Application deadline for Semifinalists: Friday, March 31, 2023 at 5pm.
The Baltimore Office of Promotion & The Arts (BOPA) is proud to announce the 18th edition of the Janet & Walter Sondheim Art Prize. The prize will award $30,000 to a visual artist or visual artist collaborators living and working in the Baltimore region. Approximately three finalists will be selected for the final review for the prizes; their work will be exhibited in the Walters Art Museum July–September 2023. All Sondheim Prize Finalists will be awarded a Finalist Award of $2,500 each, and each semifinalist will receive an exhibition at School 33 Art Center in September/October 2023. The program is made possible by the generous support of the Maryland State Arts Council.
We will also be awarding two residencies to finalists not selected for the Sondheim Prize: a six-week long fully funded residency at Civatella Ranieri in the Umbria region of Italy, and residency at the Bromo Seltzer Arts Tower.
Civitella Ranieri (civitella.org) is a residency program for international writers, composers, and visual artists. Since 1995, Civitella has hosted more than 1,000 Fellows and Director’s Guests. The Center enables its Fellows to pursue their work and to exchange ideas in a unique and inspiring setting.
The Bromo Seltzer Arts Tower (bromoseltzertower.com) has been a part of Baltimore’s skyline since 1911 and a beacon for innovation and the arts since 2007. The tower has been transformed into studio spaces for artists, writers, jewelers, architects, and more to create, exhibit, and sell their art. Located in the heart of the Bromo Arts & Entertainment District, this 15-story city landmark is the ideal location for artists to explore their practice.
Jurors
Kelly Baum — Kelly Baum is the Cynthia Hazen Polsky and Leon Polsky Curator of Contemporary Art at The Metropolitan Museum of Art. She has worked as a scholar and curator for almost twenty-five years. Before arriving at The Met, she held positions at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, the Blanton Museum of Art at The University of Texas at Austin, and the Princeton University Art Museum, where she established the institution’s first department of modern and contemporary art. She has published widely and curated or co-curated dozens of exhibitions, including Delirious: Art at the Limits of Reason, 1950-1980; Odyssey: Jack Whitten Sculpture, 1963-2017; Wangechi Mutu: The NewOnes, will free Us; Alice Neel: People Come First; Charles Ray: Figure Ground; and Hew Locke: Gilt. She received her PhD from the University of Delaware in 2005 and was a 2018 fellow in the Center for Curatorial Leadership.
Devin Morris — Devin N. Morris is a Baltimore born, Brooklyn based artist. Morris was recently in The Aesthetics of Matter, the first NYC curatorial project by Deux Femme Noires: Mickalene Thomas and Racquel Chevremont. He was also featured in the New Museum’s MOTHA and Chris E. Vargas’ Consciousness Razing — The Stonewall Re-Memorialization Project, and the two-person show, Inside Out, Here, at La Mama Gallery, curated by Eric Booker (Studio Museum, Exhibition Coordinator). Morris is the founder of 3 Dot Zine, which is an annual publication that serves as a forum for marginalized concerns and recently hosted the Brown Paper Zine & Small Press Fair with the Studio Museum in Harlem and created a site-specific installation at the MoMA PS1 2018 NY Art Book Fair. His 2017 solo show at Terrault Contemporary was listed in Artforum as the “Best of 2017,” and he was named by Time Magazine in 2017 as one of “12 African American Photographers You Should Follow.”
Ingrid Schaffner — Curator at Chinati Foundation in Marfa, Texas. Prior, she was the curator of 2018 Carnegie International at the Carnegie Museum of Art in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and Chief Curator at the Institute of Contemporary Art, Philadelphia at the University of Pennsylvania from 2000–2015. Schaffner work often coalesces around themes of archiving and collecting, photography, feminism, and alternate modernisms — especially surrealism. She has curated important exhibitions that have helped studio craft to gain acceptance as fine arts, such as Dirt on Delight: Impulses That Form Clay with Jenelle Porter at the Institute of Contemporary Art, Philadelphia in 2009. Schaffner co-authored the publication Deep Storage which was a major international survey of 50 contemporary artists representing issues and images of collecting, storage, and archiving. Other exhibitions include Pictures, Patents, Monkeys, More … on collecting, Richard Tuttle, In Parts, 1998–2001, and The Photogenic: Photography Through its Metaphor. She has also penned numerous publications on 20th-century art, art reviews in Artforum, and catalog essays.
