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Open call for curators 2023 at the Shelley & Donald Rubin Foundation

October 15–December 15, 2022

Application deadline: December 15

The Shelley & Donald Rubin Foundation announces the second in a series of open calls, providing organizers of exhibitions, scholars, and art historians with a venue to do so at The 8th Floor, its gallery and event space, located at 17 West 17th St. close to Union Square in New York City.

We are looking for new or seasoned academics and cultural presenters to collaborate with us on the realization of their conceived but unfulfilled exhibition proposal. For thematic group or solo presentations, we are looking for proposals with an experimental and/or instructional approach. Research projects addressing issues related to the Foundation’s objective of promoting equity, education, access, and underrepresented voices and practices are encouraged from applicants.

The chosen curator will get a stipend of $3,000 for their work on the exhibition and $2,000 for their essay in the publication that goes along with it. The Rubin Foundation’s curatorial staff will provide them with administrative, planning, and promotional guidance in addition to an exhibition budget. There is no application cost and this commission is open to anybody who meets the requirements. The selected curator will work on all related programming in conjunction with the finished exhibition.

Regardless of their race, color, sex, gender, age, national origin, religion, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, marital status, or any other protected status, all qualified applicants will be given consideration. Please be aware that anyone submitting applications on behalf of a pair or team must have a visa to work in the US, be permanent residents, or be US citizens. Solo applicants must also meet these requirements.

The application portal will be live until the deadline of December 15, 2022 at sdrubin.org/opportunities. Additional information and application requirements can also be found on this page. Results will be announced on March 1, 2023.

Eligibility and criteria:
–Open to academics, art historians, curators, graduate students, PhD candidates, and those involved in post-doctoral research.
–Not open to undergraduate students.
–All applicants must either have a visa to work in the US, be permanent residents, or US Citizens.
–Have an accomplished thesis (curatorial concept) and plan for their research-driven exhibition, or have extensive existing research to back up their proposal.
–Audience-focused educational possibilities should be inherent in the concept of the exhibition.
–The ability to address contemporary issues of sociocultural or sociopolitical change, and imaginatively examine global narratives and histories.
–If you applied in the last cycle you cannot apply with the same proposal, it has to be a new concept with new artists.
–Traveling exhibitions which have already begun cannot be submitted.
–If your project has already received funding or support please detail this support within your application, including the amount, who is providing it, and how it is intended to be used within their criteria.

The Shelley & Donald Rubin Foundation believes in art as a cornerstone of cohesive, resilient communities and greater participation in civic life. In its mission to make art available to the broader public, in particular to underserved communities, the Foundation stages exhibitions and programs at The 8th Floor, all of which are free and open to all.

The 8th Floor
17 West 17th Street
10011 New York, NY

www.sdrubin.org
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