Fellows of Contemporary Art (FOCA) is a non-profit organization that supports contemporary art in California (Since 1975). FOCA Curators Lab Committee is currently accepting proposals for our 2018 Curators Lab Exhibitions, the deadline is June 16, 2017. Six finalists will be interviewed on July 22, 2017, three of those finalists will receive a $2,000 award and will have the opportunity to organize a group exhibition in our space located in Chinatown, Los Angeles.
Fellows of Contemporary Art is pleased to offer an Open Call for curatorial submissions from “emerging curators” for its Curators Laboratory program. FOCA is now publicly requesting proposals for its 2018 season of exhibitions. We are seeking engaging curatorial concepts that will be presented at the FOCA Chinatown exhibition space in January, May and August of 2018.
Fellows of Contemporary Art is an independent, non-profit art organization that collaborates with the art community at large and nurtures the expression of creative freedom in support of contemporary California art and artists.
The latest chapter in our ongoing support for California art and artists is the Curators Laboratory, an ongoing series of exhibitions at FOCA’s exhibition space. Since our initial Curators Lab exhibition, “Stoneface” in 2007, more than ninety emerging or established artists have been featured in twenty-three exhibitions. Each project involves public events and some form of documentation.
More information about Curators Lab projects can be found at http://focala.org/curators-lab/. All proposals must be received by email by June 16, 2017 and will be reviewed by the Curators Lab Committee which will select the Award finalists. These six finalists will be asked to present their proposals in person to the Committee on Saturday July 22, 2017. Please save this date as it will be the only presentation opportunity. From that presentation the Committee will choose the three award recipients for the 2018 exhibitions. We recommend group exhibitions of three to six artists. The word “Emerging Curator” is loosely defined and may include curators who are artists, writers or others who conceive of and organize an exhibition. Artists in the proposed exhibition must be practicing in California, and can be emerging or in their mid-careers.
If you have an exhibition proposal you would like us to consider, please include the following in your proposal:
1. Your name, contact phone, email, mailing address, and website if available. A one page narrative expressing your curatorial concept.
2. A budget that outlines how FOCA’s $2,000 Curator’s Lab Award would be used to support the project. The budget of $2,000 is the total award, except for funding for refreshments and catalogs. This award must cover your costs, all fees and expenses, including shipping, installation, rentals of equipment, signage, parking and any other expenses in realizing the exhibition for two months.
3. Information about the proposed artists (names, email addresses and website if available) and information and images of the works proposed. ALL artists must be California artists).
4. An “event” you would plan during the exhibition. We highly encourage you to speak at the Opening as to your Exhibition concept and introduce the artists. We encourage all artists to be present at the Opening.
5. A proposed publication is for FOCA’s archives. The “catalog” can be anything of your choosing. FOCA requests 12 catalogs for our archives. Two copies are complimentary, and ten copies will be purchased at your wholesale “cost,” separate from your award budget.
Supplemental materials will be accepted in the following formats:
Submissions will be accepted:
• Electronically by the FOCA office at foca@focala.org, either by email with attachment of your proposal
or
• Upload your 2018 Curatorial Submission to Drop Box: https://www.dropbox.com/request/VfjksmCf1d9GakXytPYN
Unfortunately, because of our time schedule, no submissions can be considered if received after June 16, 2017.
If you have any questions, please contact Noriko Fujinami, Curators Laboratory Chair at (310) 259-0881 or by email norikofujinami@earthlink.net with a copy to Tressa Miller (323) 697-3543, tressart@me.com, Curators Laboratory Co-Chair.
We thank you for your interest,
Curators Laboratory Committee
Fellows of Contemporary Art