Call for Artists: Community Supported Art (CSA) — Deadline August 30th

The Arts Partnership (TAP) is excited to launch its ninth season of producing the Community Supported Art (CSA) Program in the Metro. Modeled after the Community Supported Agriculture program, TAP’s CSA also operates under the goals of being local, sustainable and community-driven. The motivation: introduce arts supporters to local artists and help build audiences and purchasers for their work.

Throughout the season, up to 50 shareholders receive a total of six artworks and performances over three events held in May, July and September. To date, we have worked with 70 artists, artist groups and arts organizations, and awarded more than $90,000 for the creation of the shares of art, including art tastes by local culinary artists. More than 175 shareholders and their guests have participated in the program, many over multiple seasons.

We invite performing artists, visual artists, writers and artisans to participate in this application process. Selected artists receive a baseline stipend of $1,050 to assist with the production costs for the performance or of the take-home artwork for 35 shareholders. If more than 35 shares are sold, additionally compensation is provided to those artists and artisans producing take-home art, up to a total of 50 shares.  See below for additional details. *

The stipend, of course, is only a small portion of the benefit of participating in this program. Artists will be introduced to invested shareholders plus their guests – shareholders who will spread the word about your talents. Past CSA artists have received commissions, been offered adjunct teaching positions, created solo exhibitions and been contacted for additional art solely from the CSA experience.

We are proud to have adapted a program that funds artists, arts organizations and artisans, and connects them to new audiences, excites a growing community of arts supporters and continues our mission of cultivating the arts in our community.

Deadline:            5:00 p.m. Friday, August 30, 2019

Submission Instructions: Materials should be sent electronically to Tania Blanich, Director of Operations, at tania@theartpartnership.net. Actual samples of the take-home art need to be submitted in person to TAP’s offices at 1104 2^nd Avenue South, Suite 315 in Fargo by the deadline.

Eligibility: Visual artists, artisans, writers/poets, and performing artists and organizations from the region.  Any artist or entity that has participated in a previous CSA program must wait two CSA seasons before applying again. (For example, 2017 participants can apply for the program this year, but 2019 participants cannot apply until the 2021 season.)

* Stipend: Each selected artist or artist group receives a stipend of $1,050 for a performance or for the creation of 35 art shares. The stipend and delivery dates and arrangements will be made upon the sale of 35 shares of the CSA season. If more than 35 shares are sold, artists or artisans producing take-home art will receive a $30 stipend for each additional share up to a total of 50 shares, or up to a total of $1,500.

Guidelines and Selection Criteria

For each CSA season, the selection committee chooses the six proposed art works and art performances, ideally including a minimum of two performances. A good departure point for your proposal would be a connection, however subtle, to the theme of the CSA (think “local,” “harvest” and “bounty”).  However, such a connection is not required for your proposal to be considered.

The selection committee will consider the following when reviewing applications:

• Do the work samples represent a level of high artistic quality?
• Is the project proposal unique and original for the artist or organization while also staying true to the artist’s/organization’s body of work?
• Performing artists:
• Does this performance piece have a special quality that cannot be heard or seen anywhere else in your season?
• Can the proposed performing arts share be produced feasibly in an untraditional performance venue?
• Visual artists and artisans:
• Can up to 50 shares of the proposed take-home art be made feasibly? No additional support beyond the stipend will be available and the deadlines are fixed.
• Does the format of take-home art consider the physical size, number and distribution of artworks? It should be easily transportable by the shareholders and fit into a box no larger than 18”x12”x12”.
• The art should not be commercial or appear to be mass-produced.

Please note: the proposed work must be exclusive to this CSA program. Any additional use of the proposed share must be approved by TAP in writing for the next full year from your CSA party date.

Questions regarding the program or application process, contact Tania Blanich at tania@theartspartnership.net or at 701.237.6133.

Required Application Materials are to be submitted via e-mail to tania@theartspartnership.net.

1. A brief artist’s statement and proposal for the work you would create for the CSA program (one-page maximum). Consider the following:

• Why is this art/performance a good fit for the CSA program?
• Does the proposed work connect conceptually to “local,” “bounty,” “harvest” or other themes related to the concept of CSA? Note: Your proposal will be considered whether or not there is a strong tie to the concept of CSA.
• Discuss the materials you will utilize and their connection to our region, if any.
• How might your proposed art allow you to plant the seeds for your own future artistic harvest?

2. Resume (specific to your artistic practice)

3. Samples of Your Current Work

• Visual Artists and Artisans: 4-6 images at 72 dpi jpegs, 900 pixels or less in the longest direction.
• Musicians: 1-3 MP3 audio files
• Performing Artists: links to 1-3 video examples of your work hosted at an outside site, for example, YouTube or Vimeo.
• Writers/Poets: 1-3 writing samples (no more than 10 pages total) in either PDF or Word format.

4. Sample CSA Work

Visual Artists, Writers and Artisans

• One full-sized sample of your proposed CSA artwork, including its packaging. (This will be returned to you.)
• The sample should be in a complete, final format to your satisfaction at the time of application.
• Please note: The selection committee reserves the right to ask for modifications to your proposed piece before accepting your work.

Performing Artists/Organizations

• Describe in detail what you/your organization will be performing as a share of art during the actual CSA event.
• The performance should be 20 minutes in length.
• Please note: space is generally limited at the events, so keep that in mind when deciding how many people will participate; for example, a chamber orchestra rather than the full symphony or a pas de deux rather than a full corps de ballet.

Applications received after 5:00 p.m. on the deadline will not be considered. You do not need to be a current Primary Partner of The Arts Partnership, but if you are selected, you are asked to apply to become one.

Selected artists will be notified by Wednesday, September 4. The selection committee reserves the right to put out another call for artists if necessary.

If you are selected, we hope you will join us for the final CSA 2019 party on Thursday, September 12 where we will announce next year’s share artists. More information to follow upon acceptance.

The Arts Partnership purchased the Community Supported Art template from Springboard for the Arts in St. Paul and adapted it to best fit our community.