[BCMA] Penticton Art Gallery's 2010 Legacies now call for artists

[Moderated BCMA subscriber listserv.]

2010 ~ Legacies Now ~ Call for entry
January 22 - March 14, 2010


"Art that cannot shape society and therefore also cannot penetrate the heart.is no art."
~ Joseph Beuys, 1985

The Penticton Art Gallery would like to invite artists working in all media from across the British Columbia to participate in a non-juried exhibition set to open at the Penticton Art Gallery on Friday January 22, 2010 entitled 2010: Legacies Now. This exhibition is intended to provide a public forum to examine the legacy which will remain as a result of the recent cuts to arts and culture funding and the 2010 Olympic Games. As a result of these cuts the Penticton Art Gallery is not able to pay CARFAC fees for this exhibition but each participating artist will receive a copy of the catalogue for their records and the gallery will pay for the return shipping of all submitted artworks at the conclusion of the exhibition. 

Artists have long been at the forefront of social change and their legacy is not only the barometer for which the health of a society can be ascertained it's the benchmark for which historians will judge and record our passing. It's been an unprecedented year in so many ways both globally and provincially with the global economic crisis, the election of Barack Obama, our provinces devastating cuts to arts and culture and the onslaught of the 2010 Winter Olympics. As we begin to welcome the world to Vancouver what legacy will come of these events and what if any global change will result from such a significant international gathering? Artists from across the province are invited to submit a work which questions the state and health of our society today and the legacy which will remain as a result of these contemporary events.

In considering this question we ask that you also consider the following quotes as they pertain to the Provincial Governments acknowledgement of the important roll that arts and culture plays in our province and the Olympic Games. 

"Think of what we're doing as we work with our First Nations people to create with them a sense of opportunity for the future. Think of what we can do with our young people as we hold that Olympic gold medal up ahead of them as they reach for that pinnacle of excellence in whatever sport they decide to pursue. And think of what it can do for our cultural community." ~ Premier Gordon Campbell address to the 2010 Vancouver/Whistler Olympic Bid Committee, November 23, 2001

"You know, the Olympics are certainly about doing great in athletics and arts and culture, but it's much more than that. The Olympics - and any Olympian who stands on the podium and gets a gold medal put around their neck will be able to tell you this - are about teamwork. It's about support from your family and support from coaches, support from trainers. It's really about looking deep inside yourself and seeing what matters to you and what you're willing to commit yourself to. It's about being willing to go through difficult times to achieve something that is maybe higher and better than you ever expected." ~ Premier Gordon Campbell address to the Association of Vancouver Island and Coastal Communities, March 26, 2004

It's also interesting to read the how the Province of British Columbia comes to view the roll of the visual arts and the artist. In the Ministry of Education's Integrated Resource Package published by the Ministry of Education Standards Department in 1995 and revised on January 26, 1999 the Ministry describes the values as set out in the provincially prescribed curriculum for Visual Arts students in grade 11 and 12. The full curriculum can be found at: http://www.bced.gov.bc.ca/irp/va1112/vaco.htm

"The art of image making is a unique and powerful human endeavour. In visual arts, images give shape and meaning to ideas and feelings. Images take many forms and transcend boundaries of time, culture, and language. 

Visual arts both reflect and affect the social, cultural, and historical contexts in which they exist. For this reason, visual arts education provides a unique opportunity to foster respect for and appreciation of a variety of values and cultures. In addition, an education in visual arts promotes understanding of the role of the arts in reflecting and challenging social values throughout history.. 

The visual arts are an essential form of communication, indispensable to freedom of inquiry and expression. Visual literacy skills enable students to evaluate the contributions of artists in society, and to work with images to better understand social and environmental issues. 

Through experiences with the visual arts, students gain pleasure, enjoyment, and a deepened awareness of themselves and their place in their environment, community, and culture. By making learning personally relevant to students, visual arts education fosters lifelong learning. Visual arts education promotes intellectual development by expanding students' capacities for creative thought and encouraging critical-thinking skills such as curiosity, open-mindedness, persistence, and flexibility."

In designing this call for submissions the Penticton Art Gallery hopes artists from across the province will gather en mass to celebrate the importance of the visual arts as an essential form of communication, indispensable to freedom of inquiry and expression. This is your opportunity to be heard and for us to document and record a snapshot in time and provide future generations an opportunity to see where we were at this important point in our history. 

* The fine print * ~ important details and deadlines ~ 


Friday December 18, 2009 (confirmation of participation due)
If this project appeals to you I ask that you e-mail your confirmation of participation in this exhibition by Friday December 18, 2009. As space is limited I need to have confirmation of your participation by this date to plan the exhibition. Work in any media is welcome but if your work requires any special consideration (Size, Installation, Multimedia Etc...) I ask that you contact me prior to discuss your proposal to see if it will work. 

Please e-mail your confirmation to:
Paul Crawford
E-mail: agso_curator at shawbiz.ca

Friday December 18, 2009 (artist statement due)
Please e-mail a 250 - 500 word artist statement explaining your thoughts on "2010 Legacies Now" as it relates to your piece. These will be used for a small catalogue which will accompany the exhibit. If possible please e-mail an image of your work to be submitted for the exhibition. Please also include up to 15 addresses for invites to be mailed to for the opening. If you are interested in giving an artist talk or being apart of any exhibition programming like a roundtable discussion around the topic of "2010 Legacies Now", or potential workshop ideas, please let me know and I will book programming around the exhibit. 

Please e-mail your artist statement to:
Paul Crawford 
E-mail: agso_curator at shawbiz.ca

Tuesday January 5th - Friday January 15th, 2010 (Work to arrive at the Penticton Art Gallery)
All works to be included in the exhibition need to arrive at the gallery framed and ready for display unless otherwise discussed. The gallery can undertake some framing of works on paper using standard OPUS back loading exhibition frames. Works can be made available for sale at a 70/30 split with the Penticton Art Gallery. Works that arrive later than this date will not be included in the exhibition due to space restrictions and exhibition planning.

7:00 pm Friday January 22nd, 2010 (Exhibit opening)
The exhibition opening which is open to anyone and everyone so please invite your friends and family and all you meet on the street. 

5:00 pm Sunday March 14, 2010 (Exhibition closing)
Due to the recent cuts to provincial and municipal funding the Penticton Art Gallery is unable to pay CARFAC fees for this exhibition but the gallery will cover the return shipping costs of all submitted works. Works will be returned by April 15th unless otherwise mutually agreed to in advance of the exhibition. Each artist will also receive a copy of the catalogue for their records. 

Thank you for your time and consideration of this subject and exhibition. If you have any questions or suggestions please don't hesitate to contact me.

Yours truly,

Paul Crawford 
Director/Curator
The Penticton Art Gallery
(Formerly the Art Gallery of the South Okanagan)
199 Marina Way
Penticton, B.C. V2A 1H3

Phone: (250) 493-2928
Fax: (250) 493-3992
Web: www.galleries.bc.ca/agso
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: http://lists.vvv.com/pipermail/bcma/attachments/20091030/73642716/attachment-0001.htm 
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: Call For artists.pdf
Type: application/pdf
Size: 31877 bytes
Desc: not available
Url : http://lists.vvv.com/pipermail/bcma/attachments/20091030/73642716/attachment-0001.pdf 
-------------- next part --------------

No virus found in this outgoing message.
Checked by AVG - www.avg.com 
Version: 8.5.423 / Virus Database: 270.14.39/2469 - Release Date: 10/30/09 07:52:00