Call Detail
POP-X: a 14-day Contemporary Art Event & Exhibition
Entry Deadline: 4/10/16
Application Closed
Number of Applications Allowed: 2

Entry Fee (POP-X: a 14-day Contemporary Art Event & Exhibition): $35.00
Work Sample Requirements
Images | Minimum:Min. 1, Maximum:Max. 4
Total Samples | Minimum:Min. 1, Maximum:Max. 4
Call Type: Proposals
Eligibility: National
State: Michigan

Key Details
•    Requesting proposals for art installations in 100 sqft. art pavilions.
•    Open to all interested artists, designers, and curators, submitting as an individual or team. One entry per individual artist or curator or per team. 
•    A $1,000 stipend per installation will be given to the individuals and teams selected for exhibition.

Overview
POP·X is a community arts initiative of the Ann Arbor Art Center designed to infuse the Ann Arbor area with distinctive, inspirational, and interactive arts experiences that engage artists and the public and enhance the quality of place.

The inaugural POP·X festival occurred in October 2015 and press coverage included the following: Detroit News (http://detne.ws/1Txifco) and Pulp (http://pulp.aadl.org/node/324220).


Vision
As a ten-day outdoor contemporary arts festival running September 22 - October 1, POP·X features 8-10 exhibition pavilions in public spaces. These pavilions—100 sq ft each—form the core vehicle for festival placemaking and arts activities. They were designed by architect Kreg Norgaard.

The exhibition pavilions use their interiors to exhibit contemporary art. The public space surrounding each pavilion will be activated with a curated set of activities that may include demonstrations, performance, lectures, social gatherings, or participatory art making.

The second annual festival will be located, once again, in Ann Arbor's Liberty Plaza Park. This park is located in the middle of downtown Ann Arbor at below grade level and is highly visible due to steady and robust sidewalk and street traffic. As a community, Ann Arbor benefits from an abundance of arts and culture activity, both affiliated and unaffiliated with the University of Michigan. POP·X will continue nourishing community members and visitors with even more opportunities to engage creativity, to explore self-expression, and to be surrounded by art.

Call for Artists + Curators
Artists, curators, and designers are invited to submit proposals for the interior of a POP·X pavilion, which has been designed by architect Kreg Norgaard. (Design and dimensions are attached to this document.) 

Ideal proposals for the interior installations value sustained or interactive engagement of visitors, inspiring them with thought-provoking or fun expressions of contemporary arts. Installations may include any form of artistic expression, including, but not limited to art that responds to the immediate environment or encourages community engagement through social practice.

Concepts can feature any media and should invite visitor engagement whether or not the artist is present. Artwork and installations must be original and installations should activate the entire interior space, for instance by filling the space, creating an environment in the space, using the space as a frame, or using the space as a canvas for creation. Installations do not need to reflect, echo, or respond to the pavilion's exterior design. For information on pavilion architecture and specs, see Site Plan Image.

Exhibition pavilions have an interior power outlet, are waterproof, and will be in use for 11 days, with pavilions being closed and secured at sundown each day. Artists and curators may not make any modifications to the pavilion (big or small) that alter its structural integrity or expose the interior space to the exterior environment. A wheelchair must also be able to maneuver in or through the pavilion.

Calendar
Call for Artists/Curators Opens - February 10, 2016
Question Period Ends (see below) - March 4, 2016
Submission Deadline - April 10, 2016
Selection of Winning Exhibitions - May 7, 2016
Exhibition Installation Planning - May - August 2016
Exhibition Installation Begins - September 17, 2016
Collector's Preview Event - September 21, 2016
Festival Opens - September 22, 2016
Festival Closes - October 1, 2016

Evaluation Criteria
Proposals will be evaluated based on the exhibition's design, inspirational quality, visitor experience, durability, and use of interior space.

