“Finding Home, Creating Community”
Artist-in-Residence to Help Build Relationships, Understanding, and a Sense of Place in South Burlington
Call to Artists for South Burlington Public Library's Artist Residency Program
Artist-in-Residence to Help Build Relationships, Understanding, and a Sense of Place in South Burlington
Call to Artists for South Burlington Public Library's Artist Residency Program
**Members of the Vermont African-American/African Diaspora Artists Network (VAAADAN) are invited to respond to this Call to Artists. Please review the details below before you respond.**
A. Overview of the Artist-in-Residence Program
In recent years, South Burlington has experienced many changes with a growing diversity of residents, perspectives, and experiences in the area. South Burlington Public Library and Clemmons Family Farm are partnering to curate and implement a three-month artist-in-residence program designed to spark emotional connections through dialogue and new shared experiences around art, home, and community. The program will include a series of six artist engagements offering a combination of open studios and interactive co-creation workshops, free of charge, for library patrons and community members of various ages.
The open studios will be accessible to children, teens and adults. The co-creation workshops will be classes and/or joint creation activities that will appeal to teens and adults.
B. Objectives of the Artist-in-Residence program
As a result of the artist-in-residence program, patrons will have a deeper understanding of and exposure to art that reflects the African American diaspora from the artist’s experience or perspective. Specific objectives of this residence include:
C. The Artist we are seeking
D. Description of the Artist-in-Residence open studios and co-creation workshops
Three open studios:
Optional additional activity:
E. Location and Timeframe of the Artist-in-Residence program
The artist-in-residence will implement six engagements. All of them will take place at the South Burlington Public Library in South Burlington, Vermont.
The selected artist and South Burlington Public Library will agree on six dates (two dates per month) for open studios and co-creation engagements in February, March, and April 2024, as follows:
February 2024: One open studio and one co-creation workshop
March 2024: One open studio and one co-creation workshop
April 2024: One open studio and one co-creation workshop
Optional: If the artist wishes to display their existing artwork at the Library, the display may be set up and stay on location at the library between February and April 2024.
F. Compensation
Total artist fees for 1 reception, 3 open studios, plus 3 co-creation workshops: $2,300
4. Optional additional activity: Display of artist's selection of some of their existing artwork: $200.
Travel stipend for seven visits (three open studios, three co-creation workshops, plus one reception) at SBPL:
G. Guidelines for Artist Proposals
In recent years, South Burlington has experienced many changes with a growing diversity of residents, perspectives, and experiences in the area. South Burlington Public Library and Clemmons Family Farm are partnering to curate and implement a three-month artist-in-residence program designed to spark emotional connections through dialogue and new shared experiences around art, home, and community. The program will include a series of six artist engagements offering a combination of open studios and interactive co-creation workshops, free of charge, for library patrons and community members of various ages.
The open studios will be accessible to children, teens and adults. The co-creation workshops will be classes and/or joint creation activities that will appeal to teens and adults.
B. Objectives of the Artist-in-Residence program
As a result of the artist-in-residence program, patrons will have a deeper understanding of and exposure to art that reflects the African American diaspora from the artist’s experience or perspective. Specific objectives of this residence include:
- Visitors to the library will learn more about African-American culture and/or a culture of the African diaspora.
- Visitors to the library will learn about and create art.
- The artist will help to foster positive and rewarding relationships between the artist and visitors, and among visitors themselves, that will continue beyond the library.
C. The Artist we are seeking
- Has artistic excellence in visual arts (painting, drawing, sewing, embroidery, quilting, photography, etc.), spoken word art, poetry, other literary arts, or theater;
- Has teaching/facilitating skills;
- Enjoys and is skilled at interacting with the public;
- Ideally, has experience teaching art, and has the ability to be flexible and adjust ideas and skills to work with a range of ages and abilities; and
- Has the demonstrated ability to help others learn about, understand, and gain an appreciation of the artist’s personal, lived experiences as a bearer of an African-American/African diaspora culture.
