Art Nest Call for Proposals

NO LONGER ACCEPTING PROPOSALS

Return in the Fall to this page for 2024 Call.

TOAF is seeking proposals for installation, sculpture, new media and performance art that are appropriate for an outdoor setting and related weather conditions.

Art Nest is dedicated to emerging and equity-seeking artists who are pushing the boundaries and honing their practice to animate public spaces with larger-scale works for outdoor settings.

Through this project, TOAF commissions artists to create artwroks with guidance and mentorship from senior and emerging curators. The experience provides the necessary environment, outdoor challenges, resources and engaged audiences for future commissions and proposals for public artists. The program provides artists with the experience, infrastructure, training and audience exposure needed to build confidence for future public art competitions and commissions. Proposals should also account for visitor safety. All proposals are subject to approval by the City of Toronto. Show organizers will assign space at Nathan Phillips Square.

An artist fee of $2,000 plus $2,000 for material costs will be paid to each selected artist.

Eligibility

Art Nest is open to emerging artists who want to take their practice to the next level by creating commissioned public art projects to be installed at Nathan Phillips Square during the 62nd edition of the Toronto Outdoor Art Fair, July 7 – 9, 2023.

TOAF has been celebrating art in public spaces and animating Toronto’s civic centre on a grand scale since 1961. The first iteration of Art Nest in 2022 was created in response to the City of Toronto’s ArtworxTO: Year of Public Art 2021-22 initiative. Championing career-launching platforms for the next generation of artists is central to TOAF’s programming values and key to the inspiration behind Art Nest.

At a time when so many ideas around monumentality and permanence in public art are being dismantled and questioned, Art Nest will look to contribute to that conversation in a thoughtful and creatively engaging way. Our hope is to help redefine the meaning and future possibilities of public art in a way that is accessible, impactful and reflects lived experiences with engaging temporary art projects.

Submission Guidelines

Submissions must include:

Your name, address, telephone number and email contact
Links to social media accounts if applicable
Statement describing the proposed work for exhibition, how it would be installed and how visitors might interact with it
10 jpg images*/sketches/reference images of the work to be exhibited (include examples of previous work, especially if it is relevant to the proposed project)
Description of images (title, year, medium)
A brief bio (150 words maximum) and CV (2 pages maximum)
Please compress your images into a zip file

*Jpg images can be no larger than 1024 x 768 pixels and 300 dpi

Selected artists will be notified by the end of February 2023.

Although some install support will be provided, selected artists should be prepared to install and tear down their own work. Artists must provide all materials for installation. Artists are also encouraged to be present during the 3-days of the Fair to greet the public and answer any questions about their work and for associated programming (Art Talks, public art tours).

Only selected proposals will be contacted.