DISABILITY ARTS CURATORIAL FELLOWSHIP
OPEN CALL 2024-25

Accepting applications from Aug 15th to Sep 30th 2024.

 

Our Disability Curatorial Fellowship open call invites self identifying disabled independent curators, artists, organizers, professional practitioners, laypeople, creative individuals or collectives to submit a disability curatorial research project in its very beginning stage.

IMAGE DESCRIPTION - 3 dazzling and ripply large blobbed orbs  dance and float together across a colorful horizontal page. The first orb on the left is very round and is a reflective smearing of hot pinks and oranges. The next orb is long and wavy on its right side. It is full of shiny purples. The 3rd orb peeks out from the right bottom corner. It is glimmering and glitching in red oranges, yellows and splashes of gold. Each orb has multiple small rounded handles. Some of the handles have rays of color beaming from them. They float together across a heavily textured speckled and streaked background that is a cool light blue streaked with greens on the left side and very speckled reds on a warm orange color. Squarish curved  shiny  orange and red orange shapes free float with the orbs. Some are very close to us and some fade in the distance. Large bold and purple wavy floating letters are filed with bright yellow tiny dots. The letters stretch across the middle of the page horizontally in a lond slinky and  contrast colored bubble saying  Disability Arts Fellowship.

The Disability Curatorial Fellowship supports the processes of cultivating and testing new ideas through civic engagement and co-thinking, thinking through emergent disability cultural strategies like access as art or creative accessibility, growing your disability centered curatorial voice into a curatorial statement, and making viable plans for sparking more emergent disability culture in the arts. The Fellowship supports the processes of thinking through and pulling together an accessible exhibition. While we do not offer a specific exhibition opportunity, we will help the Fellow in finding opportunities.

For our open call we are interested in civically engaged disability curatorial ideas about emergent accessibility, access as art, DIT (Do It Together) access, relational access, creative access, creative high tech to low fi virtual accessibility–any way that access as an integral and creative expression can be woven into disability arts.

*DIT (Do It Together)" is a revision of the term "DIY (Do It Yourself)" that fosters partnerships, co-creation and an appreciation of collective success and interdependence rather than just individual achievement.

For our first Disability Arts Fellowship we are focusing on civically engaged disability curatorial practices!!!

“You cannot change any society unless you take responsibility for it, unless you see yourself as belonging to it and responsible for changing it.”

— Grace Lee Boggs

 

[[Disability Statement]]

At Culture Push, we center Disability Justice as a way of moving together across disability, race, sexuality, gender, and class. We do this to work collectively to expand on civic engagement for artistic and human needs. 

Disability Justice for us is always emergent and full of interdependent ecologies. We embrace and connect with Sins Invalid 10 Principles of Disability Justice. A link to the 10 Principles of Disability Justice is HERE.

We have centered and continue to center, organize and offer disability events for and with mixed abilities communities and people. Our disability support is part of each of our Fellowships equally. What we mean is that if you self identify as a person with disabilities you are supported by us no matter which Fellowship you apply for or receive. Our desire is to meet you in the best ways we can and work out accessibility with and for you together. Creating accessibility is an act of intimacy that is flexible and interdependent. It is something we co-create at the beginning of your Fellowship and is an ongoing process and relationship we continue with you throughout your Fellowship with us. It is intentional and a vital part of our ever growing Disability culture at Culture Push.

By disability we mean any person self-identifying as disabled. At Culture Push, Disability can be, but is not limited to: SICK, Spoonie, ILL, Chronically Ill, Blind, Low Sighted, DEAF, HOH, MAD, Intellectual Disabilities, Chemical Disabilities, Neurodivergent.

We often use the word Crip at Culture Push. We do this to reclaim the word cripple and to prevent ranking disabilities as we collectively work towards equity. Crip is short for cripple. It is a term historically used to stigmatize and oppress disabled people. Disability Justice often uses Crip as a way to reclaim the word cripple. Please do not use the word Crip to identify a person, people or group unless they give you permission to.

