If the application fee presents a burden to your particular situation, scholarships are available. 

“The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes, but in having new eyes”  -Marcel Proust

Where are we going? Where have we been? Who has come before us? How do we define our community today? Who do we hope to become in the future? 

Passages 2022 is the Jamestown Arts Center’s second biennial experience of outdoor arts in our community, which will display up to 12 art works at various locations throughout the island.

The Town of Jamestown on Conanicut Island is literally and physically defined by Narragansett Bay: the East Passage featuring the Newport Bridge leading to Aquidneck Island, and the West Passage with the Jamestown Bridge spanning towards Plum Point and the Rhode Island mainland. Metaphorically, Jamestown’s passages can refer to its evolving communities: first by Native Americans, next by European settlers and colonial farmers, followed by immigrants from diverse backgrounds, families with vacation homes, and now, year-round residents. 

The exhibition will also mark the recent passing of time and losses during the pandemic and our passage through this period to a new future. What might we memorialize, commemorate, and remember? What are our hopes and dreams as we re-emerge and re-connect?

Artists are invited to propose artworks that interpret the word passages in all its iterations and associations.

Mission

Every two years the Jamestown Arts Center’s Biennial Outdoor Arts Experience brings to our community publicly accessible extraordinary arts through outdoor installations and related arts experiences. From July through October, the Biennial showcases a diverse range of artwork while providing an incubator for artists’ ideas and processes. The Biennial seeks to create, by displaying artwork throughout the island, unique avenues to actively engage our community and Jamestown’s many visitors with the artists and their work.

Of Note

The exhibition will exhibit up to 12 artworks at various locations around Jamestown. 

Proposals specifically for the Jamestown Community Farm are of particular interests, as are artworks or ideas that create connection across the East Passage between the state parks in Jamestown of Wetherill and Beavertail and Newport's Fort Adams. 

Artists may additionally propose events, programs or happenings that support the exhibition. Please email engagement proposals directly to oae@jamestownartcenter.org.

Selection Criteria

Entries will be evaluated by a selection panel composed of community members, JAC staff and Nick Capasso, Director of Fitchburg Art Museum, former Deputy Director for Curatorial Affairs at the deCordova Sculpture Park and Museum in Lincoln, MA. Two installations are reserved for selection by JAC staff. Selection criteria shall include, but not be limited to: artistic excellence; safety; suitability for public display; responsiveness to theme; compatibility with site(s) available; durability; maintenance. The selection panel will recommend works to the OAE committee, who will make final determination after reviewing safety & logistics in consultation with location partner(s). Exhibition may include works by invitation in addition to works by jury selection.

Locations

View possible partnership locations for the placement of artwork here: https://www.outdoorartsexperience.org/locations-2022

Artist’s Benefits

Selected artists will receive a $2000 honorarium and the opportunity to list the work for sale. Artists will receive 65% of any sales; any sold works must remain on display for the duration of the loan period. Artwork will be on view to the public for four months in highly-visible locations in the town of Jamestown. Artwork will have identifying signage for the course of the exhibition. The Jamestown Art Center will carry liability insurance for the course of the exhibition. The JAC will publicize the exhibition through its website, walking map/exhibit brochure, social media, direct mail to its membership, and local print advertising.  Artists will have the opportunity to give presentations, talks, and engage with the viewing public.

Timeline

October 1, 2021   Applications open through CallForEntry.org

November 30, 2021    Application Deadline

January 15, 2022      Jurying complete, Artists notified

February-May 2022           Studio visits, installation plans and site assignments complete. Contracts signed.

June 11-19, 2022     Installation period

July 1, 2022             Exhibition Opening in conjunction with Summer Soirée and Gallery exhibition at the Jamestown Arts Center.

October 31, 2022      Last day for works on display

November 1- November 7, 2022  Removal period.

Guidelines & restrictions

Artist is responsible for transportation of work to and from Jamestown, and for installation and removal. Works must be installation-ready by agreed-upon date. Works must be removed in a timely fashion within scheduled dates.

It is recommended that works be 12’ x 8’ x 8’ or smaller, or made of components up to this size that can be assembled into a larger whole, in order to avoid any wide-load issues during transportation.

Works must be suitable for outdoor installation and built in a durable, stable fashion. Works must be capable of withstanding adverse weather conditions including but not limited to wind, rain, high temperatures, freezing.

Artist is responsible for stability of artwork. Artist will detail provisions for stability in application. Provisions and installation plans of selected artworks will be vetted in advance during a studio visit. Some examples are a self-supporting design, a temporary pedestal, welded or bolted to steel plate, etc.

Artwork may be installed in close proximity to the viewing public and must not pose hazards. Artist should specify if work is non-climbable, or intentionally functional. Fragile, dangerous or inappropriate works will not be considered. Artist agrees to affect any repairs during exhibition if such situation arises.

Artist will install on date to be agreed upon with JAC and location partner. JAC will provide installation assistance including equipment as agreed in advance and any necessary hands-on assistance, however artists will oversee and participate in the installation/removal process and should bring tools and hardware as required. JAC staff, contract labor and volunteers shall not be held responsible for loss or damage to the artwork during installation or removal.

On delivery artwork will be reviewed by JAC staff and location partner. If artwork is deemed structurally unsound or misrepresented, acceptance will be revoked. JAC retains final decision and approval of installation.

JAC will carry liability insurance, however artists are encouraged to carry additional insurance for damage or loss of artwork itself.

Artist retains copyright of the artwork, and JAC will credit the artist whenever the artwork is exhibited or published by JAC. JAC may use images of the artist and artwork in promotional or educational materials.

Application Requirements

Application Requirements

In summary, the application requests the artist’s contact information, a one-paragraph narrative biography, up to six images showing various angles of existing piece OR detailed plans/mockup of proposed piece, a short statement detailing the artwork’s relationship to the exhibition's PASSAGES theme, and a summary of its installation/removal requirements and provisions for stability. Artists are encouraged to contact the project manager with questions in advance of application. Artists are strongly encouraged to visit possible sites prior to application submission.

Note that in the first round of jurying, all identifying information will be removed from application materials.

If the application fee presents a burden to your particular situation, scholarships are available. Please address this and all other questions to Project Director, oae@jamestownartcenter.org 401-573-9838.
 

Eligibility Criteria

This Request for Proposals is open to all US-based artists. Payment of honorarium is contingent on the artist providing a valid W9. Rhode Island artists, emerging artists, BIPOC, women, gender-nonconforming persons, LGBTQIA+ community members and people with differing physical abilities are highly encouraged to apply.