2009/2010 – LINKS HALL ARTISTIC ASSOCIATES CALL FOR PROPOSALS

2009/2010 – LINKS HALL ARTISTIC ASSOCIATES

CALL FOR PROPOSALS

www.linkshall.org

Introduction

Links Hall’s Artistic Associates (AAs) each curate a month-long (four-weekends, Fridays-Sundays) performance series for the Links Hall space, for which they receive a budget, along with marketing and technical support. AA projects have taken place annually since 2005, and have enhanced the quality of our artistic programs, generated significant press coverage, and expanded audiences for new work at Links Hall.

The AA program format allows for welcome shifts in artistic perspective each year, keeping programming fresh and interesting. Many AAs have had limited or no curatorial experience before, and the opportunity to curate a month-long program has been experienced as an opportunity for new creative and professional development.

There is information about the 2005-2008 AA programs on our web site: http://linkshall.org/o-aa.shtml. These programs have included dance, puppetry, live art/performance, experimental theater, readings, music, and multidisciplinary work.

Links Hall plans to select three AAs for 2009-2010, and welcomes proposals. The proposal review and selection of AAs will be made by Links Hall’s Programming Committee, which comprises artists (including some past AAs), as well as Links Hall Staff and Board members.

Selected AAs will receive:

* Space: Links Hall’s studio will be provided for the four weeks of your project:

Evening hours for rehearsals: Tuesday-Thursday

2 hours before each performance showtime: Friday-Sunday

It is important that the multi-use nature of Links Hall is understood – we have commitments to residency artists, classes, and other renters for many daytime hours. The space must be completely cleared after each rehearsal and performance. Additional time can be made available for workshops, classes, and public discussions. Please also note that rehearsal time is provided for the technical and practical get-in and set-up of work, and not for the creation/development of that work.

The space is a white room with a blonde wood floor. We have fixed riser seating for 65. If you would like to visit the space, to help with developing your curatorial ideas, please contact us to set up a time.

* Budget: Links Hall will provide the following budget for your project:

Curator’s fee                  $500

Program Budget:           $2,500 plus 50% of ticket revenue

The program budget should cover artists’ fees, travel costs, accommodation, and technical/prop/material needs. Public workshop income, if any, will usually be allocated 100% to your budget. In addition, Links Hall will provide marketing (print and electronic publicity) and technical support (Technical Director for the performances and some rehearsals). In some cases, AAs work with Links Hall to secure additional funding, which has allowed for larger scale projects -- including, for example, being able to present visiting artists.

Each year's AAs are also invited to participate on Links Hall's Programming Committee to select the 

subsequent year's AAs.

Eligibility

All practicing artists are welcome to submit a proposal, and no past curatorial experience is necessary.

AAs do not need to be based in Chicago. If you are based elsewhere, please reference in your proposal whether you plan to be in Chicago for any program planning and/or your program.

Past AAs are welcome to submit proposals; in your proposal, please address the opportunities and benefits afforded by returning to curate a second AA program at Links Hall. We will review these proposals on their merits along with all other proposals; we will not necessarily select a past AA for a project in 2009-2010.

Criteria for selection

We will review proposals in the context of Links Hall’s mission: “Links Hall encourages artistic innovation and public engagement by maintaining a facility and providing flexible programming for the research, development and presentation of new work in the performing arts.”

AA programs are the largest scale public programs presented by Links Hall, and past AAs have worked closely with Links Hall and their artists to ensure effective programs. We will select proposals that not only appear to be artistically innovative, but that appear practical in the context of the available resources (time, space, and budget), as well as the proposer’s likely ability to conceptualize, develop, and realize a large scale project.

Proposal requirements

Please include the following items in your proposal. Do not exceed three pages in total:

* Contact information: Your name, contact mailing address, telephone number, and email address.

* Project title: Please provide a working project title, and identify the artistic discipline(s) your project falls into.

* Creative process: Please summarize how participation in the AA program would assist your creative process and development, and include a summary of your arts-related experience (within the three page maximum noted above). Briefly describe your current areas of interest as an artist, and whether or not you have past experience as a curator (past curatorial experience is not required).

* Project summary: Summarize your proposed curatorial project. Please explain your interest in curating this project, as well as your goals and objectives. Is there a pressing need for the project (for example, a gap in programming in the City?) and what are the challenges involved in your project?

If you know which artists you would like to curate, please include a list of their names; we do not require bio information about them. If you do not know artists’ names, please make sure your proposal demonstrates a clear picture of the likely content of your program.

If available, please indicate a general plan for your performance schedule. Beyond the expectation that AAs will program four weekends of performances (Fridays-Sundays), we have no requirements regarding the structure of the schedule: e.g. full length pieces vs mixed programs; different programs each week, or longer runs etc. Please review past AA programs to see different approaches which have been undertaken. AAs are welcome to curate themselves into their programs.

Please identify any special technical requirements your project may have. The Links Hall ground plan and Technical Handbook are available online at http://linkshall.org/a-tech.shtml

Note: we recommend scheduling artists with a focus on quality before quantity. Please be sure you are not curating a busy and technically demanding program which will unreasonably stretch Links Hall’s office and technical staff – or yourself! However, a packed schedule of work which is low tech and low maintenance could nonetheless be effective.

* Additional programming/fundraising: Please indicate opportunities for additional programming you would like to consider – for example, workshops, discussions, off-site partnerships. Also include any ideas for additional fundraising you or Links Hall may like to pursue. Additional programming and fundraising ideas are welcome in your proposal, but are not required.

* Audience development: Please describe the audience you plan to attract. How does this align with your understanding of Links Hall’s current audience base? What opportunities for new audience development does your program provide?

* Additional materials: Please include your resume (2 page maximum; this is in addition to the 3 page maximum for your proposal). No artists’ documentation (your own or the artists you plan to curate) is required. No project budget is required. Please do not use folders or binders.

Important dates

* APPLICATION DEADLINE: POSTMARK BY 5PM, FRIDAY OCTOBER 31, 2008 OR DELIVER BY 5PM, FRIDAY OCTOBER 31, 2008 TO: LINKS HALL, 3435 NORTH SHEFFIELD #207, CHICAGO IL 60657.

All written application materials should ALSO be emailed as one Word attachment/document to jthornton@linkshall.org BY 5PM, FRIDAY OCTOBER 31, 2008. (Please combine your proposal and resume into one Word document.)

* Notification: Selected artists will be notified by December 15, 2008.

* Schedule: AA programs will take place between October 2009 and May 2010.

Note: Links Hall is a second floor walk-up; there is no elevator or escalator.

IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, PLEASE CONTACT JENNIFER THORNTON AT LINKS HALL: (773) 281-0824 OR jthornton@linkshall.org