Contemporary Art Society: PROJECT 03, Call for Curators

 

PROJECT 03 Curator Brief

Introduction/aims

The Contemporary Art Society is seeking to appoint an early – career independent curator to produce an exhibition in the Contemporary Art Society ’s office space at 59 Central Street, London.

The Contemporary Art Society hosts a quarterly programme of exhibitions as part of our PROJECTS series, which showcases emerging artists drawn from our Artist Membership as well as selected guest artists. The exhibitions are curated by collectors, curators and other practitioners from the organisation’s wider networks. Designed to act as a platform for new artistic and curatorial talent and to bring the diverse strands of our networks together in the presentation of dynamic and playful interventions, PROJEC TS aims to complement the work of the Contemporary Art Society to bring the work of new, critically engaged artists to a wider audience.

This is an excellent opportunity for an independent curator at the beginning of their career to put together a smaller – scale exhibition for our characterful offices. The curator should have no more than 5 years of experience in the field.

 

About the Contemporary Art Society

Encouraging an appreciation and understanding of contemporary art by a wide audience and donating works by important and new artists to museums and public galleries across the UK.

The Contemporary Art Society is a national charity that encourages an appreciation and understanding of contemporary art in the UK. With the help of our members and supporters we raise funds to purchase works by new artists which we give to museums and public galleries where they are enjoyed by a national audience; we broker significant and rare works of art by important artists of the twentieth century for public collections through our networks of patrons and private collectors; we establish relationships to commission artworks and promote contemporary art in public spaces; and we devise programmes of displays, artist talks and educational events. Since 1910 we have donated over 8,000 works to museums and public galleries – from Bacon, Freud, Hepworth and Moore in their day through to the influential artists of our own times – championing new talent, supporting curators, and encouraging philanthropy and collecting in the UK.

 

Curator’s Responsibilities

The successful curator will be expected to deliver three key components:

• An exhibition of contemporary art work by an artist or artists chosen from the Contemporary Art Society Artist Membership and – if desired – supplemented by emerging artists whose work is attracting critical interest and acclaim nationally and internationally. The curator should be responsible for transport of works to and from the Contemporary Art Society and installation and de – installation of the exhibition.
•  A short text about the exhibition and list of works.
• An event to take place on the night of the opening. For example, an artist talk, an ‘in – conversation’, a performance or screening, as appropriate. This event can be developed with the Contemporary Art Society and will be marketed through our networks.

 

Contemporary Art Society’s Responsibilities.

• Promotion and marketing of the exhibition and opening event through our networks
• Exhibition and event profile on our website
• Staffing at opening and invigilation of exhibition throughout
• The Contemporary Art Society will have final sign off on the exhibition proposal

 

Timeline

Below is a draft project timeline:

Call for applications: 14 May 2013
Applications to be submitted by: 24 May 2013, 5pm
Appointment: 28 May 2013
PROJECT development period: 28 May – 1 July 2013
Exhibition Proposal final sign off: 22 June 2013
Full exhibition text and list of works to be delivered: 1 July 2013 (tbc)
Delivery of works from: 1 July 2013
Installation of exhibition: 1 – 3 July 2013
Exhibition and event opening: 4 July 2013
Exhibition runs: 4 July – 27 September 2013
De – installation: 2 8 September – 30 September 2013
Transport of works from: 28 September 2013

 

Curator’s Fee

The Contemporary Art Society is happy to offer a curators fee of £500 and a further curatorial budget of £1,000 which should cover :

• travel and expenses connected to the research and development stage of the exhibition
• production of works as appropriate
• transport of works to and from the Contemporary Art Society
• installation and de – installation of the exhibition
• any other materials and equipment as required
• travel of artists to the exhibition and event opening as appropriate
• speakers fees connected to opening event
• drinks on the evening of the opening
• photographic documentation of the exhibition installation
• Any costs related to care of the work over the duration of the PROJECT

 

Application Process

Applicants will be required to submit the following by email to Sarah Page, Membership Programmes Manager at sarah@contemporaryartsociety.org

The email should be no more than 8MB and contain:

•  A CV detailing relevant experience and qualifications
• A proposal of no more than one A4 page that details the intended approach to this project.
• An illustrated list of proposed artists (and / or works) .
• An estimated budget

 

Application deadline

Friday 24 May 2013, 5pm

 

Selection Process

The selection of the successful curator will be the responsibility of a subcommittee comprised of Contemporary Art Society staff .

The successful applicant will receive notification from the Contemporary Art Society by 28 May 2013. A contract will be negotiated immediately following notification.

 

Further Information

We have a drop box of containing a floor plan and a selection of images of the space.

For this or for any further information, please contact Sarah Page, Membership Programme Manager on 020 7017 8401 or sarah@contemporaryartsociety.org

 

Contemporary Art Society
59 Central Street
London EC1V 3AF
http://contemporaryartsociety.org