Open Call for CoMotion Festival Visual Arts Commission
Submission Deadline: February 28, 2021, 11:59pm EST
International call out to Deaf and disability identified visual artists. CoMotion Festival 2022 seeks creative proposals for an art installation called Not Born Yesterday, Not Going Away.
What is CoMotion Festival?
Curated by award-winning Blind writer, performer and theatre director Alex Bulmer (see full bio below), CoMotion Festival 2022 is a multi-disciplinary International Festival of Deaf and Disability Art taking place from April 18 to May 1, 2022. Produced by Harbourfront Centre, a leader of cutting-edge art and culture, CoMotion will be one of the largest international celebrations of Deaf and Disability Art in North America, featuring live and digital work.
What is Not Born Yesterday, Not Going Away?
Deaf and disabled artists have existed as long as disabled people have existed, but Disability “art history” is often reduced to something just beyond yesterday. Not Born Yesterday, Not Going Away celebrates the long history of Disability Art, past and present, as well as looking toward its future. Alex Bulmer will curate an exhibition as part of CoMotion Festival, inviting Deaf and disability identified artists of today to create an original work that honours an artistic ancestor of their choosing — those great Deaf and disability identified art makers who are now deceased — bringing past and present into focus.
Eight artists will be commissioned and featured in this exhibition. Two artists will be selected through this open call. The selection process will involve a committee of disabled and non-disabled artists based in Canada who will assess proposals based on artistic merit, feasibility of execution and reflection of the theme.
This is an opportunity to exhibit an original work inspired by the practice of a Deaf or disability identified artist who has influenced your own practice and/or is someone you would like to honour. The choice of artistic ancestor is up to you and can be from anywhere in the world and from any artistic discipline (does not need to match your discipline). All ages and all levels of experience are invited to apply.
Exhibition Details
The exhibition will consist of eight vitrines (glass display cases), located in the west corridor in Harbourfront Centre’s main Artport building at 235 Queens Quay West. Each artist will create work for one of the eight vitrines. The interior of each vitrine measures 36.5” L x 36.5” W and 15.5” deep.
Commission Details
Once an artist is selected, a letter of agreement outlining the terms governing the exhibition must be signed by both parties. The commission must be completed by January 31, 2022. Installation will be completed by our professional team and will take place from April 10–15, 2022. The exhibition will be on display for the duration of the festival through September 2022 (exact end date TBD). The artist fee for each commission is $1000 CAD. In addition, a one-time materials fee of up to $500 CAD will be allotted for each artist. The materials fee may include costs for integrated accessibility, should an artist wish to integrate accessibility within the work. CoMotion Festival will ensure that the exhibit is fully accessible.
Your Creative Proposal
We are seeking artistic proposals for a single vitrine (read explanation of vitrine above). The idea needs to follow the legacy intention of Not Born Yesterday, Not Going Away as outlined above.
All submissions must include the following:
- Minimum two digital samples of your work (up to five samples)
- 150-word bio
- Resume or CV
- Materials budget, including technical requirements and any other equipment needed and the associated costs
- If you have your own access requirements, please outline these with a budget of access costs
- Any additional support materials you would like to include (such as a reference letter or reviews of your past work)
- Project Proposal
Please answer the following questions to complete your proposal:
- What is your name?
- Where are you located?
- Which age range do you fall into? (under 40 or over 40)
- We seek to exhibit a diversity of artists from the disability community. If you are comfortable, please tell us how you self-identify. (disability, race, gender, LGBTQ, etc.)
- What medium/mediums will you use to execute your idea? (i.e. sculpture, painting, photography, video, audio)
- Which artistic ancestor will you choose and why? How will they be reflected in your creation? (up to 200 words)
- Briefly describe your concept (up to 300 words) and if you use integrated accessibility as a part of your aesthetic.
How to Submit
We are committed to inclusion and access in the submissions process and will accept:
- Zipped folder (no larger than 10MB) or by file hosting service (e.g. WeTransfer, Google Drive or Dropbox)
- PDF File
- Video or audio submission: No more than five minutes
- ASL Submission: please submit a video, no more than five minutes
- In-person or oral application (please contact us as soon as possible to arrange)
For more information or for assistance with your submission please contact: CoMotion@harbourfrontcentre.com
Send all proposals to CoMotion@harbourfrontcentre.com
SUBMISSION DEADLINE: February 28, 2021, 11:59pm EST.
All applicants will be notified of results.
About Alex Bulmer:
Named one of the most influential disabled artists by UK’s Power Magazine, award-winning writer, director, actor and dramaturge Alex Bulmer has worked internationally in theatre, film, radio and performance art for 30 years. She has worked with numerous organizations including the BBC, CBC, Buddies in Bad Times Theatre, National Theatre of England, Nightwood Theatre, The National Arts Centre of Canada, Royal Court, Graeae Theatre Company, APAE Brazil, and the London 2012 Olympics. She wrote the AMI award–winning BBC radio 4 adaptation of The Hunchback of Notre Dame and wrote the stage play SMUDGE, which earned Dora and Chalmers nominations for Best New Play and was Time Out’s Critics’ Choice during its UK premiere. Alex co-wrote the BAFTA-nominated UK television series Cast Offs. She is co-founder of Invisible Flash UK, Artistic Director of Cripping The Stage, in association with the British Council Toronto, and Artistic Director of Common Boots Theatre in Canada.
About Harbourfront Centre:
Harbourfront Centre is a leading international centre for contemporary arts, culture and ideas, and a registered, charitable not-for-profit cultural organization operating a 10-acre campus on Toronto’s central waterfront. Harbourfront Centre provides year-round programming 52 weeks a year, seven days a week, supporting a wide range of artists and communities. We inspire audiences and visitors with a breadth of bold, ambitious and engaging experiences, and champion contemporary Canadian artists throughout their careers, presenting them alongside international artists, and fostering national and international artistic exchange between disciplines and cultures.