D. Description of the Artist-in-Residence open studios and co-creation workshops
Three open studios:
- Visitors will be welcome to drop by and observe the artist at work during a 90-minute session.
- The artist will do a show-and-tell of their creative processes, and their new art or work-in-progress, and describe their inspirations behind their art to help visitors learn about the artist’s work on a deeper level.
- Visitors may ask questions of the artist while they work, and respond to questions from the artist who may ask for feedback or suggestions on their works-in-progress. Visitors may also observe how the artist creates art.
- The artist will create new art with visitors (one large collaborative piece or many separate individual works created at the same time), teach techniques, and help visitors experiment with the same or similar materials and techniques as the artist uses.
- Visitors will engage in discussions with the artist and with each other
- The artist will use prompts to help visitors share with each other during the co-creation work time, thereby making connections to each other and building community.
Optional additional activity:
- If the artist already has existing art works that you would like to set up in a display at the South Burlington Public Library, the artist may propose to do this in addition to the open studios and co-creation workshops.
E. Location and Timeframe of the Artist-in-Residence program
The artist-in-residence will implement six engagements. All of them will take place at the South Burlington Public Library in South Burlington, Vermont.
The selected artist and South Burlington Public Library will agree on six dates (two dates per month) for open studios and co-creation engagements in February, March, and April 2024, as follows:
February 2024: One open studio and one co-creation workshop
March 2024: One open studio and one co-creation workshop
April 2024: One open studio and one co-creation workshop
Optional: If the artist wishes to display their existing artwork at the Library, the display may be set up and stay on location at the library between February and April 2024.
F. Compensation
- Participation in opening night reception: $200
- Artist fees for co-creation series:
- Three co-creation workshops @ $300/workshops: $900
- Each session is a minimum of 60 minutes
- Three 90-minute @ $400/open studio: $1,200
- Each open studio is a minimum of 90 minutes
Total artist fees for 1 reception, 3 open studios, plus 3 co-creation workshops: $2,300
4. Optional additional activity: Display of artist's selection of some of their existing artwork: $200.
Travel stipend for seven visits (three open studios, three co-creation workshops, plus one reception) at SBPL:
- The artist will be reimbursed for travel expenses up to $300 for travel to and from the Library to the artist’s residence.
G. Guidelines for Artist Proposals
- Please tell us what you propose to do in your open studios and co-creation workshops.
- Please describe how your activities will connect to the overall theme of the residency (Finding Home, Creating Community).
- Describe how your activities will be family-friendly and suitable for young children, families, or older people who may be visiting you at the library. If you are experienced working with older children (upper elementary through middle school, and teens), you may propose a class tailored for youth.
- For open studio descriptions, explain how you will help visitors learn more about you, your culture, your work as an artist, and your creative process. How will you help visitors understand more about your culture and your experiences as a Black Vermonter?
- For co-creation workshop descriptions, explain how you will engage visitors in creating art with you. What kind of art will you create together with the visitors? What materials will you use? How will you help build understanding and create a sense of community.
- To answer these questions, please use the google form by clicking on the button below.
H. How to send us your proposal
1. Complete and submit this google form (this is the same link as in the button above).
2. If you need help understanding this Call to Artists or preparing your proposal, please reach out to us:
I. Selection process and timeline
1. Complete and submit this google form (this is the same link as in the button above).
2. If you need help understanding this Call to Artists or preparing your proposal, please reach out to us:
- Email [email protected]
- Or call/text Lydia at 802-310-0097
- Or call/text Kia’Rae at: 802-595-2578
I. Selection process and timeline
- DEADINE TO APPLY: No later than 10 PM on Monday, December 11, 2023
- Interviews with the top two finalists by Monday December 18, 2023.
- Public announcement of the selected artist by December 21, 2023.
This Call to Artists and the "Finding Home, Creating Community" Artist Residency Series were developed through
a partnership between South Burlington Public Library and Clemmons Family Farm
with funding in part from a grant from Vermont Community Foundation.
a partnership between South Burlington Public Library and Clemmons Family Farm
with funding in part from a grant from Vermont Community Foundation.