Jury Panel
A jury composed of members of the POP·X Artistic Advisory Committee will select the winning proposals. Those committee members include the following:

Mary Avrakotos, Ceramicist; Founding Director, ARTSwego Festival at SUNY Oswego (Ann Arbor)
Yen Azzaro, Owner, Chin-Azzaro (Ann Arbor/Ypsilanti, Mich.)
Peter Baker, Creative Director, Duo Security (Ann Arbor)
Milton Curry, Associate Dean, University of Michigan Taubman College of Architecture and Urban Planning (Ann Arbor)
Susannah Goodman, Potter and educator (Detroit)
Ben Johnson, Program Manager, Center for the Art of Performance at UCLA (Los Angeles)
Nakia Johnson, Project Manager (Ann Arbor)
Douglas Jones, Artist (Jackson, Mich.)
Lucie Nisson, Mosaic artist; POP·X Core Team Member (Ann Arbor)
Janera Solomon, Executive Director, Kelly Strayhorn Theater (Pittsburg, Pa.)
Nick Tobier, Associate Professor, University of Michigan Stamps School of Art and Design (Ann Arbor)
MaryAnn Wilkinson, Exhibitions Director, University of Michigan Taubman College of Architecture and Urban Planning (Ann Arbor)
Nick Zagar, Artist; Commercial Real Estate Director, Oxford Commercial (Ann Arbor)


Artist/Curator Stipend 
A stipend of $1,000 per installation will be given to the individuals and teams selected for exhibition upon installation of the work in the pavilion. The stipend is not meant to cover all costs related to exhibition participation however the festival provides significant opportunities for creative expression and audience engagement to make this a worthwhile project. In some cases, visiting artists may be connected with local hosts for the duration of their stay in Ann Arbor.

Eligibility
Open to all interested artists, designers, and curators, submitting as an individual or team
One entry per individual artist or curator or per team
The works must have been completed in the last two years and must not have been previously shown in any other Ann Arbor Art Center exhibition

Note: Participation in POP·X is not guaranteed solely on the basis of meeting the above eligibility requirements. Proposals will be juried and selected based on the outlined evaluation criteria.

Submit:
1. Artist or Curatorial Statement, including a description of the proposed exhibition installation (2 page max; 8.5x11)
2. CV (if submitting as a team, submit one CV for each team member)
3. Visual mock-up of the exhibition, such as an illustration or digital model; include up to four items of the following in any combination: 8.5x11 page (PDF), image (jpeg, 300 dpi), or video link listed in a PDF (Vimeo or YouTube) 

Entry Fee
A non-refundable entry fee of $35 entitles each artist, curator, or team to submit one entry. Only credit and debit payments are accepted; no cash or check payments will be accepted.

Delivery and Installation
Work should be finished and/or ready for installation as early as September 17, 2016. Artists and curators are responsible for transportation of work to the site and should plan to be on site to oversee installation and de-installation. Any shipping or transportation fees are the responsibility of the artist. Festival staff assistance will be provided for on-site installation and de-installation. Ideally, artists are also present for the Collector's Preview (September 21, 2016) and for the festival opening day (September 22, 2016), with specific timing for both being announced in the summer. Upon the closing of the festival, all artwork must be removed from the festival site no later than Tuesday, October 4, 7pm. The Ann Arbor Art Center reserves the right to decline artworks or installations that do not represent artist submission or do not meet festival guidelines. Artists are expected to provide components necessary for special/nontraditional installations.

Questions
For technical assistance, e-mail the CaFE Team at café@westaf.org or visit the CaFE Help webpage.

Questions during the 'questions period' will be answered up until March 4, 2016. Questions and their responses will be circulated as FAQs to all entrants with the names of the applicants redacted. E-mail wrush@annarborartcenter.org 

The Ann Arbor Art Center
For 106 years, the Ann Arbor Art Center has been sparking creativity in people of all ages and artistic abilities. Our mission is “to be a contemporary forum for the visual arts through education, exploration, collaboration and exhibition, and to engage minds, expand perspectives and inspire growth in students of all ages, teachers, artists and the community.” Through innovative programming, thought-provoking exhibitions, a gallery shop offering original artworks, and a variety of hands-on learning opportunities, the Art Center engages over 50,000 people annually who are inspired to explore the power of the visual arts.

For general information about the Art Center visit www.annarborartcenter.org.

Application Requirements

Eligibility Criteria