\We support mixed abilities curating, organizing and events. Supporting mixed abilities is complex and important. It “asks us to identify and bridge between different capacities, orientations and relationships of power with people of different disabilities, across race, sexuality, gender, class and so on.” From SKIN, TOOTH, AND BONE The Basis of Movement is Our People, A Disability Justice Primer by Sins Invalid, page 65.

What is Disability Art and Curation? How is it civically engaged?

It is created by disabled people; there is no single definition of disability arts and curatorial practices that completely captures disability arts. But it is a specific arts practice that involves disability artists making works that really expresses our identity as disabled people and as disability arts practitioners.There is also a dimension of our work that is moving individually and collectively to express our disability culture. Disability culture comes with unique experiences, perspectives and shared values. By disability arts culture Culture Push means people self-identifying as disabled is not limited to SICK, Spoonie, ILL, Chronically Ill, Blind, Low Sighted, DEAF, HOH, MAD, Intellectual Disabilities, Cognitive Disabilities, Neurodivergent, Disable Communities. Everyone has different access protocols, everyone has different communal enactments. These are vital cultural contracts that we have with one another. 

In response to our disability culture, how do we work towards manifesting disability culture? Culture is a manifestation collectively expressed through the arts, history, language, customs and practices. Many of the accessibility practices that we currently use have been integrated into our disability arts practices and our creative expressions and are both meaningful and practical. These have also been advocated for by disability communities or have emerged from disability grassroots organizing. Access practices like these intentionally allow disability to shape culture rather than access being a way to move disabled people into a normative practice. Many of our works tell the stories found in disability rights, justice and access and help form disability culture. We can’t untangle disability culture from disability rights, justice and access. Access weaves our lived experiences with disability justice and rights. Access can be mobilizing, beautiful and unexpected. Disability arts, curatoring and access are politically and civically engaged expressions of our lived experiences and disability culture

What does Process-Based mean?

Processed based working and thinking means giving yourself permission to slow down, take time to think and contemplate, ask questions, dream vibrantly, play, incubate ideas, try them out, make mistakes, try ideas out again, critically analyze ideas, consider factors like feasibility, practicality, and alignment with goals or constraints, try different approaches, challenge conventions, and create emergent strategies. It also means assessing the strengths and weaknesses of each idea, and determining which ideas feel the best and have the most potential.

What is Civic Engagement? 

At Culture Push, we define civic engagement as collaboration and group learning through active and  participatory experiences. It is collective activism and advocacy working to bring about political or social change through increasing public awareness of and support for specific causes. Past Fellows works have engaged with Prison Abolition, Trans Rights, Black Joy and Liberation, Disability Justice and Climate Justice, to name a few.

Starting 2024, we're streamlining our application process to once a year, in the fall. This year, in addition to our new Disability Arts Curatorial Fellowship, we are also accepting applications for the Fellowship for Utopian Practice and the Black Utopian Fellowship.

All our Fellowship applications use the same online form.

UPCOMING INFO SESSIONS (VIRTUAL):

Fellowship for Utopian Practice Information Session, Sept. 9, 6-7 PM: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZctcuisqDoiHteb7ExR08m1ayRmdIAWPjN2

Disability Arts Curatorial Fellowship Information Session, Sept. 14, 6-7 PM: 
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZAtdOGhqTwuHdXSiQW0HDG5l5PGpX6gBW5B

Disability Arts Curatorial Fellowship Working Session, Sept. 21, 6-7 PM: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZAkd-2pqzwrG9OXC8cdZLb1EpZwWRae5vW6

  • September 30, 2024, 11:59 PM ET: Open Call deadline

    October 2024: Fellow is informed

    November / December 2024: Initial project discussion

    October 2024 - October 2025: Continuing support and strategizing

    • Applicants must have at least 3 years of experience in their field. 

    • No curatorial experience is needed.

    • Currently enrolled undergraduate students may not apply. 

    • Projects must be new civically engaged work that has not received any prior institutional support.

    • Work that is part of New York City’s culture and its 5 boroughs, Brooklyn, Bronx, Manhattan, Queens, Staten Island.

    • Group or collaborative proposals are welcome!

    • Yes, you can live outside of New York and receive a Fellowship. Please know that your proposal must center New York City’s culture and its 5 boroughs.

