title, date, processes, materials, dimensions, and insurance value. Once artists are selected by the jury, RTPI will work with artists to decide which artworks will be featured in the exhibition. RTPI may choose multiple artworks from selected artists in order to fully represent a series or project. Artists may also include whether they would be interested in presenting talks, workshops, or demonstrations, should scheduling allow.

APPLICATION DEADLINE: All entries must be submitted online via CaFÉ by Friday, March 29, 11:59 pm, MDT. Due to the expected volume of submissions, we will be unable to respond to inquiries about the application requirements or process. For assistance with your application, please refer to: https://www.callforentry.org/artist-help-cafe/how-to-apply-artists/#apply

Eligibility Criteria

Emerging, mid-career, and established artists are eligible and encouraged to apply.