Call For Artists - Artist In Residence Program

Request for Proposals for Winter Quarter Artist-In-Residence:
January - March 2020

Artist-in-Residence Program Overview

The Artist-in-Residence program is an opportunity for children and families to observe, learn, and interact with a professional artist. Artist and children will share in a collaborative and open-ended process of creating an artwork together to be publicly displayed in a business, organization, or community location throughout Naperville and DuPage County. This enriching environment and creative arts experience provides opportunities to further a child’s understanding and appreciation of visual art; help children find the artistic potential in unlikely materials; and engage children in the joy and freedom of self-expression, discovery, and imagination.

Artist-in-Residence Program Goals

• Create temporary/portable final pieces that can be displayed in multiple locations.
• Enhance the role of the Museum as a center of artistic  investigation for children, families, and the community.
• Provide new avenues of art exploration for the Museum’s visitors and members.
• Connect young children to the power of art-making and art as an expression of identity, experience, and collaboration.

Artist-in-Residence Location

The Artist-in-Residence working space is located in The Studio. Layout of work area will be determined by project scope.

The Studio offers daily walk-in hours for DCM’s visitors to explore art through open-ended creative processes that incorporate art, math, and science, and provides opportunities for visitors to participate in collaborative community installations.

Call for Artists

The Artist-in-Residence program is open to professional artists:

• Locally based in DuPage County, Chicagoland area, any Illinois resident.
• Working in a variety of media including, but not limited to: painting, sculpture, clay, textiles, paint, mixed-media, printmaking, and illustration. Desired qualification: Eco-friendly focus, artist incorporates sustainability practices into process.
• Who have experience working with the public and teaching or creating art with early childhood/elementary populations – specifically those age birth to ten years old.
• Who enjoy working with young children; children with disabilities; and children from diverse cultural, racial, and socioeconomic backgrounds.
• Who have publicly displayed past artwork.

Summary of Artist Commitments

• Be at the Museum a total of 130 hours. 100 hours working with families in the Studio; this includes weekend days and some evening hours for special events.  (minimum 12 hours per week over the course of three months)
• Studio hours to include artist’s collaboration with children and the art-making process, answer visitor questions, and artist personal working time on project where visitors can view project being worked on.
• Collaborate with DCM’s Arts & Maker Specialist to design and facilitate workshops in local schools as part of the Good Show! Gallery exhibit.
• Contribute to a bi-weekly DCM Artist-in-Residence blog that includes recaps of work-in-progress, photos, and video.
• Collaborate with DCM’s Senior Marketing Manager to promote the project and provide tutorials on art-based projects through social media, and further the learning partnership between children and their adult caregivers.
• Share Artist-in-Residence work-in-progress through personal marketing channels: social media, website, and print.
• Participate and/or advise in the installation of the finished artwork at recipient’s location.
• Remain available and/or accessible for troubleshooting or repairs (if needed) on finished residency artwork.
• Complete a post-residency interview and survey.

What the Residency Offers You

• Access to the Museum during normal hours of operation
• Roughly 150 sq. ft. working space
• $7000 honorarium, $1000 stipend for supplies
• An opportunity to create a public artwork through the collaborative process working with children.

Learn more about proposal requirements and timeline at: https://dupagechildrens.org/job/artist-in-residence/