AIR at Los Angeles Cleantech Incubator supports research-led Los Angeles based artists working with climate change and related themes. 

AIR is seeking three interdisciplinary artists for a six month residency in the Arts District. The residency will run approximately May - November 2019, with a culminating work-in-progress exhibition in December 2019. 

Residency benefits include:
— $13,000 total stipend to research and develop artwork centered around climate change, sustainability and related themes
— Training and access to over $10M of prototyping equipment in the Advanced Prototyping Center (APC)
—  Access to leading minds working in agriculture, environment, energy, transportation, waste, water and related themes

Mission and Goals
1. AIR, the Artist-in-Residence Program at Los Angeles Cleantech Incubator (LACI), empowers innovation by uniting the creative and cleantech communities in the shared aim of addressing global environmental problems.
2. AIR supports communities across Los Angeles through free artists’ talks,  professional development programming and educational workshops on and off campus.
3. AIR provides Los Angeles based artists with access to new tools, technologies, and subject matter experts in the fields of climate change, sustainability and related themes.
4. AIR sparks new collaborations between artists and LACI’s Portfolio Companies and Resident Experts working across diverse disciplines.
5. AIR encourages dialogue and community engagement at the interplay of technology, sustainability, and the arts across Los Angeles and beyond.

The Ideal Candidate
AIR aims to reflect the racial, ethnic and gender diversity of Los Angeles. All artists working with climate-related concerns are encouraged to apply.
AIR is rooted in research, collaboration, and exploration. The ideal Resident Artist (RA) will encompass the following:
1. Have the capacity to work in a multidisciplinary form: instinctively rotating between researcher (in collaboration with LACI’s portfolio of clean technology startup companies), student (when learning new mechanical techniques in the APC), studio artist (when ideas and process integrate into the artist’s wider Los Angeles based studio practice) and communicator (when discussing their work and learnings with the public).
2. Willingness to collaborate with campus members to challenge ways of thinking and expand practices across all disciplines.
3. Instigate discussion around sustainability-related issues in a way other disciplines cannot.
4. Be a strategic thinker, challenger of ideas, interdisciplinary collaborator and entrepreneur in their own right.
5. Seek to plant intellectual seeds and grow relationships that will have tangible impact in Los Angeles and beyond.

Eligibility
1. AIR is for Los Angeles artists only. AIR does not provide studio space or housing.
2. Preference will be given to artists who have been resident in the Los Angeles area for a minimum of three years.
3. Artists must have completed education a minimum of five (5) years prior to applying, or display equivalent professional experience through submitted portfolio and/or CV. Higher education and/or gallery representation are not required. Current students and recent graduates are not eligible for AIR.
4. Artists must be available during LACI business hours and regularly on-site for the entirety of the six (6) month residency. Artists should be present on campus 12 hours or more per week. LACI/APC hours of operation are Monday – Friday, 9am – 7pm.
5. Artists’ work must have the capacity to raise awareness around climate change, sustainability and related themes.
6. AIR is for individual artists only. We regret that we cannot currently accommodate artist teams or artists’ assistants.
7. Artists must continue to maintain their studio or home workspace throughout the residency period. AIR does not provide dedicated artist studio space.

LACI does not discriminate against qualified applicants based upon any protected group status, including but not limited to race, color, creed, religion, sex, national origin, ancestry, age, marital status, military or veteran status, sexual orientation, physical or mental disability or medical condition as defined by applicable equal opportunity laws. Artists of all backgrounds are encouraged to apply

We encourage all applicants to attend a public tour of the facility. Tours take place every Friday at 12 PM. Register online for a public tour here. Please note: this is not an AIR-specific tour, but will provide an overview of the work done at LACI and the capability of the APC.
Learn more about LACI and the APC on our website.

Responsibilities of RA
1. Presence on campus 12 hours per week or more. LACI and the APC are open Monday – Friday, 9 AM – 7 PM. Weekend access to the APC is currently unavailable.
2. RA must maintain their studio or home workspace throughout the residency.
3. RA may be requested to host studio visits with AIR Committee members, community members and key supporters.
4. RA will create a limited edition work using APC equipment at some stage of the process. Half of the edition will be retained by the artist; half of the edition will be donated to LACI. Minimum edition size is 12 + APs. Artists retain copyright of their work at all times.
5. RA will participate in a Work-in-Progress exhibition and group panel discussion (both free and open to the public) to discuss their experience of inter-disciplinary collaboration and learning.
6. RA will attend monthly status meetings.
7. RA will take part in a 5 day full-time APC training. Training is required even if artists have previous experience with similar equipment.
8. AIR is planting seeds to enable the development and creation of far-reaching artwork about climate change. We would like the ability to check in with RA periodically after the residency period has ended in order to see where the seeds we have planted may grow.

About the Limited Edition
The creation and sharing of a limited edition work using APC equipment is an important part of AIR. Artists’ generosity in participating in the shared limited edition will achieve the following:
1. Provide LACI with a clear way to tell the story of AIR.
2. Build a collection of artworks about aspects of climate change that can be shared with the public.
3. Build a collection of works to be loaned to exhibitions, museums, institutions, etc. in order to raise awareness and instigate discussion.
Artists retain full copyright of their work at all times.