Review Process
The selection process will occur in three phases:
First Review — Jurors will review applicants’ submissions independent of each other. They will complete score sheets that will be tabulated to select approximately 13–15 semifinalists. Submissions will consist of five (5) digital images of work or up to ten (10) minutes of time-based work and a resume.
Second Review — Semifinalists will be asked to submit an expanded submission including up to 30 images or time-based works along with an artist statement, resume, short bio and image description list. The jurors will convene to choose three finalists for the exhibition and final review (this is where Semifinalists are!)
Works by the remaining semifinalists will be selected by BOPA Prizes and Competitions Manager Lou Joseph for an exhibition at School 33 Art Center in September/October 2023.
Final Review — The finalists will have their work exhibited in the Walters Art Museum. Each finalist will meet with the Walters Art Museum curators to determine installation requirements.
Finalists will work collaboratively with the WAM curators to determine which artwork is to be included in the finalist exhibition; however, the final decision on what is exhibited and the decision regarding the feasibility of installation requirements is the responsibility of the WAM curators. The exhibit design and artwork placement within these galleries is at the sole discretion of the WAM curatorial and exhibition staff. On Saturday, July 22, 2023, the jurors will meet with each artist for up to 45 minutes in their exhibition space for a final interview. After all the interviews, the jurors will meet and decide the recipients for the Sondheim Art Prize, the residency at Civitella Ranieri, and the residency at the Bromo Seltzer Arts Tower. The award will be announced at the award ceremony and reception at the Walters Art Museum on Thursday, July 27, 2023.
In the case of COVID-19 restrictions not allowing for in-person exhibitions, we will utilize the online platform Kunstmatrix, with curatorial assistance from the Walters curatorial staff. Interviews with each finalist will take place with the jurors online, and BOPA will coordinate an online award ceremony.
Please contact Lou Joseph at 443-263-4339 or ljoseph@promotionandarts.org with questions regarding the submission of sound-based work.
Guidelines (please review to make sure you are eligible!)
- Artists living and working in Maryland; Washington, D.C.; Arlington, Fairfax, Loudoun, and Prince William counties and the city of Alexandria in Virginia; Delaware and Adams, Chester, Franklin, Lancaster, and York counties in Pennsylvania are eligible to submit for this award.
- Artists may not be full-time students at the time of the exhibition and during the granting period. Students who will have graduated by the time of the exhibition and granting period may apply.
- Artists must live and work in one of the geographic areas listed above during time of application and during the entire granting period.
- Artists who work in collaboration may apply as a group. Each artist’s name and contact information should be listed on the application form. A one-page resume for the collaborative group and a single set of support materials should be submitted. Each individual member of the collaborative group must meet all other guidelines.
- Artists who apply as individuals must submit original artwork that is principally created by them. It is understood that sometimes individual artists may employ the work of another artist to complete a larger scale project. For example, an artist who works in video may choose to include sound in the video that is composed by another artist. In such cases, the individual artist applying to the Sondheim Prize must be the primary creator of the work, they must disclose any assistance received on artwork submitted for consideration and they must obtain permission from the contributor to submit the work for consideration. Failure to disclose this support will disqualify application, and the artist will be required to return any prize monies awarded.
- Upon www.submittable.com’s receipt of application materials, artists will be sent an automatic email confirmation. If an artist does not receive this confirmation within 48 hours, please contact Lou Joseph at ljoseph@promotionandarts.org.
- The award will be paid in monthly installments: $8,000 will be paid for the first month and $2,000 will be paid for each of the following 11 months. If artist collaborators are selected the above payments will be equally divided between the collaborating artists.
- Winners of the Sondheim Prize will be responsible for paying all applicable federal, state, and local taxes.
- Artists’ work included in the Semifinalist Exhibition will be insured during the exhibition duration by BOPA; artists’ work included in the Finalists exhibition at the Walters Art Museum will be insured by that organization while the artwork is on the premises of the Walters Art Museum.
- Winners of the Sondheim Prize will be required to file a final report by June 30, 2024, before the final payment. This report should include an explanation of how winning this prize has enabled the artist or artist collaborative group to further develop their work, as well as an explanation of any additional opportunities that may have arisen as a result of winning this prize.
