“Brandenburger Tor” Copyright Enrico Verworner
Call for Proposals
The Baltimore Office of Promotion & The Arts (BOPA) and Berlin Leuchtet e.V. are pleased to announce a unique opportunity for Baltimore city artists to prepare a project proposal to be produced for and exhibited during the Berlin Light Weeks®, occuring September 30-October 16, 2016. A joint effort between BOPA, the producers of Light City, the Berlin Light Weeks® and the Goethe-Institut, the selected proposal will be produced in collaboration with these institutions, offering a platform for cross-cultural dialogue between artists in Baltimore and Berlin, and an opportunity to exhibit work in one of Europe’s most illustrious light festivals.
Project Brief
BOPA is seeking a proposal for content that can be projection mapped on the Brandenburg Gate and facades of Berlin landmarks for a two night engagement alongside other curated installations during the 2016 Berlin Light Weeks®. One of Berlin’s most celebrated landmarks, the Brandenburg Gate lies at the heart of the city and the Berlin Leuchtet festival. This bespoke commission will be created with the story of migration at its core, celebrating the essence of this endeavor and its social and cultural implications within the city of Baltimore. Reflecting on the different generations of German migrants that have made Baltimore their home beginning in the 1700’s, and examining this story as a point of departure for migration narratives until the present day, artists will be challenged to create a visual installation that creates a communal dialogue between Baltimore and Berlin about these movements, stories and peoples.
Beyond German immigration, this project aims to reflect the human spirit and the telling of diverse stories through media and moving image. Different interpretations of these stories are welcome, and imbuing this retelling with a genuine sense of authenticity of Baltimore will be important to its sharing with a global audience. Artists should consider the connection between the generations of new migrants that have left their indelible marks on Baltimore’s community, as well as contemporary geopolitical events affecting patterns of migration throughout the world.
Working closely with BOPA staff to develop the final project, the selected artist will receive a budget of $5,000.00 to produce the work, and will also be provided with additional funding for the artist (two if working as a collaborative) to travel round trip to Berlin to install, produce and document the installation. Technical production will be provided and managed by the BERLIN leuchtet e. V.
Technical information:
- Berlin Leuchtet will supply a 3D Model of Brandenburg Gate in .obj and .fbx format
- Berlin Leuchtet will supply a mapping template of the structure. All images must strictly
- Required File format: 30fps Quicktime Movie (.mov), DXV3 Codec with HQ Profile (available at www.resolume.com)
- Sound: Should be embedded in the .Mov file and should be additionally available as
- Length of the Show: Optimum would be around 4-5 Minutes, MAXIMUM 7 Minutes.
- Berlin Leuchtet and BOPA staff will be available to answer technical questions
This application is open to Baltimore-based artists working across new media. Artists should have demonstrable projection experience, and able to submit work samples of projection based work. Applicants can submit an application online at http://promotionandarts.submittable.com/submit/62390. The application deadline is August 8, 2016
Proposals should include:
- A statement of interest (maximum 250 words)
- A summary of the major themes of the project, including potential research methods and sources, thematic content, narrative elements, and specific media components for the project (maximum 500 words)
- Up to five examples of previous works, and a corresponding works list that identifies each file type by applicant name (ex: SMITH.JANE.jpeg)
Timeline:
July 15- application opens
August 8- application closes
August 9-15- BOPA internal review, Berlin Leuchtet making final selections
September- Project development, organized Skype conversation between Berlin and Baltimore
September 30- October 16- Berlin Light Weeks®
The selected artist contract will be executed as quickly to the notification date as possible to ensure that as much time as feasible can be devoted to producing and delivering this project. It is recommended that artist consider this a full-time project, and can confidently commit their time to delivering the final installation.
For any questions, please contact Ashley Molese at amolese@promotionandarts.org