Proposal due Friday, December 4 by 5pm
What is an Artistic Associate?
Who is chosen?
What support does an AA receive?
How do I apply?
When is this all due?
Artistic Associates Program
Links Hall’s Artistic Associates (AAs) each curate a three week performance festival, (Fridays-Sundays) for the Links Hall space, for which they receive a budget, along with marketing and technical support. AA projects have taken place annually since 2005 and have proved to be an important and supportive relationship for both Links Hall and the artist, generating significant press coverage, and expanding audiences for new work. Many Artistic Associates maintain their relationship with Links Hall beyond their month of curation.
The AA program welcomes new artistic perspective each year to keep programming fresh and interesting. Many successful applicants have had limited or no curatorial experience and have found the program to be an opportunity for creative and professional development.
2005-2010 AA programs have included dance, puppetry, live art/performance, experimental theater, readings, music, and multidisciplinary work.
Links Hall plans to select three AAs for 2010-11, and welcomes proposals. The proposal review and selection of AAs will be made by Links Hall’s Programming Committee, which comprises artists (including some past AAs), as well as Links Hall Staff and Board members.
Eligibility and Criteria
All practicing artists are welcome to submit a proposal, and no past curatorial experience is necessary.
AAs do not need to be based in Chicago. If you are based elsewhere, please reference in your proposal whether you plan to be in Chicago for any program planning and/or your festival.
If you are a former AA, you are welcome to submit a proposal. Be sure to address the opportunities and benefits you hope to offer/gain by returning to curate a second AA program at Links Hall. We will review these proposals on their merits along with all other proposals.
We review proposals in the context of Links Hall’s mission: “Links Hall encourages artistic innovation and public engagement by maintaining a facility and providing flexible programming for the research, development and presentation of new work in the performing arts.”
AA programs are the largest scale public programs presented by Links Hall and past AAs have worked closely with Links Hall and their artists to ensure effective programs. We select proposals that are:
- Artistically innovative (the idea presented is paramount to the curator’s selection)
- Practical in the context of the available resources (time, space, and budget)
and that:
- Demonstrate the ability of the curator to conceptualize, develop, and realize a large scale project.
The final three proposals will reflect a diversity of art forms and perspectives.
Selected AAs Receive
Performance Space for the three weeks of the festival:
- Evening hours for load in, tech and dress rehearsals: Tuesday-Thursday
- 2 hours before each performance showtime: Friday-Sunday
NOTE: It is important that the multi-use nature of Links Hall is understood. We have commitments to residency artists, classes, and other renters for many daytime and evening hours. The space must be completely cleared after each rehearsal and performance. Additional time can be made available for workshops, classes, and public discussions. Please also note that rehearsal time is provided for the technical and practical load-in and set-up of work, and not for the creation/development of that work.
The space is a 31ft wide by 35ft deep, white room with a blonde wood floor. We have fixed riser seating for 65. If you would like to visit the space to help with developing your curatorial ideas, please contact (773) 281-0824 to set up a time.
Budget
Links Hall will provide the following budget for your project:
- Program Budget: $2,500 plus 50% of ticket revenue
The program budget is to cover all artists’ fees, travel costs, accommodation, and technical/prop/material needs. Public workshop income, if any, will usually be allocated 100% toward your budget. In addition, Links Hall will provide marketing (print and electronic publicity) and technical support (Technical Director for the performances and some rehearsals). In some cases, AAs have worked with Links Hall to secure additional funding, which has allowed for larger scale projects – including, for example, being able to present visiting artists.
Community Involvement
Each year's AAs are also invited to participate on Links Hall's Programming Committee to select the subsequent year's AAs.
Proposal – not to exceed 3 pages maximum
Please include the following items in your proposal.
Contact Information and Resume
Your name
Contact mailing address
Telephone number
Email address
Artist Resume/CV (must fit on two pages)
Project Title/Discipline
Provide a working project title and identify the artistic discipline(s) your project falls into.
Creative process
Summarize how participation in the AA program would assist your creative process and development. Include a summary of your arts-related experience (within the three page maximum noted above). Briefly describe your current areas of interest as an artist, and whether or not you have past experience as a curator (past curatorial experience is not required).
Project summary
Summarize your proposed curatorial project. Explain your interest in curating this project, as well as your goals and objectives. Is there a pressing need for the project (for example, a gap in programming in the city?) and what are the challenges involved in your project?
List of artists, if known, that you would like to curate for the project (we do not need bio information). If you do not know artists’ names, please make sure your proposal demonstrates a clear picture of the likely content of your program.
Indicate a general plan for your performance schedule. Beyond the expectation that AAs will program three weekends of performances (Fridays-Sundays), we have no requirements regarding the structure of the schedule: e.g. full length pieces vs. mixed programs; different programs each week, or longer runs, etc. Please review past AA programs to see different approaches which have been undertaken. AAs are welcome to curate themselves into their programs.
Identify any special technical requirements. The Links Hall Ground Plan and Technical Handbook are available online.
NOTE: we recommend scheduling artists with a focus on quality before quantity. Please be sure you are not curating a busy and technically demanding program which will unreasonably stretch Links Hall’s office and technical staff – or yourself! However, a packed schedule of work which is low tech and low maintenance could nonetheless be effective.
Additional programming/fundraising
(welcome but not required)
Indicate opportunities for additional programming you would like to consider – for example, workshops, discussions, off-site partnerships. Also include any ideas for additional fundraising you or Links Hall may like to pursue.
Audience development
Describe the audience you plan to attract. How does this align with your understanding of Links Hall’s current audience base? What opportunities for new audience development does your program provide?
Supporting Materials
No artists’ documentation (your own or the artists you plan to curate) is required. No project budget is required. Do not use folders or binders.
