Request for artist proposals: smartpower(sm) program

smARTpower(SM), an initiative of the Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, administered by The Bronx Museum of the Arts, will send fifteen U.S. artists abroad to work with local artists and young people for periods of up to 45 days to create community-based art projects. Selected artists will design and implement projects within a 45-day period in cooperation with local arts organizations in China, Ecuador, Egypt, Ghana, India, Kosovo, Lebanon, Nepal, Nigeria, Pakistan, the Philippines, Kenya, Sri Lanka, Turkey, and Venezuela. smARTpower(SM) projects, which can include painting, sculpture, video, installation, photo-based work, public art, and interdisciplinary projects, are strongly encouraged to create a tangible and lasting legacy that will remain in country. Projects will emphasize community engagement and participation. Artists will address a full range of relevant subjects including, but not limited to, women’s empowerment, the environment, health, education, and civic engagement.

Emerging to established artists are encouraged to apply. Finalists will be identified through open competition and selected by a national advisory panel of artists and art professionals. Each recipient will be provided with an honorarium, travel funding, budget for materials, resources for documentation, and on-site logistical support. Proposals must be submitted ONLINE ONLY by midnight, February 28, 2011. Please read all information below carefully before applying, to ensure eligibility and proper formatting of your proposal. Mailed applications will NOT be accepted. NO PHONE CALLS, please.

Deadline
• All applications and materials must be received via the smARTpower(SM) website by midnight, February 28, 2011.
• Selected artists will be announced in Spring/Summer 2011, and the first round of projects will begin in Summer/Fall 2011.
• Find more information and apply online at www.bronxmuseum.org/smartpower

Applicants must be United States citizens at least 18 years old. Students currently enrolled in a BFA or MFA studio art program, or Bronx Museum staff, are not eligible to apply.

Requirements
Participating artists will:
• Propose and implement art projects in collaboration with local communities.
• Work closely with the Bronx Museum or a designated alternative organization in establishing professional working relationships with partner organizations.
• Post regular reports on their activities via blogging or other forms of social media and communication.
• Develop their proposals into detailed plans with activities for youth, artists, and other local residents, including, but not limited to, workshops, master classes, and outreach activities, and offer at least one comprehensive professional development seminar for local teachers to facilitate the sustainability of the program’s core concepts beyond the project. The Bronx Museum will need to approve the plan before the implementation phase is initiated.
• Submit a final report to The Bronx Museum, in accordance with guidelines described in the award letter, within 20 days of project completion.
• Participate in a public forum about smARTpower(SM) upon return to the United States.

smARTpower(SM) was made possible by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Education and Cultural Affairs, administered by the Bronx Museum of the Arts.