www.asiwny.org/programs/artist-residence-nys-artists

I.     INVITATION TO SUBMIT PROPOSALS
Arts Services Initiative of Western New York, Inc. (ASI), on behalf of the New York State Council on the Arts in partnership with the Province of Québec Council of Arts and Letters, is seeking proposals from qualified individuals from New York State to become artists in residence in the Province of Québec in Fall or Winter, 2013.

II.    PROJECT BACKGROUND
In 2011, New York State Council on the Arts (NYSCA) and the Conseil des Arts et des Lettres du Québec (CALQ)
concluded a reciprocity agreement to develop lasting artistic and cultural exchanges between New York State and Québec. This agreement calls for the creation of an annual exchange program of professional artists and writers under which the applicants selected engage in creative residencies and periods of artistic renewal in New York State and Québec. The artists participating in this program enjoy complete autonomy and define the objectives of their stay and elaborate the parameters and conditions for its realization. Through this agreement, NYSCA wishes to offer New York State artists a new career development tool and develop fruitful collaboration with Québec cultural communities.

III.    PROJECT PURPOSE
An annual program of visiting residencies, for the purposes of creation, artistic growth, performance, and mutual cultural understanding, by Québecois artists in the state of New York and New York artists in the province of Québec, to occur in multiple venues such as multi-arts centers, visual and performing arts centers, museums, schools and libraries, engaging a network of presenting organizations, with each New York State residency occurring in a different region, in a variety of communities.
ASI is seeking three professional and unique artists from throughout New York State to take residency for three months in the Province of Québec in the fourth quarter of 2013 (or first quarter of 2014, if the residency begins in 2013). While there the artist will create work and engage the community in a meaningful way.

The art disciplines included in the residency are:

• Architecture
• Cinema & Video
• Contemporary Crafts
• Dance & Choreography
• Digital & Media Arts
• Literature & Poetry
• Multidisciplinary Arts
• Music & Composition
• Theatre & Playwriting
• Traditional Folk Arts
• Visual Art

ASI, on behalf of the New York State Council on the Arts, will provide each artist a stipend of $9,000 to cover their costs for travel, materials, and labor. The artist cannot be compensated in any way while in Québec, and all displays of work and/or performances must be free and open to the public.

IV.    SELECTION PROCESS AND REQUIREMENTS
The New York State Council on the Arts in consultation with Arts Services Initiative of Western New York, Inc. and the Province of Québec Council of Arts and Letters, reserves the right to make any and all decisions regarding the selection of proposals submitted.

Applicant Requirements:
The selected individuals must be able to successfully meet the following criteria:

• Show high quality and sustained artistic output in their chosen discipline;
• Demonstrate how a residency in the Province of Québec will positively impact them and their work;
• Be able to successfully cross the border between the United States and Canada;
• Agree to engage the community in which they are in residence in a meaningful way;
• Secure a host site in the Province of Québec.

Each applicant will need to secure a letter of commitment from a host site in the Province of Québec and submit said letter at the time of application. This letter, signed by the director of the site, should clearly state that the site agrees to host the artist if he or she is chosen for the residency, as well as provide details of the hosting (work space, live space, materials, range of dates the site is available, etc.). A list of potential host sites can be found at www.asiwny.org/programs/artist-residence-nys-artists. Artists may use any viable site within the Province of Québec whether or not it is on this list.

Because artists are not being compensated for their work while in Canada, no special visas are required for this program. Artists will, however, need to be able to cross the border between countries throughout their residency. Potential applicants are encouraged to go to http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis/cis_1082.html#entry_requirements to ensure they have the necessary identification and can meet the requirements for border crossing.

Selection Process:
A panel chosen by the New York State Council on the Arts, the Province of Québec Council of Arts and Letters, and Arts Services Initiative of Western New York, Inc. will review all applications and select the three successful applicants using the following factors:

• Quality of the responsiveness to the written proposal (application form);
• Quality of the artists’ work as demonstrated by the links contained in the application;
• Successfully meet the criteria as described in Section IV of this Call for Artists.

Proposal Requirements:
Respondents are required to submit one copy of the application as well as their letter from the host site electronically to asiwnyoffice@gmail.com by 12 pm noon EST on July 22.

Responses received electronically after 12 pm noon EST on July 22 will be automatically rejected without exception and without review.

V.     TIME AND METHOD OF SUBMISSION
Respondents are required to submit one copy of the proposal as well as their letter from the host site in PDF form electronically as attachments to an email sent to asiwnyoffice@gmail.com prior to 12 pm noon EST on July 22 , 2013.

Proposals received electronically after 12 pm noon EST on July 22 will be automatically rejected without exception and without review.

Arts Services Initiative of Western New York, Inc. reserves the right to reject a submittal if any document or item listed in this RFP is incomplete, improperly executed, indefinite, ambiguous, and/or excluded.

VI.    ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
All questions or requests for additional information will be accepted no later than 12 pm noon EST on July 10, 2013 via written submission to asiwnyoffice@gmail.com. Answers will be sent via e-mail no later than July 12, 2013.

The application and additional information can be found at www.asiwny.org/programs/artist-residence-nys-artists.