IMPORTANT DATES
Information Session:  TBA
Application Deadline: Wednesday, December 19, 2018 at 11:59PM
Notification: April 2019
Residency/Fellowship: May 2019 – September 2019
Exhibition: October 2019 – March 2020

DOCS TO DOWNLOAD:
1. Application Instructions
2. FAQs
2. Equipment List

CALL FOR PROPOSALS
Beginning October 30, 2018, Socrates Sculpture Park invites artists to submit proposals for The Socrates Annual Fellowship – an annual residency program that awards fifteen artists the opportunity to produce sculpture and installation for The Socrates Annual exhibition.

Fellowship recipients will receive a $5,000 production grant to support their project, and five-months of seven-days-a-week access to the resources and fabrication facilities of the Park’s outdoor studio. The completed works will become part of The Socrates Annual exhibition, opening in fall 2019.

Artists should propose projects within the parameters of the production grant. Administrative support for additional fundraising and securing in-kind contributions is limited and depends on the project. Artists are responsible for the fabrication, transportation (if necessary) and installation of their works. Socrates will provide some technical and installation assistance during a three-week installation period, M-F, 10AM – 6PM. Specifics of assistance will be discussed with each artist selected. To accompany the exhibition, Socrates will produce an electronic publication that will be made available online for free. A printed version of the publication will be provided to The Socrates Annual Fellows.

SITE & CONTEXT
Applicants are strongly encouraged to visit Socrates – a unique waterfront public park located in an industrial area of Long Island City, Queens – and to explore Socrates’ website and exhibition archive to learn about the history and context of the organization before preparing their applications. Visiting the Park will give applicants a better sense of the factors that effect installations in the Park and an overview of the facilities available at Socrates, from the tools and equipment in the studio to the resources of the surrounding neighborhood in Long Island City.

REVIEW PROCESS
The Socrates Annual Fellowship program is based on a competitive, open application process. Applications must be completed online and submitted by the deadline (December 19, 2019 at 11:59PM). Fifteen proposals will be selected for the 2019 program based on the compelling nature of the project, clarity of intent and unique approach to the site and public context.

Proposals will be reviewed by the Socrates exhibition department and two curatorial advisors (TBA). Following the recommendations of the curatorial advisors, Socrates staff will contact applicants individually to discuss proposed projects before confirming the final selection in spring 2019.

FELLOWSHIP/RESIDENCY
Once the selection process is finalized, Socrates staff members will meet with each Fellow to discuss project proposals in detail and begin to assist with planning the development, engineering, and installation of the work. A group meeting for all Fellows and Socrates staff will take place one evening in late April or early May, followed by an on-site orientation and individual progress meetings throughout the Fellowship to assess progress, troubleshoot issues, and review next steps. Selected works are subject to final approval by Socrates staff and must meet safety requirements to be able to withstand the effects of weather and public use.

ELIGIBILITY
Fellowships are awarded to artists whose careers and artistic practices would benefit from the opportunity. Artists who are enrolled in a school, college, or university at the time of application are NOT eligible for The Socrates Annual Fellowship program. Artists who have applied before (but never shown at Socrates) are eligible.

SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS
We only accept proposals submitted through our online portal.

QUESTIONS?
Email curatorial@socratessculpturepark.org with questions or concerns.

SUPPORT
We are eternally grateful for longstanding support from the Jerome Foundation, National Endowment for the Arts, and The New York Community Trust, which has enabled the Emerging Artist Fellowship program to grow and evolve since its founding in 1995.

And special thanks goes to our public partners, including the City of New York, Mayor Bill de Blasio, Queens Borough President Melinda R. Katz, City Council Speaker Cory Johnson, City Council Members Jimmy Van Bramer and Costa Constantinides, the NYC Department of Parks and Recreation, Commissioner Mitchell Silver, and the NYC Department of Cultural Affairs, Commissioner Tom Finkelpearl.

ABOUT
Socrates Sculpture Park has been a model of public art production, community activism, and socially inspired place-making for more than 30 years. Known for fostering ambitious and visionary artworks, Socrates has presented more than 1,000 artists on its five waterfront acres, providing them the financial support, materials, equipment, and space necessary to create large-scale works in the public realm. Open 365 days a year from dawn till dusk, the Park is a center of cultural programming, as a producer of contemporary exhibitions, a presenter of a multi-disciplinary performance series, and an educator – all free. The Park’s existence is based on the belief that reclamation, revitalization and creative expression are essential to the survival, humanity and improvement of our urban environment.

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