VAAH ARTSPACES is currently accepting proposals for Gales Gallery and Special Projects Gallery.
Accepted exhibitions will run in FALL 2024.
DEADLINE EXTENDED: MAY 5TH, 2024 - 11PM
We only accept proposals from VAAH students, faculty & staff at York University.
The Gales and Special Project Galleries serve the undergraduate and graduate students in the Department of Visual Art and Art History at York University. Their primary mandate is to help both Visual Art and Art History majors acquire professional experience and exposure by showcasing their work, whether produced in the Studio courses, Art History courses, and/or with respect to related experiments in criticism and curation, with and without faculty participation. In addition, the galleries also serve as a bridge between the Department, the York community and other academic and community partners of York. Within these galleries, VAAH regularly programs events and exhibitions that foster dialogue and exchange between these parties.
This call for applications is posted for exhibitions, events, and related activity to be held during the FALL 2024 academic session. Normally these exhibitions are one week long but applicants can propose a shorter period.
Applicants must apply as a group with a minimum of 2 participants. WE HIGHLY RECOMMENDED SEEKING OUT AREAS OF OVERLAP & FORMING PROPOSALS BASED ON SHARED AREAS OF EXPLORATION. Partnerships between Visual Art and Art History majors are welcome.
IMPORTANT CHANGES: We are no longer accepting submissions for SOLO EXHIBITIONS. Solo Exhibitions are now awarded annually to one student in each area at the end of the school year. The adjudication process will normally take place during Open House but, this year, due to strike delays, awards will be adjudicated online. If you hope to have a solo exhibition next term, you must apply through your area's awards submission portal by April 8th. Contact your Professors for more information.
ELIGIBILITY
-If accepted, all participants must still be VAAH students, faculty or staff members in FALL 2024 (unless you are inviting an external participant).
-Accepted applicants must sign a contract.
There are 3 types of proposals:
1) VISUAL ART (STUDIO) PROPOSAL
We welcome submissions from groups of Visual Art students (2 or more) who wish to exhibit their work. In this case, it is expected that there will be equitable participation in the development of content, the design and installation of the exhibition, and the writing of the didactic material.
2) ART HISTORY PROPOSAL
We encourage groups of Art History students (2 or more) to consider applying for gallery space in which to exhibit work of all types produced within Art History courses (from image to text and performance), to take on curatorial work (showing work of Visual Art students and/or work drawn from elsewhere), and/or to mount related events framed within a critical perspective. These applications may be student generated or student-faculty initiatives.
Proposals can also request exhibition on our website only: vaahartspaces.com
Note: While this initiative allows for a wide range of exhibition activity, it is not intended to accommodate artist's talks, guest lectures, seminars, and symposia.
3) ART HISTORY + VISUAL ART (STUDIO) COLLABORATION
We welcome joint applications from Art History and Visual Art students who wish to collaborate in mounting an exhibition of work produced by the Visual Art students. In this case, it is expected that there will be equitable participation in the development of content, the design and installation of the exhibition, and the writing of the didactic material.
HOW TO SUBMIT
Create a NEW FOLDER on GOOGLE DRIVE. This folder should be labeled with your main contact’s FULL NAME.
Inside this folder you will create 1 GOOGLE DOC (or drop in a PDF). On this document you will provide a STATEMENT OF INTENT + IMAGE LIST (if applicable, details below).
In this folder you will also include 10 - 15 images of the proposed work. These images should be JPEGS sized 1500 pixels on the LONGEST SIDE. Images should be labeled with your name AND numbered, for example: 01FIRST_LAST, 02FIRST_LAST, 03FIRST_LAST…etc.
Once you have everything required in your folder you will submit to the form linked to at the bottom of this page. Fill out the form and PASTE in the link to your MAIN GOOGLE FOLDER. Ensure your Google SHARE SETTINGS are set to “anyone with the link can view” (right click on the main folder and go to SHARE).
STATEMENT OF INTENT
Your statement of intent should include:
The proposed title of the show.
The names of all participants and what their roles are.
A description of the overarching themes and concepts that relate to and influence the specific project you are proposing. What is the work about? What does the work investigate? Please detail the character and concepts associated with your exhibition and the ways you anticipate animating the gallery space, including any additional performance/ceremonial/participatory activities that will take place during the exhibition you are proposing. This description should give a clear and concise explanation of how the work will occupy the gallery space.
A no-nonsense, point-form list of the requirements needed to execute this project (ie. projectors, speakers, painted walls, something that requires special hanging, duration of live event, etc.), this allows the committee to assess the feasibility of the project in terms of your planning and VAAH resources. Be thorough but concise - assume the space you are applying to has no resources and list everything you may require.
View floor plans HERE.
IMAGES
If applicable, provide 10-15 images of the proposed work, including some work by each participant. You may intend to show more than the 10-15 works in the exhibition, that’s fine, only submit 10-15 to the committee.
Visual Documentation of the work must be submitted in JPEG format. JPEGS should be 1500 pixels on the longest side. Use consistent naming and numbering for all images (e.g. 01FIRST_LAST.jpg , 02FIRST_LAST.jpg, 03FIRST_LAST.jpg…etc).
IMAGE LIST
Ensure you number your image list to correspond to the numbers on your files
Please include an accompanying image list (if applicable), with corresponding file names. For each image include:
The artist’s full name
Title of the work
Date the work was made
Dimensions in inches
Medium
Example: ROBYN_CUMMING 01: Untitled, 2021, 20” X 24”, colour photograph
On your image list you can include links to videos, websites or other pertinent information related to your proposed exhibition/event. Ensure to provide a brief description with these links.
THE SELECTION PROCESS
1. A Selection Committee consisting of faculty who make up the VAAH Gallery Committee assess all applications.
2. In the adjudication process, the Committee concentrates on a range of formal, aesthetic and/or conceptual qualities when assessing proposals, taking into account the purpose and logistics of the exhibition, event, or activity. Good visual presentation, where applicable, and a clear statement are important factors.
3. The applicants may state their preferred gallery (i.e. Gales or SPG) in the proposal, however, the committee makes decisions on gallery allocation.
4. Exhibition/event/activity duration is normally one week but applicants can propose a shorter period.
5. The committee reserves the right to deny exhibitions of any work, or the staging of any event/activity it deems to be unsafe or in any way injurious. The Committee also reserves the right to group work together or to deny a specific work that is part of a group application.
RESTRICTIONS
1. The gallery entrance is to be kept free of obstructions at all times.
2. The use of chemical, human and/or animal material that is considered biologically hazardous is prohibited.
3. The use of any material that might cause damage to the gallery is prohibited.
4. The gallery is not a commercial exhibition space.
LOGISTICS
1. Exhibitions run Monday - Friday. Exhibitors are responsible for opening gallery spaces at 9am and closing them at 4pm. Exhibitors are responsible for overseeing their own exhibitions if they include precious/valuable material or technology, otherwise the exhibitions go unattended.
2. Exhibitors are responsible for installing/de-installing their exhibitions. VAAH provides paint, a drill, a laser level, ladders, nails, screws and plinths. It is the exhibitors responsibility to arrange access to these items, treat them with care, and return them in good order. Exhibition spaces must be returned to their original state and approved by VAAH staff.
3. Deinstalls must take place Friday nights. Installs must take place Saturdays and/or Sundays (Each group should collaborate with the group de-installing to decide on logistics). Exhibitors must arrange access/obtain keys Monday - Friday BEFORE their install.
TO SUBMIT A PROPOSAL, FILL OUT THIS FORM
If you have questions or require assistance with your proposal please contact faculty member Robyn Cumming: rlc@yorku.ca