- BOPA reserves the right to reproduce images of applicants’ work for printed or internet publicity, catalogue, or marketing purposes. The Walters Art Museum also will have the right to reproduce work relating to the 2023 Sondheim Prize.
- The decisions of the jurors are final. Jurors may change without notification.
- Finalists will be required to meet with Walters Art Museum curators to finalize their installation needs; these needs must meet the exhibition guidelines set forth by the Walters Art Museum. If required by the installation of the artwork or its intended interaction with the public, the Walters Art Museum may choose to issue waivers of liability to be signed by the artist. Otherwise, the Walters Art Museum will insure the artwork while in its possession.
- Artists chosen as finalists will be required to take primary responsibility for installing and deinstalling their work at the Walters Art Museum. Artists must be present on the Walters Art Museum premises for the installation and deinstallation of their work, which will occur Monday through Friday, between the hours of 9am and 4pm. If artists cannot personally be present for installation, their work will not be exhibited. While artists may bring assistants to help them with installation, they cannot serve as substitutes for the artists.
- Artists chosen as finalists must provide a complete list of materials used in artworks at the time of the initial site visit by Walters Art Museum curators and staff. Artists’ materials will be reviewed by the Walters Art Museum’s Conservation Department. Artists will additionally accommodate requests by Conservation team members to inspect work in person. Any material (including but not limited to salvaged lumber, food stuffs, other unstable organic materials, objects that off-gas fumes, and objects stored outdoors) that may introduce insects or present a risk to the Museum’s environment and collection will not be permitted inside of the Museum. It is the responsibility of each artist to suggest alternative works suitable for exhibition to the Walters Art Museum curators. If no acceptable alternatives are identified, the artist’s work will not be included in the exhibition but may be represented by photographic or video documentation to be provided by the artist.
- Finalists are strongly encouraged to attend the press preview for the Finalist exhibition, tentatively scheduled for Tuesday, July 18, 2023, at 10:00 a.m.
- Finalists may be required to make presentations at the Walters Art Museum at some time during the duration of the exhibition, including during the awards ceremony.
- Photography by the public will be allowed in the Finalist Exhibition at the Walters Art Museum and in the Semifinalist Exhibition.
- As BOPA works towards building a collaborative marketplace for artists to share, promote and sell their work. We request that our Sondheim Award finalists join us for a cause marketing initiative to make art more accessible in a unique, nontraditional setting. We will do all the work, bringing artists and designers together to create one-of-kind, limited edition merchandise (apparel, accessories, and home décor). You as the artists will set the terms of the collaboration. Our goal is to design a partnership that is mutually and financially beneficial for everyone.
- Previous winners of the Sondheim Prize are not eligible to apply. Previous finalists and semifinalists may apply.
- BOPA and BFAI Board members, employees and/or relatives (defined as children, spouse, domestic partner, or parents) are not eligible to apply for the Janet & Walter Sondheim Artscape Prize.
Estimated Timeline
- Application deadline: Monday, January 23, 2023, 11:59 p.m.
- Announcement of semifinalists: Early March 2023
- Announcement of finalists: Mid-April 2023
- Finalist studio visits with exhibition curators: April 2023
- Finalist exhibition installation: July 10-14, 2023 (Mon.–Fri., 9:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m.)
- Finalist exhibition Press Preview: Tuesday, July 18, 2023 (10:00 a.m.)
- Opening reception for Finalist Exhibition: Thursday, July 20, 2023, (6:00–8:00 p.m.)
- Finalist exhibition duration: July 20–September 5, 2023
- Finalist exhibition deinstallation: September 6–8, 2023
- Finalist interviews: Saturday, July 22, 2023 (afternoon)
- Award announcement: Thursday, July 27, 2023, at 7:00 p.m.; Galleries open at 6:00 p.m.
For more information, contact: Lou Joseph at 443-263-4339 or ljoseph@promotionandarts.org
RASH FIELD CAFÉ – MURAL PROJECT
Art Project Opportunity:
The Baltimore Office of Promotion & The Arts (BOPA) in collaboration with Waterfront Partnership of Baltimore (WPOB) seek to commission professional visual artist to produce unique, original mural artwork designs for implementation in the new Rash Field Café at Baltimore’s Inner Harbor. This commission of requires that sketch, mockup and final design digital image submissions of artwork for fabrication are original artworks that meet the design criteria of BOPA.
