We are pleased to invite independent curators and arts professionals to submit exhibition proposals for the 2019/2020 season of Cuchifritos Gallery + Project Space inside Essex Street Market.
In spring 2019, Cuchifritos Gallery will relocate to the new Essex Market inside of the larger Essex Crossing. One of the most expansive redevelopment plans to take place in Manhattan, Essex Crossing will instigate significant demographic and economic changes in the neighborhood.
To mark Cuchifritos Gallery’s first year in its new home, the 2019/2020 Curatorial Open Call asks applicants to consider the relationship between “Art and the Marketplace.” Reflecting on the values articulated by the gallery founders in 2001, the purpose of Cuchifritos is to provide a space in which a multitude of issues can be addressed “from gentrification and a kind of new colonialism, to issues of vending, display, and the art world as an elite form of consumerism…” Curators are encouraged, though not required, to submit proposals that examine the many permutations and effects of the Marketplace, including the gallery’s very literal placement inside of a public food market, as well as the broader ramifications of systems of consumption, trend, and exchange.
Please read the following guidelines in full before submitting. Those applications that do not follow the submission guidelines outlined below will not be considered.
APPLICATION DEADLINE AND DATES
Applications are due by 11:59 pm EST on Wednesday, May 1, 2019. Please submit any questions or concerns to Viktoryia Mahon at viktoryia@artistsallianceinc.org by the end of the day, Monday, April 29. Late or incomplete applications will not be considered.
SELECTION PROCESS
Reviewed by the Artists Alliance Inc Curatorial Advisory Committee–comprised of representatives from the contemporary arts community–proposals will be selected based on conceptual rigor and artistic quality. Consideration will also be given to the individual/group’s ability to meet the artistic mission of Artists Alliance Inc and Cuchifritos Gallery. Successful applicants will articulate a particular need to exhibit within Cuchifritos Gallery and the surrounding community.
Please note, you do not have to be a professionally trained curator to submit a proposal as submissions will be judged on merit; however previous exhibition experience will be weighed as an important factor in the selection process. We strongly encourage one, two, and three-person exhibitions, given the smaller scale of the gallery space. Artists who are acting in the curatorial role for the proposed exhibition may not submit a proposal that includes their own work.
SELECTION CRITERIA
-Quality of the proposed exhibition [preference will be given to new and site-specific work] -Relevance to the theme [based on Project Proposal] -Need to exhibit in Cuchifritos Gallery + Project Space [based on Project Proposal] -Project feasibility [based on Project Proposal and Installation Plan] -Artistic merit and professional record [based on artist(s) and curator(s) bios, CVs, and work samples]
ELIGIBILITY
All artists and curators are eligible – regardless of age, gender, or nationality – EXCEPT:
Those who will be enrolled in a college or university program at the time of the exhibition
Those who currently have NYC gallery representation
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
-Stipends: We offer stipends for curators and participating artists, dependent upon available funding
-Exhibition Length: Exhibits run for 5-6 weeks and are typically scheduled 6-18 months in advance
-Gallery Hours: Tuesday to Sunday from 12 to 6p (Please note that the gallery is also open by appointment and closed on all major holidays) Project Support: Installation assistance; fine art insurance coverage for all dates of the exhibition; title vinyl production and installation; promotion and outreach; installation documentation
Application is open to US and non-US residents