Cambridge Art Association is relaunching curatorial exhibits organized by members of the Cambridge Art Association. These exhibits will be hosted at the CAA @ Canal Gallery in Kendall Square. Proposals will be reviewed based on a variety of criteria, with greatest weight given to the theme of the exhibit and the cohesion of the presentation. Artists and curators from a variety of backgrounds are encouraged to apply.
Our goal: to present visually or thematically cohesive exhibits of work by our 650+ members and associated artists. We are seeking new, innovative ideas and presentations – proposals to this call must be original, and not have been exhibited elsewhere. Proposals will be reviewed based on a variety of criteria, with greatest weight given to the theme of the exhibit, the featured artists, and the cohesion of the presentation.
“The process of taking a concept from the seed, to curation, to organization and finally installation, of an exhibit will take you almost a full year of work. It must be a labor of love or it will never come to fruition, nor should it if your heart and soul aren’t planted in its soil.” – Past Small Group Show Curator
The deadline for proposals for Fall 2023 is May 31, at 11:59pm
Available Exhibition Dates:
- September 7 – October 13, 2023
- October 26 – November 30, 2023
CAA @ Canal Gallery
The CAA @ Canal Gallery, located at 650 E. Kendall Street, in Kendall Square’s Canal District, features approximately 1,000 square feet of ground level, street-facing retail space. In addition to the gallery space, participating groups have the option to utilize an additional 30 linear feet of street facing window space, adjacent to the gallery, as part of their exhibit. Walls of windows on the street side, as well as interior lobby, mean there is significant visibility of the exhibit to passerby and building tenants, both during and outside of gallery hours.
Each selected group (two in total) will received a $500 stipend, sponsored by BioMed. This is intended to support public, in-person programs in the CAA @ Canal Gallery, as well as related exhibit costs.
The building is managed by BioMed Realty; the primary tenant is Takeda Pharmaceuticals.
Eligibility
- Any CAA artist member (Artist, Associate Artist, Student, or Lifetime Member) in good standing can propose the exhibit. At least 75% of members of group must be CAA members – Artist, Student, Associate, or Lifetime – in good standing
- Proposals must contain a minimum of three (3) artists.All applicants must attend the live workshop on May 10, at noon, or view the recording.
Guidelines
- Artwork by the proposing curator cannot account for more than 33% of the total proposed or exhibited artworks.
- Any A/V equipment required for the exhibit will need to be provided by the artist(s).
- We encourage applicants to visit the CAA @ Canal Gallery before submitting a proposal.
- Please see our general artwork guidelines for additional information.
What should be included in the proposal?
- A curatorial statement – what is the focus of your proposed exhibit?
- Artist statements, CVs, and headshots from all members of the group
- Images of the work you plan to include in the final exhibit. At least 75% of the images submitted in your proposal must appear in the final exhibit. All work in the exhibit should be for sale.
- A proposal for at least two public programs, outside of the opening reception.
How many artworks should be included in the proposal?
- On average, we can exhibit a maximum of 30 works at the CAA @ Canal Gallery, dependent on size.
- If your proposal is successful, CAA staff may ask you to alter the number of works included in the final exhibit to meet space requirements.
Are there any content restrictions on the work exhibited at CAA @ Canal?
The CAA @ Canal Gallery is located on the ground-level of an office building managed by BioMed Realty. There is significant visibility from the street level and an interior lobby. CAA’s agreement stipulates that we will not exhibit works that show graphic violence or nudity. CAA as a rule will not exhibit work that furthers any kind of hate speech, or that is derogatory to any underrepresented groups. The CAA and BioMed Realty reserve the right to remove works that violate these guidelines.
What fees are associated with this Curatorial Proposal?
- Proposal fees: $45
- Exhibiting artists are responsible for all material fees and costs associated with creating, framing, and transporting artwork for the exhibition.
What support will the CAA provide to accepted groups?
- CAA will create and cover the printing costs of window vinyl + and exhibition poster at CAA @ Canal Gallery
- CAA will create wall labels, and a price list, from the selected group’s exhibition spreadsheet
- CAA will create and host a webpage for each exhibition at cambridgeart.org, as well as a online gallery of works in Shopify
- CAA maintains the business insurance coverage that allows our artists to exhibit at CAA @ Canal Gallery
- CAA will market each exhibit via email, social media, and to other outlets, while requiring exhibiting artists/groups to do the same in order to amplify the marketing reach of each exhibit
Where/how do I submit my proposal?
- All proposals must be submitted to CAA via Submittable
- Documents must be saved as Word documents (.doc or .docx) or PDFs.
- All images must be saved as follows: ArtistName_title.jpeg
- Proposals that do not adhere to these guidelines will not be considered
Who reviews the Curatorial Proposals?
- Proposals are reviewed by a committee, which is comprised of CAA members, local curators, and staff members.
What criteria are used in the review process?
The committee will review all submitted materials. Decisions will be made based on the quality of the proposal, available exhibition slots and will consider some or all of the following:
- An aspect of the exhibit is innovative
- The exhibit is organized, or presents work by artists from traditionally underrepresented groups
- The exhibit offers a new perspective or new insight on a topic; synthesizes and presents existing knowledge in a provocative way
- The exhibit includes innovative uses of media, materials, design elements
- The exhibit is particularly beautiful, exceptionally capable, profoundly memorable
- The exhibit evokes responses from viewers that are evidence of a transformative experience
Have questions? Contact Candice Driver at cdriver@cambridgeart.org or Erin Becker at ebecker@cambridgeart.org. We can provide you with examples of past, successful proposals from our other gallery spaces. No phone calls, please.
Click here to download the CAA Curatorial Info Session PowerPoint
Click here to download the CAA @ Canal floor plan
Click here for to download a PDF of Curatorial Considerations
