Through a blind juried process, one artist will be selected to receive a $1,000 stipend to support the creation of a solo exhibition in Summit Artspace’s Horizon Gallery. The organizational goal behind this exhibition is to actively undo systems of oppression and domination present in the art world. Summit Artspace is interested in the many ways in which BIPOC+ artists impact our communities through their art.
The exhibition is dedicated to– but is not limited to – uncovering the following themes:
Exploring and advancing meaningful BIPOC+ narratives
Re-contextualizing traditionally white-dominated genres to give new meanings
Restoring hope by envisioning a world where social justice has taken hold
Building support for social change, equity, and inclusion
Exposing and denouncing injustices to marginalized communities
Investigating new ideas and genres to transform viewer perceptions
Eligible artists will be Black, Indigenous, or a Person of Color; they will live in Summit County or surrounding counties and express an interest in making an impact through their artwork. All types of visual artists are welcome to apply for this opportunity.
The exhibition is funded in part through general operating support from Ohio Arts Council, Akron Community Foundation, and GAR Foundation.
Important Dates:
Application Deadline: November 20, 2023 at 11:59 p.m.
Notification of Acceptance: December 15, 2023
Public Announcement: January 2023
Exhibition: April 5 – June 15, 202
Jurors:
Darius Steward & Gwen Waight
Darius Steward (1984) is an American Artist from East Cleveland, Ohio. Outliving the neighborhood he grew up in, Steward is one of a select few whose determination got him out of the zip code. Completing his undergrad at the Cleveland Institute of Art in 2008 and his MFA at the University of Delaware in 2010, he recognized the importance of education and mentorship, investing himself and his creative process in the future of humanity. Symbolically and literally, he addresses cultural and societal conflicts and opens conversation across racial, socioeconomic, gender, and cultural lines.
Steward also serves as the Program Manager for the Cleveland Museum of Art in their Education Department, for “Currently under Curation.” He recruits and mentors inner-city youth across interdisciplinary arts fields. Teaching them the art of curation in addition to numerous professional skills with the intended purpose of increased college application and attendance.
Gwen Waight is an artist living and working in Peninsula, Ohio, in the Cuyahoga Valley National Park. I have resided and worked in Ohio for 19 years. I received my degree from the University of Iowa in sculpture and worked in my dad’s ceramic studio for ten years. It was in my father’s studio that I learned my appreciation of three-dimensional space. It was also my dad’s non-sentimental nature of tossing/ burning all things deemed unnecessary clutter that rooted my deep need to covet and collect almost everything. I studied ceramics in college and love, really, all things clay, thus also why I have an awesome collection of cups, mugs, and unomi. I, however, never felt like clay was the medium by which I wanted to express myself. With found objects and assemblage, I truly discovered my voice. The objects I lean towards always seem to have lived and have a story to tell….some objects are complete memories for me, and just as a writer will string words together to create a work I assemble objects to create my art. I love the fact that, like words, smells, and colors; objects hold meaning and memories. The wonderful thing is that sometimes the viewer has similar or completely different ones than my own. I feel that found object assemblage is just like painting in 3D or, perhaps, collaging. For me, it is a better process because I don’t start with a blank canvas, and I get to move my objects around without having to “paint” over something I don’t like or have to wait for paint to dry. Often, in my studio, I will have three or four different pieces going at the same time. I sometimes start with an idea first and search for the objects that are going to express that idea, or I start with an object or several objects that shout so loudly that they need to be together.
NO FEE TO APPLY!
Click here to submit!
Summit Artspace is interested in the many ways in which BIPOC+ artists impact our communities through their art. One artist will be selected to receive a $1,000 stipend to support the creation of a solo exhibition in Summit Artspace’s Horizon Gallery. Click here to apply.