    • Unfortunately, we do not provide housing.Unfortunately, we do not provide housing.

  • To be considered for the Fellowship, projects must:

    • Be interactive and engage the public (entirely or in part), in accordance with our mission. Note: Our definition of “civic engagement” includes public talks, live interactive components, skill-shares, participatory performances and similar activities that in some way address the public good and have clearly defined goals for serving as a means of generating social change.

    • Test a new and previously unrealized idea that expands the scope of the applicant’s current practice.

    • Not be considered as an exhibition or the production of a ‘show,’ but rather a series of events and/or actions aimed at engaging the public.

    • Occur during the Fellowship year.

    • Take place within the 5 boroughs of NYC (projects may have components outside of this geographic region, but they will not be supported by Culture Push).

    • If your proposed project is part of a larger piece or series, Culture Push funding may only be applied toward the public engagement component of the project.

    • Honoraria for the project ($2000)

    • Fiscal sponsorship for additional grant-based fundraising and individual contributions

    • Strategic meetings with Culture Push staff, including development and production support

    • Access to Materials for the Arts

    • Networking meetings with Culture Push Board, Executive Director, Staff, Advisors, and other Fellows

    • Marketing via the Culture Push network, email list, and social media contacts for promotion purposes

    • Mentorships with experts in the field

    • An opportunity to contribute to or edit our online journal, PUSH/PULL

    • An opportunity to present your research and project development at the annual Culture Push Symposium

    • An opportunity to exhibit your work at a public presentation produced by Culture Push alongside past and current Fellows

    • Culture Push does not provide a venue or exhibition space for projects, but we will work with Fellows to help secure suitable site(s).

  • What kind of work samples should I include?
    Include your strongest work samples. We understand that you are proposing a project that you have not yet completed or developed, and understand that your work samples will not necessarily be representative of your proposed project. This is why we encourage you to submit what you believe to be the best example of your work to date. If you think it would be helpful, feel free to send a sketch, rendering, or mock-up of your idea.

    How long does the Fellowship last?
    The Fellowship will last for one full year.

    Do I have to complete the project within the Fellowship year?
    No, your project does not need to conclude within the Fellowship year in order to be successful. We only require that you develop your project during the year and have at least one public presentation of your work. The Fellowship is a process-based program. We are more interested in supporting artists as they develop sustainable working strategies to purse unusual lines of inquiry than in seeing a “finished” product. Many Fellowship projects become long-term commitments that only begin with the Fellowship.

    Do I have to live in New York to apply?
    Technically, you do not have to currently reside in New York City to be eligible for the Fellowship. However, the Fellowship is designed to support artists engaging directly with people, places, and institutions in New York City. If you do not currently live in New York and would like to apply, we would expect you to relocate here for at least the duration of your Fellowship in order to develop your project and attend regular meetings. Outside of the $2000 stipend we cannot currently provide funds to assist with travel or living expenses.

    More questions?
    Send us an email at cp@culturepush.org with the subject line “Fellowship Question”.

  • 2 Page CV or Resume

    We’d love to know about you in a first person narrative bio!

    In 500 words or less

    Please let us know about the disabled creatives and communities that you are interested in curating or co-curating with and why. 

    Please share your ideas about what Disability Justice can be with us.

    We are interested in what your creative access centered curatorial theme or question and a basic research outline is. How will you craft your disability curatorial dream?

    We are excited to know about the kind of disability exhibition you are dreaming of. Is it an exhibition with a gathering? A traveling exhibition? An exhibition as a series of events or actions? Something else?

    We love knowing where you are dreaming disability exhibitions into? Beds, bathtubs, kitchens, an elevator or elevators across the city? a carpet or carpets across the city?, a park, a library, a hardware store, community garden or center, a public journal, online, a gallery? 

    Please share the kinds or kind of media you are thinking about? How does it mobilize and/or expand creative access?

