MAKING RADIO

On Saturday last Tony Curran (myself) and Jonathon Valenzuela (16 Tacos) were a radio twitter partnership where my iDrawings of "Action-Jon" were retweeted to FBi's twittership of almost 3,000. Collaborations don't always work well but thanks to Jon's not-so-diva-like attitude to my portraits he was happy that only one of them made him look like a "guido". His special request was a unicorn.

Q & A with WATCH THIS SPACE

We received some questions about our selection criteria on a our facebook fan page which we thought might be useful to any readers endeavouring to have an exhibition with us.

We just received the following questions and thought we'd share them and their answers in case anyone else is wondering the same things:

Q
1. if we are accepted are we just allocated to a space?
2. what's the selection process?
3. when will works chosen be exhibited?

A
1. If you are accepted it will be because we like your project. We won't always have the ideal place for your project as soon as the artist is ready to exhibit it. So what we will first try to do is place you in one of our spaces we already have. Our spaces vary in what they can offer the artist. For example we have one space which is only open at nights and on certain nights requires a cover charge to be in. Because of our unique spaces some are suited to different disciplines and media from others. Some spaces might be too big or too small for particular works so once we decide we would like to work with the artist then we will contact them and talk about what we have to offer them.

2. The selection process is simple. We work out how successful the artwork will be for the spaces we have. If we select a work that won't work in our spaces then we will endeavor to find a space that does. This means that the selection criteria comes down to a succinct and articulate proposal: what, how, why and when, who the artist is and what their experience is (CV). Many applicants will not have had a show before so their proposal and sample images will need to be particularly strong to outweigh an uninspiring CV. The panel made up of two directors will choose make painstaking decisions only accepting works which we believe to be any attractive combination of: beautiful, relevant, talented, contemporary, theoretically grounded, controversial and legal. Once we have chosen works that we are happy with we will contact the artist and notify them of out interest in their work. After that we will contact any unsuccessful applicants and notify them.

3. Works chosen will be exhibited at a time decided on together by the gallery and the artist. If you ave a preferred time to exhibit then you should include that in your proposal. We are currently hoping to decide on an exhibition program until July next year.

Knockin' At Fortunes Door

CALL FOR ARTISTIC PROPOSALS FOR …

REALITY CHEQUE
19 June - 5 July
ATVP’s Winter ’09 Show ofthe Season
(Opening launch Fri 19 June 6-9pm)

REALITY CHEQUE: Money isn’t everything, but apparently it is the force responsible for the rotating of the Earth on its Axis. This past year has seen an unprecedented collapse in the mechanisms of capitalism and suddenly the stability and integrity of financial institutions have been found wanting.

At the same time, the squandering of the earth’s natural resources including the burning of fossil fuels and destruction of rainforests, as well as the drive for a western standard of life in developing countries like India and China has us wondering whether we’ve driven the world past a tipping point that we may not be able to recover from.

As a Global Community, we face a vast array of challenges & problems. Now, more than ever, we are all being asked to consider what makes the world go round; to consider our actions, our impact on the environment, our economies, our cultures and how our actions and choices effect all. It may not be money but a different kind of currency we need to look for to facilitate the world going round!

What we need now is a Reality Cheque, and we’re asking for artists to contribute.

ATVP is looking for 15-25 artists working in any medium that addresses the theme – Reality Cheque.

An Exhibition fee* of between $80-130 will apply, depending on the number of artists selected.

Proposals due by 5pm Monday 18 May 2009
(see proposal form below)

Artists will be notified 25 May regarding the outcome of their proposals. Delivery of artworks will be due Sunday 14 June 5-9pm, and Monday 15 June 9am - 6pm

For further information or to receive a proposal form contact:
Reality Cheque @ ATVP
(02) 9519 2340 / 0430 083 364
info@atthevanishingpoint.com.au / www.atthevanishingpoint.com.au

*ATVP is an independent artist-run initiative run by a dedicated team of volunteer Directors, representing emerging artists and arts professionals from the Sydney community. Exhibition Fees go toward the running of the exhibition as outlined at www.atthevanishingpoint.com.au/admin.php?p=edit&idd=16&menu=menu

PROPOSAL FORM
REALITY CHEQUE
19 June - 5 July 2009


Artist(s) name:

Contact Address:

Phone number(s):

Email Address:

Briefly describe your artistic practice (100wd max):

Clearly describe your proposed artwork (200wd max):

Please attach further relevant information:
• Please provide a relevant brief artistic CV (no more than one page):
• Please send us no more than 3 images, or concept drawing(s) or a cd/dvd of your proposed artwork (jpg files at 300dpi around 1MB per image):
• For further information about submitting entries for Reality Cheque contact ATVP on 9519 2340 or go to www.atthevanishingpoint.com.au

Send Completed Proposal Forms to:
At The Vanishing Point - Contemporary Art
565 King Street Newtown NSW 2042
or email info@atthevanishingpoint.com.au

PROPOSAL FORMS DUE BY 5PM MONDAY 18th MAY 2009

AND

Firstdraft is currently accepting proposals for its Exhibition, Emerging Artist Studio and Emerging Curators Programs for the second half of 2009.

Emerging Curators Program:
• A three-week exhibition in the whole gallery (including promotion and opening costs)
• Access to and assistance with Firstdraft's equipment and resources
• Funding and assistance for the production of a small catalogue to accompany the
show and towards curatorial costs

Exhibition:
• Exhibition proposals are invited from individuals and groups, artists and curators

Emerging Artist Studio Program:
• A studio space on the ground floor of Firstdraft for eleven weeks
• A three-week exhibition at Firstdraft upon completion of the program

For more information please download application forms at
http://www.firstdraftgallery.com/050%20Information/004%20Forms/index.html

or email mail@firstdraftgallery.com

Applications for the new Firstdraft/Runway Emerging Writers Program will be available shortly.

Applications close: 6pm Friday 15 May 2009

AND

*FREE HELP!*

An information day for second half of 2009 applicants will be held at
Firstdraft Gallery on Saturday 25 April from 3pm. Come and get some info and
tips on how to write a killer application for Firstdraft. Hear from
Firstdraft Directors, as well as artists and curators who have recently
completed the exhibition, curators and studio residents program. We will
also be launching the Emerging Arts Writers Program.

Firstdraft is a non-profit gallery run on a voluntary basis by a group of
practising artists and curators. It is one of the longest running and most
successful artist-run spaces in Australia. Firstdraft asserts the
importance of contemporary art production, dissemination and discussion in
society, providing a stimulating exhibition space that is professional and
accessible for a diverse range of artistic practices and projects.


For more info click here!!