Call for Artists : Art in the Open : A plein Air Festival

Another new art event in actually outside Philadelphia.

Philadelphia: Art in the Open (AIO) is Philadelphia’s first Arts festival that puts a contemporary twist on the plein air tradition of artists making art outside and on site. This coming spring, from June 9 – 12, 2010, professional artists will be challenged to create work in a range of styles and media, in public view–‘outside, on site’ along the tidal banks of the Schuylkill River, from the historic Water Works south to Bartram’s Garden.

The AIO call for entries is now available to download at ArtintheOpenPhila.org. Artists working in all media are encouraged to apply: applications are due January 31, 2010 with notification by March 31, 2010.

City Hall will host an opening ceremony and welcome reception on June 8, 2010: work that has been completed during the 4-day event will be exhibited and sold in an exhibition opening June 12, 2010 at the Rosenwald-Wolf Gallery, located at the University of the Arts.   As an outdoor event that attracts citizens of all ages, Art in the Open will cross traditional ‘audience’ lines by acting as a catalyst for multi- disciplinary programming that illuminates the city’s historic, ecological, industrial and artistic connections to the river.

The events lead organizers – City Parks Association working with Ed Bronstein, and Mary Salvante – believe that Art in the Open will raise city and regional awareness about the vibrant arts community in Philadelphia, provide a public forum in which professional artists can gain exposure for their work, attract residents and visitors of all ages, and inspire the casual visitor while bringing renewed attention to the river, which has played an important role in shaping the city’s residents’ relationship to the landscape

AIO program partners include: City of Philadelphia Office of Arts, Culture and the Creative Economy, City of Philadelphia Department of Parks and Recreation, Philadelphia Museum of Art, City Parks Association, Bartram’s Garden, Fairmount Park, Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts, University of the Arts, Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance, Schuylkill River Development Corporation, Fleisher Art Memorial, Fairmount Waterworks Interpretive Center, The Gershman Y, The Center for Emerging Visual Artists, Philadelphia Hospitality, Schuylkill River Park Alliance, Greater Philadelphia Tourism and Marketing Corporation, Philadelphia Arts in Education Partnership, Philadelphia Education Fund, and the University of Pennsylvania, College of Arts and Sciences.

from the website: 
The Art In the Open jury will select 30 artists from collected submissions: approximately half of those identified will be artists who live outside the Philadelphia area. A welcoming reception will be held in City Hall at the beginning of the festival accompanied by a curated show of participating artists' work. A closing exhibition and sale will be held on the final evening of the festival (June 12, 2010) at the Rosenwald/Wolf Gallery at the University of the Arts.

Art In the Open is open to all professional artists working in any medium that can be made ‘outside, on site’. Students and artists under the age of 21 are not eligible. The jurors will be selecting artists based on the quality of previous work, not on their proposal of intent. However, artists may include a descriptive statement that will help the jurors better understand their process.

Jurors

  • Janet Kaplan, Moore College of Art
  • Jennifer McGregor, Director of Arts & Senior Curator, Wave Hill
  • Andrea Packard, Director, List Gallery, Swarthmore College
  • Lee Stoetzel, Director, The West Collection at SEI


Dates and Deadlines
Entry submissions: February 15, 2010
Juror review: March 12, 2010

website : http://www.artintheopenphila.org