    We would love you to include images of your past work, artists works as curatorial  support, or drawings to give us a better way to imagine your process and your curatorial ideas. 5 images, 1 short video link,  2 pages of written works, a link to written work

    We ask that you share an Accessibility Rider with us so that we can better understand your accessibility needs and how to meet them to support you. An Accessibility Rider is not necessary to apply. We are happy to work with you to make one.

    moira’s access rider is HERE

    Access Rider resources are HERE

    Please get in touch with moira about any way and all ways we can make any part of the submission process more accessible for you, thanks!2 Page CV or Resume

    We’d love to know about you in a first person narrative bi

    In 500 words or less

    Please let us know about the disabled creatives and communities that you are interested in curating or co-curating with and why. 


    Please share your ideas about what Disability Justice can be with us.

    We are interested in what your creative access centered curatorial theme or question and a basic research outline is. How will you craft your disability curatorial dream?

    We are excited to know about the kind of disability exhibition you are dreaming of. Is it an exhibition with a gathering? A traveling exhibition? An exhibition as a series of events or actions? Something else?

    We love knowing where you are dreaming disability exhibitions into? Beds, bathtubs, kitchens, an elevator or elevators across the city? a carpet or carpets across the city?, a park, a library, a hardware store, community garden or center, a public journal, online, a gallery? 

    Please share the kinds or kind of media you are thinking about? How does it mobilize and/or expand creative access?

    We would love you to include images of your past work, artists works as curatorial  support, or drawings to give us a better way to imagine your process and your curatorial ideas. 5 images, 1 short video link,  2 pages of written works, a link to written work

    We ask that you share an Accessibility Rider with us so that we can better understand your accessibility needs and how to meet them to support you. An Accessibility Rider is not necessary to apply. We are happy to work with you to make one.

    moira’s access rider is HERE

    Acces Rider resources are HERE

    Please get in touch with moira about any way and all ways we can make any part of the submission process more accessible for you, thanks!

    • Title of the Project *

    • Project Summary * Please describe your proposal in 50 words or less.

    • Project Narrative * Describe your proposed project, its goals and timeline, and the link between your project and the Culture Push mission with as much detail as possible. Your Project Narrative may be submitted in the text box below as a Written Narrative (Max 500 Words) OR a Link to a Video or Audio Spoken Narrative (Max 5 minutes), including any passwords. The panel will not read/watch/listen beyond these limits.

    • Resume or CV * detailing your artistic and/or professional experience. For collaborative proposals, please provide resumes or CVs for each participating artist. Collectives should provide a resume for the group’s activities.

    • Work Samples * You may submit recent, relevant work samples in the form of images, videos, audio, pdf document and/or links. For all samples submitted, please upload a one-page .pdf with short descriptions and context for your work samples. All files must be less than a total of 20 MB. Criteria: 

      • Upload no more than 5 image files (jpg/png) 

      • Link to an online image gallery or video or audio content is acceptable.

      • Video samples should be no more than 5 minutes long.

      • If you must submit longer videos, please provide a cue point. 

      • If your Work Samples include links, please enter them in the text box.You may provide up to 3 links. If you provide links, please provide a sentence or two of context.

    • Reference * Contact information for one professional reference.

    • First and Last Name *

    • Email Address *

    • Pronoun/s *

    • Are you applying to our Climate Justice Fellowship? *

      • Yes

      • No

    • How did you hear about the Fellowship? *

    • Associated Artist Program * Over the past few cycles, we have received applications for compelling projects that for various reasons we are unable to support through the Fellowship, but are interested in nurturing in a less involved capacity. Please let us know whether or not you would consider a relationship with Culture Push outside of the Fellowship. Depending on the project, this might be a reciprocal exchange, a partnership, or a set of strategic meetings with Culture Push staff.

      • Yes

      • No

    • What, generally, are your sources of funding for your projects? (100 words)

    • Is there anything else you would like us to know about you or your work? (100 words)

The Fellowship for Utopian Practice

The Fellowship for Utopian Practice is a testing ground for untested and new ideas that aim to create positive social change through civic engagement and horizontal learning opportunities. Through the Fellowship for Utopian Practice, Culture Push serves artists by providing creative, analytical, and logistical tools in the creation of truly transformative projects. Pre-existing performances, established projects, and fully funded works are not eligible to apply. Learn more about our Guidelines.

Any questions should be addressed to moira@culturepush.org with the subject line “Disability Arts Fellowship Question”.