About the Event
The Shelley & Donald Rubin Foundation is excited to announce its third open call, providing a unique platform for curators, academics, and art historians to curate exhibitions at The 8th Floor, located at 17 West 17th St. near Union Square, NYC.
Call for Proposals
We invite emerging and established researchers and cultural presenters to collaborate with us in bringing their exhibition concepts to life. We are particularly interested in proposals with an experimental and pedagogical approach for thematic group or solo presentations. We encourage applicants whose research aligns with our mission of promoting art and social justice, emphasizing equity, education, access, and underrepresented narratives and practices.
Rewards
The selected curator will receive an honorarium of $3,000 for curating the exhibition and an additional $2,000 for contributing to the exhibition catalog. They will also receive an exhibition budget and extensive support from the Rubin Foundation’s curatorial team. There is no application fee, and the chosen curator will actively participate in associated programming alongside the exhibition.
Inclusivity
We are committed to a fair selection process. All eligible applicants will be considered regardless of race, color, sex, gender, age, national origin, religion, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, marital status, or any other protected status. Note that solo applicants need to have a U.S. work visa or be permanent residents/citizens.
Application Deadline and Announcement
The application portal opened on October 6, 2023, and closes on December 3, 2023, at 11:59 pm ET. Results will be announced in March 2024.
Foundation’s Mission
The Shelley & Donald Rubin Foundation is dedicated to making art accessible to underserved communities. All our exhibitions and programs at The 8th Floor are free and open to the public.
Eligibility and Criteria
- Open to Academics, Art Historians, Curators, Graduate students, PhD candidates, and post-doctoral researchers.
- Not open to undergraduate students.
- Applicants must have a U.S. work visa or be permanent U.S. residents/citizens.
- Strong research background or an accomplished thesis supporting the exhibition concept.
- Emphasis on audience-focused educational components.
- Ability to address contemporary sociocultural or sociopolitical issues and explore global narratives and histories.
- Prior applicants must submit a new concept with new artists.
- Ongoing traveling exhibitions are not eligible.
- Disclosure of prior funding or support in the application.
Additional Information
- Applicants can explore art history as it relates to contemporary art, including works by living artists.
- International loans/shipping costs are not covered.
- Exhibition space: 2,349 sq. ft.
Applicant Requirements
- Professional CV
- One-paragraph applicant biography
- One-paragraph biographies of proposed artists
- A written thesis related to the curatorial concept
- 300-word statement aligning with the Foundation’s mission
- 500-word curatorial concept statement
- Itemized budget for the proposed exhibition
- PDF of the proposed checklist with images, tombstone information, and object locations
- PDF with 1-2 images for each proposed artist (up to 20 images)
- Supplemental: Copies of published papers or art/cultural criticism
Duties for Awardees
- General curatorial administration
- Author text for brochure and exhibition
- Organize loans when necessary
- On-site presence during installation and opening
- Liaise with Foundation curatorial, installation, and events team
- Coordinate and participate in 2-3 exhibition-related programs (e.g., talks, screenings, webinars, performances).