CLICK HERE FOR IMAGES OF THE CAFE IN PROGRESS AND ELEVATION DRAWINGS.
Eligibility
This opportunity is open to emerging and professional artists residing in the City of Baltimore. Employees of BOPA and WPOB are not eligible to apply.
Scope of Work for painted interior wall artwork:
· BOPA will solicit art design proposals from qualified artists for the Rash Filed Café Mural Project. A panel of project stakeholders will select an artist finalist to prepare a final art design for implementation in the Café interior.
· Applicants submit art design concept proposals that meet the design criteria set forth in this RFP.
· Commissioned artists participate in multiple rounds of design development to provide revisions to the project stakeholders before final artwork is approved. Sketch, mockup and final design digital image submissions of art works for fabrication meet the design criteria of BOPA and WPOB.
· Commissioned artists are required to provide the final, approved artwork designs in a digital format that meets the technical specifications of BOPA and WPOB.
· Commissioned artists design and implement an interior wall painted mural at Rash Field Café.
Project Goals:
The purpose of the Art Projects is to improve the appearance of an area, raise the profile and awareness of the Rash Field Cafe. The commissioned artwork should include and reflect the following elements/themes:
· Beauty of surrounding landscape (Inner Harbor)
· Maryland/Baltimore pride and culture
· The brightness and potential of our hometown
The inclusion of artwork in public places increases quality of life in Baltimore’s dynamic communities celebrates local artists and promotes accessibility to the arts.
Budget
The selected artist / artist team will receive a commission of $17,000.00 The funding is inclusive of all artist fees including assistants, material supplies costs, equipment rentals, installation and site work expenses, digital file formatting services, and taxes. Artist payments will be administered in phases as deliverables are met.
Art Design Guidelines
• Artists are encouraged to develop designs that highlight the beauty and unique features of Baltimore’s Inner Harbor, celebrate community pride and/or feature highlights of iconic or important local Baltimore histories. Additionally, designs may be considered that highlight the park's features, especially that of the of Adventure play, Nature play, vitsa, and skateboarding area
• Art designs must be clear, simple, affirming, identifiable, or recognizable forms that generally evoke positivity and are universally understood by both youth and adults.
• Imagery must avoid violence, criminal or sexual activity, racist or religious symbolism. Imagery of suffering or death should be excluded.
• Artists should consider the limited timeframe and project budget. The artwork must be of a nature that can be displayed by a public entity for the enjoyment of a diverse, family-type audience
Application Requirements:
Please to the application link at (link), each application must include the following:
· Artist Contact information (Name, Address, Email, Telephone)
· A color image or images of the proposed artwork with a description of the piece, materials and installation method
· A short description of why the proposed artwork meets the goals of this Call to Art (100 words or less)
· CV or Current Resume, including name, address, phone number, email address and website for all members of the team
· Description of previous mural installations, including color digital images of previous relevant work with annotated image descriptions. JPEG format preferred for previous artwork samples (Please label: Last name, First name, Maximum 5 work Samples)
· All digital works must be in jpg, png or pdf format. Digital work should be sent in a file no less than 300 dpi.
Overview of the Rash Field Cafe:
Rash Field Café, developed by the Waterfront Partnership of Baltimore, is sited on Rash Field at 300 Key Highway, Baltimore, MD 21202. The Café is the centerpiece of the southwest inner harbor promenade and serves as a visitor center for tourists and residents. The park was developed with much input from surrounding neighborhoods and aims to be a play destination for Baltimoreans of all-ages.
Production Timeline
September - October
· Call to Artists opens September 17, 2021
· Deadline for Submissions – October 15, 2021
· Selection and notification to artists – October 22, 2021
October – November
· Art Design Development - late October
· Equipment & Supplies Procurement - early November
· Art Implementation - starting November 15, 2021
· Deadline for completed artwork – November 30, 2021
Project Budget
Commission Award to Selected Artist for Procurement of Material Supplies, Installation Costs and Artist Fees
$17,000.00
Selection Criteria
Applications will be reviewed based on the following criteria:
-Quality of proposal
-Visual and technical sophistication
-Proven experience completing projects on time and on budget
-Experience producing artwork for a highly visible public environment
-Art concept design proposal meets RFP design criteria
Notification
All applicants will be notified of the Artist Selection Panels decision by October 22, 2021. The Baltimore Office of Promotion & The Arts and the Waterfront Partnership of Baltimore reserve the right not to select any of the applicants.
