Summer Salon Series 2011: Request for Proposals

"Until lately the best thing that I was able to think of in favor of civilization, apart from blind acceptance of the order of the universe, was that it made possible the artist, the poet, the philosopher, and the man of science. But I think that is not the greatest thing. Now I believe that the greatest thing is a matter that comes directly home to us all. When it is said that we are too much occupied with the means of living to live, I answer that the chief worth of civilization is just that it makes the means of living more complex; that it calls for great and combined intellectual efforts, instead of simple, uncoordinated ones, in order that the crowd may be fed and clothed and housed and moved from place to place. Because more complex and intense intellectual efforts mean a fuller and richer life. They mean more life. Life is an end in itself, and the only question as to whether it is worth living is whether you have enough of it…”

-Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr.

The San Diego Museum of Art (the Museum) will be accepting proposals for its 2011 Summer Salon Series, a public program taking place Thursday evenings from 5:00 - 9:00  p.m. between June 2 and September 1.  This event provides the Museum an opportunity to present its version of the “salon,” a place for all those interested in art and culture to meet, discuss ideas, and engage with artistic performances. We are seeking artists to submit proposals for works to be exhibited as part of this program.

Our summer exhibition, Gustav Stickley and the American Arts and Crafts Movement, focuses on the work of this pioneer of the Craftsman style.  Stickley was deeply interested in both the macro- and microcosmic elements of our societies: what kind of furnishings we have in our homes, what kind of homes we live in, what kind of communities our homes are situated within, and what kind of citizens inhabit those communities. Expanding on Stickley’s ideas, one of the goals of he Summer Salon Series is to explore the multiple and various answers to the question “What does a city need?”

The San Diego Museum of Art is proud to partner with Agitprop, an alternative, community-oriented art space in the North Park neighborhood of San Diego, to present this summer-long program of contemporary artists’ projects, performances, talks, demonstrations, and workshops. These projects and performances are presented for one night only, although repeat performances or projects that occur over the course of several evenings will also be considered. Artists are encouraged to think about how their work at the Museum might engage the surrounding neighborhoods and residents of San Diego either directly or indirectly. This program is aimed at attracting and engaging as broad an audience as possible.

Each submission should include the following:

1. Name of the artist/group (please include all group members names).  If this is a group proposal, please identify an individual who will be the contact person for communication with the rest of the group.
2. Contact information (telephone and email)
3. City of residence
4. CV
5. A detailed written description of the project, including technical requirements and where inside or outside the Museum the project would be presented
6. Photographs, images, or diagrams of the work
7. An estimated budget for each project
8. Proposals should be typed.
9. All materials must be received by February 25.
10. Please submit materials electronically to programs@sdmart.org or via mail to

The San Diego Museum of Art
C/O Public Programs
P.O. Box 122107
San Diego CA 92112
USA

Artists need to include a Self Addressed Stamped Envelope if they would like materials returned. 

All artists will be notified of a decision regarding the proposals no later than March 4.

Other Submission Guidelines

1. Please do not submit any physical works of art to the Museum, as they will not be returned. (Works on CDs are fine, but will not be returned).
2. Artists are welcome to submit works of all media, including performance, music, spoken word, lectures and talks, installation, and video.
3. If the actual work varies from what was sent in the proposal, the Museum reserves the right to refuse exhibiting said work.
4. Special, but not exclusive, consideration will be given to proposals that deal with answering the question “What does a city need?”, the ideas of Gustav Stickley, or the Museum’s permanent collection.
5. All proposals and accompanying documentation will become the property of the Museum.
6. For submissions by mail:
   • Please prepare proposals on standard 8 ½ x 11 inch paper, though foldouts and oversize paper are permissible.
   • Because proposals are reviewed by a committee, please submit five copies of your proposal in its entirety. Please sign your proposal (if this is a group proposal, the contact person should sign), enclose it in a sealed envelope and submit it to the Museum by Friday, February 25. 
7. All communication concerning proposals for group submissions will be through the person designated as the contact for that group.  The responsibility for sharing communication with the rest of the group is that of the contact person.
8. Submission of a proposal constitutes your acceptance of the procedures, evaluation criteria and other instruction of this request for proposal.  You may withdraw your proposal at any time.
9. The Museum will work with accepted artists on a case by case basis to cover materials costs, but artists will not receive monetary remuneration.
10. Accepted artists will receive publicity on our website and through other means such as printed collateral.

Walk Through Inspection

The Museum will hold a pre-submittal meeting for all interested parties.  This includes a hosted walk-through of the facility at the designated date and time below.  If you are unfamiliar with the Museum, it is strongly recommended that you attend this walk-through.  Attendees may ask questions of a staff member during this time.

Walk Through Date: Tuesday, February 15, 2011 @ 12:30 p.m., in the Museum's Main Rotunda

Implementation and Installation

1. The Museum does not usually provide wall space to Salon Series projects and can not guarantee any specific resources for artists.  All submissions should include the technical requirements needed for each work, and the Museum will work with accepted artists to identify what resources each party can provide.
2. Projects must be available for exhibition and implementation on any of the dates of the program.  A schedule will be set up with each artist prior to the start of the program.
3. Please note that the Museum will agree to exhibit accepted works on its terms but makes no plans to purchase said works.
4. Any space on the campus of the Museum may be considered for implementing each project.
5. The Museum reserves the right to ask artists to revise submissions to ensure the safety of the artwork and the public in relation to the project and to refuse to exhibit work is such revision does not meet the Museum’s requests.

Selection Process

1. Decisions will be made by considering the strength of the proposal, and/or its relevance to the theme “What does a city need?,” the feasibility of its implementation, and the space, resources, budget and time The Museum can provide to each project.
2. The Museum will make decisions about works to be included in the Summer Salon Series at its sole discretion. 
3. The Museum reserves the right to change any and all of the parameters of the Summer Salon Series at its sole discretion and will provide as much notice to selected artists and participants as possible.
4. Deadline for Proposals: Please submit proposals by Friday, February 25.
5. Committee Review: a select committee will review and rank proposals during the last week of February.
6. All those submitting proposals will be notified by March 4.  Artists may be asked to modify or expand their projects at this time and resubmit proposals the following week of March 7. 
7. A schedule and contract will be sent to artists by March 31. 

Museum Responsibilities

1. The Museum reserves the right to change the submission deadline or to issue amendments to the RFP at any time or to cancel or reissue the RFP at any time without penalty.  The Museum reserves the right to reject any and all proposals and to waive minor irregularities.
2. The Museum is not liable for any costs incurred by the proposer in the preparation of the RFP.
3. The Museum will not be responsible for any error or omission in information provided, nor for the failure by proposer to determine the full extent of the effort necessary to implement the proposed project.