DEADLINE: June 30, 2024, 11:59 pm (ET)
APPLICATION FEE: $10*

CUE’s open call for curatorial projects is now closed. The open call builds upon CUE’s mission to support emerging and underrepresented artists and arts workers. The selected curator will be awarded an opportunity to gain experience in curatorial practice and exhibition-making by organizing a group exhibition at CUE’s gallery space during the 2025 calendar year. 

Each awardee will be paired with a mentor, an established curator who will offer professional and personal guidance on their work and practice. CUE provides a generous honorarium to each awardee, an artist fee budget for the curator to allocate amongst participating artists, a modest budget for transport of artwork, and a budget for materials needed for on-site installation of the works in the show. CUE staff also provides guidance on project conceptualization and exhibition design in our space, communication and outreach support, identity and graphic design development, photography and visual assets, professional development assistance, and more.

Additionally, for each show at our gallery space, CUE produces an accompanying exhibition catalogue with a long-form essay commissioned through our Art Critic Mentorship Program, written by an independent emerging writer. The catalogue also contains curator, artist, and mentor statements, bios, and images of the work.

Please see below for eligibility requirements and more info. To get a sense of our program, you can also refer to information about past exhibitions at CUE here (note that most group exhibitions in recent years were organized through our curatorial open call).

CUE seeks to support emerging and underrepresented artists and arts workers with meaningful opportunities that help to advance their careers, and to present work that challenges public perceptions and that has been less visible in commercial and institutional venues. We encourage all those whose background and practice resonate with this mission to apply.

*The $10 application fee helps to support CUE’s programs and operating expenses. We understand that for some, this fee may create a burden. If this is the case for you, please contact opencall@cueartfoundation.org to request a fee waiver.

GUIDELINES

• Proposals should be conceptually strong and present works and ideas that are innovative, challenging, and engaging.

• Proposals should include the work of 3-5 artists, with a focus on artists who are emerging or underrepresented, in alignment with CUE's mission (see FAQs for more info).

• Applicants who also have an art practice cannot include their own work in the exhibition.

• The applicant and the artists proposed must live and work in the United States.

• Extra consideration will be given to proposals from curators who are early in their careers and those who demonstrate a creative approach to curatorial practice, research methods, and exhibition format. 

• Special consideration will also be given to proposals that reflect our commitment to diversity and equity, as well as those that present ideas or concepts that are not well-represented in mainstream, commercial, or institutional spaces.

• Exhibitions that have already been shown elsewhere will not be considered.

WHAT DO AWARDEES RECEIVE? 

• The opportunity to conceptualize and present a group exhibition at CUE’s gallery space in 2025

• An honorarium of $2,500

• A budget for artist fees for participating artists

• Support from a mentor who is an established curator

• A modest budget for art shipping and art handling to transport and install the work

• A catalogue that accompanies the exhibition and that includes an essay commissioned through CUE’s Art Critic Mentorship Program

• Support from CUE on exhibition design and layout specific to our space, communications including press and public outreach, identity and graphic design development, photography, and other professional development opportunities

• An opening reception and potential in-person or virtual programming that accompanies the exhibition

WHAT IS THE SELECTION PROCESS? 

Before applications are reviewed for content, a preliminary evaluation process takes place to determine three things:

1. Fulfillment of the eligibility criteria

2. Assurance that there are not duplicative applications from the same applicant

3. Completion of the application form

Please ensure that your application meets all the above requirements, as only complete applications from eligible participants are reviewed. If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to ask.

The open call will then be reviewed in two rounds by representatives from CUE’s staff and network of alumni and advisors. Reviewers are anonymous and are not made public or known to the participants in order to prevent conflicts of interest.

The selected curator will be notified in late Fall 2024.

WHAT DO I SUBMIT? 

• Resume / CV

• Narrative Bio [200 words]

• Brief Exhibition Overview [100 words]

• Detailed Exhibition Proposal [800 words]

• Proposed Artist List, with short bios for each artist

• Impact Statement (i.e. what would be the impact to you of being awarded this opportunity?) [150 words]

• Work Samples (images, video, audio - see application or FAQ for more info)

A note that the strongest proposals are those that are flexible and have room for growth. When developing your application, focus on the concept, descriptions of the artists’ work and practice, and what you’re thinking as far as exhibition design and spatial planning. Please note that layout may shift based on your conversations with your mentor and CUE staff.

Please see the application form on Submittable for the full list of questions and requirements. All submitted applications will be considered final. Applicants will not be permitted to edit an application once it has been submitted. Incomplete or duplicate applications will not be considered for final review.

RESOURCES

• Frequently Asked Questions: Curatorial Projects

• Gallery Floor Plan, Dimensions, and Model

• Photos of the Space

• Videos from Past Exhibitions

• Exhibitions Archive

ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS

If you have any questions after reading through all of this material, you can contact us at opencall@cueartfoundation.org. Please review all available info and FAQs on our website before emailing; questions that are readily available on our website will not be prioritized. No phone calls please.

RECENT CURATORIAL OPEN CALL AWARDEES