All applications must be received by 5:00 pm, October 15, 2021
We’re here to help!
We are happy to help to answer any questions about the application process.
For any inquires related to the call or artist selection process please contact:
Lou Joseph, Project Manager
Baltimore Office of Promotion & The Arts
For technical assistance with logging into or navigating Submittable.com please see:
TO APPLY, begin by setting up your free Submittable account. See below
BALTIMORE OPEN STUDIO TOUR WEEKEND 2023
The Baltimore Office of Promotion & the Arts (BOPA) is proud to announce our 34th Annual Open Studio Tour (OST):
Saturday, May 6, 2023, 10AM – 6PM
Sunday, May 7, 2023, 10AM – 6PM
An annual city-wide event, Baltimore Open Studio Tour has brought together professional artists and the general public, giving art lovers, students, art collectors, and creative influencers the opportunity to visit, meet, engage, purchase, and get a glimpse into the world and studios of some of Baltimore City’s most vibrant artists.
Each year OST attendees travel from all across Maryland and the Mid-Atlantic region to visit the studios of artists in Baltimore to see their work and step into their working processes. Set your art up, open your studio doors, and welcome all on May 6th and 7th, to get an inside glimpse into your studio practice and art process. OST Weekend is the perfect opportunity to share your work and engage with the public.
Timeline
APPLICATION OPEN: Monday, January 30, 2023
APPLICATION DEADLINE: Sunday, March 12, 2023
OST PARTICIPANT NOTIFICATION: Friday, March 31, 2023
OST RUNS: Saturday, May 6, & Sunday, May 7, 2023
This program is made possible with the generous support of the Maryland State Arts Council (MSAC).
ELIGIBILITY: All fine, visual, and performance artists with studios within the Baltimore City limits are eligible to participate.
FEES:
Individual Artists:
Artists: $45.00
School 33 and Bromo Seltzer Arts Tower Residents:
Current School 33 and Bromo Seltzer Arts Tower Members: $0.00 - *Please email our Public Art and Curation Manager, Kirk Shannon-Butts at KSButts@promotionandarts.org for registration information.*
Studio Building Registrations:
5 or more Studio Artists: $40.00 Each - *One Payment*
*If individual artists in studio building want individual representation, they will have to pay the separate individual artist fee of $45.00.*
Makerspaces/Community Spaces/Nonprofit Arts or Education Spaces:
$50.00
Galleries/Museums/Commercial Studios:
$55.00
REGISTRATION INCLUDES:
•Digital Media Press Kit.
•Digital Promotional Assets.
• 25 Palm Cards.
• 2 Yard Signs.
• Inclusion in Digital Assets.
• Digital Flyer for Your Social Media Platforms.
• Name, Address, Studio Hours, Website, and Sample Image(s) included in Online Map, BOPA Website, and BOPA Social Media Platforms.
REQUIREMENTS:
1. Participating artists' studio must be located in Baltimore City.
2. Artists' studios are required to open their studios on both days, Saturday and Sunday.
• All information about your studio (location, open hours, website, social media, etc.) will be available our website at www.promotionandarts.org. The site features a map with details for each participating artist and will remain live for one year.
BALTIMORE OPEN STUDIO TOUR WEEKEND 2023 INFORMATION SESSION:
General Information Session (via Zoom)
Wednesday, February 15th 2023 at 6:00PM - 7:30PM
Register in advance for this meeting:
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/86580322821?pwd=KzgwdVluWVZIekJnNjMycXhLRC81dz09
Passcode085184
DEADLINE: SUNDAY, March 12th, 2023, 11:59PM
PUBLICITY:
BOPA will publicize this event to the media, local press, and news agencies. We encourage OST artists to send out invitations, distribute OST postcards (provided by BOPA), engage your mailing lists, and activate all social media platforms to promote your studio's participation.
QUESTIONS:
If you have any questions, please contact Kirk Shannon-Butts, Public Art & Curation Manager, at KSButts@promotionandarts.org.