Program Details
Career level artists from all backgrounds and of all disciplines are invited to apply.
AIR offers Resident Artists (RA):
1. Full access to a professional prototyping facility within a clean technology startup environment.
2. Full training for equipment in the APC. (No previous experience is necessary. Artists new to prototyping are actively encouraged to apply.) Further details on the APC can be found here.
3. A cash stipend of $11,000 over 6 months.
4. A one-time materials stipend of $1,000.
5. A consumables stipend of up to $1,000 for materials used in the APC.
6. Access to LACI’s network of entrepreneurs, innovators and thought leaders.

Selection Criteria
Artists are selected by a rotating independent committee of professionals from the arts, cleantech and the built environment.

Each application will be judged on the following criteria:
1. Potential of the proposed project to benefit from the technical and intellectual capital that LACI has to offer. Strong proposals will make reference to the specific tools of the Advanced Prototyping Center and to LACI’s network of professionals and/or areas of specialization (energy, transportation, waste, water, air quality, agriculture and related themes).
2. Potential of the proposed project to stimulate dialogue around ideas of climate change, sustainability and related themes.
3. Potential of the proposed project to engage a collaborative environment and contribute to interdisciplinary conversations.
4. Applicant’s commitment to an ongoing creative practice as evidenced in an artist’s portfolio and experience.
5. Applicant’s potential for growth within a research-led environment.
6. Applicant’s ability to articulate ideas clearly and concisely.

Application Process
1. Artist Statement (1,000 characters maximum)
Please provide a brief summary of your practice. You may discuss this in both conceptual and material terms. Feel free to reference previous projects that you feel may be relevant to your application.
2. Project Proposal (3,000 characters maximum)
Please provide a brief proposal indicating your interest in AIR. Please specify:
A. Area(s) of interest (energy, transportation, waste, water, air quality, agriculture and related themes)
B. How you would benefit from becoming a Resident Artist
C. The capacity of the work to raise awareness of climate change, sustainability and related themes.
D. Ways in which you may utilize LACI’s network of innovators and thought leaders (particular research ideas, collaborative opportunities, etc). You will find a list of LACI Portfolio Companies here.
3. Artist CV/Resume (15,000 characters maximum)
Please note: formatting will not be retained in the application form.
4. Three (3) professional references with contact information.
Please note: references will only be contacted for short-listed applicants. Formal letters of recommendation are not required at this time.
5. Portfolio: Ten (10) works including descriptions of up to 300 characters per work. Please utilize this space to share the ideas behind the work, including any relevant research or production methods.

Frequently Asked Questions
1. Does it cost anything to submit an application?
No. Applying to AIR is free.
2. I have been a practicing artist for many years, but have no formal training. Am I eligible?
Yes, you are eligible and invited to apply. No formal training is required.
3. Does AIR provide studio space?
No. AIR provides access to a state-of-the-art prototyping facility during working hours only. Artists are required to maintain their existing creative workspace through the course of the residency.
4. My studio is in my home. Am I still eligible?
Yes.
5. Why Los Angeles area artists only?
AIR plants seeds that take time to grow; and builds community while doing so. AIR supports the Los Angeles creative community by providing access to networks and resources that will flourish with local knowledge and time. This is why AIR is most suited to a creative practice rooted in the Los Angeles area.
6. What constitutes the Los Angeles area?
Los Angeles County and surrounding areas.
7. I’ve been a Los Angeles resident for less than three years. Am I still eligible?
Preference will be given to artists who have been resident in the Los Angeles area for a minimum of three years.
8. What do you mean by ‘research-led artist’?
‘Research-led artist’ refers to an artist whose work involves periods of information gathering and/or research, which is then reflected back in the resulting work.
9. Who owns the copyright to my work?
You do. LACI will request permission to use images of works in relation to the program, but artists retain copyright of their work at all times.
10. How will LACI utilize the limited edition?
LACI will utilize the limited edition in order to disseminate the message of AIR. This may include (but is not limited to): loaning works for external exhibition, displaying works at future AIR exhibitions, supporting future or additional AIR programming, gifting works to donors. We will do our utmost to keep participating artists informed of all loan and collections activity.
11. I’ve never used prototyping equipment before. Am I eligible?
Yes. Full equipment training is provided. Artists from all backgrounds and all experience levels with prototyping technologies are encouraged to apply.
12. I am part of an artist collective. Can we apply together?\
No. AIR can accommodate only individual artists at this time.
13. I work with assistants. If I am accepted, will they also have access to the APC?
No. AIR can accommodate only individual artists at this time.

If you have a question not answered in the FAQ’s above, please email: AIR@laincubator.org with “AIR Application Query” in the subject line. We will get back to you as soon as possible.

Selection Process
Our interdisciplinary selection committee will review applications and recommend up to eight shortlisted candidates for interview. Shortlisted candidates will be invited to LACI to discuss proposals with key stakeholders. In 2019, LACI will award three residencies from the open call process.
The selection committee evaluates applications based on the aforementioned selection criteria.

Expected Timeline
1/17/19 — Launch public call for artists
2/27/19 — Public call for artists close
2/28 – 3/20 — Application review, Artist interviews, Final Artist Selection
5/20/19 — Residency commence with week of artist training and orientation sessions
12/19 — Work-in-progress exhibition / panel discussion
2019 Jan-Dec — Public programming including Artists’ Talks and Professional Development Workshops
Timeline is estimated and subject to change.

AIR is building a community of creative thinkers who are researching, increasing awareness, and working towards solutions for our most pressing environmental issues. We sincerely hope you will participate in the program; whether through applying, attending an artists’ talk, participating in a workshop, or all of the above. 

Thank you for considering applying for AIR.

Application Requirements

Eligibility Criteria