Recess Accepting Applications

Recess is accepting applications via their application portal through 11:59 pm EST on March 16, 2016. You may read about the application and application process below.

ABOUT RECESS: Recess is an artists’ workspace that is open to the public. Recess facilitates every-day interactions between artists and audiences in order to promote the productive space of the working artist as a site of valuable visual and intellectual interaction. Our endeavors promote critical exposure for the artists we support while fostering an inclusive environment in which artists and the public can engage in a meaningful exchange of art and ideas.

ABOUT SESSION: Artists are given flexible storefront space and resources to realize ambitious projects, with Recess remaining open to the public at every stage of the project’s development. Though similar to a residency program, Session goes beyond the traditional structure to facilitate interactions between artists and audiences throughout the creative process. We encourage artists to engage with their audience in a manner specific to their creative goals, while using Recess as a studio, exhibition space, stage, and/or experimental platform to generate new work.
Session artists receive an honorarium as well as a project stipend based on the material needs of their Session. Artists have access to their space 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for the full duration of their Session and are expected to work on a daily basis or the equivalent of at least 20 hours per week. Session artists will also receive individualized support from Recess staff as well as visits from members of Recess’s Advisory Board, which is comprised of leading gallerists, editors, artists, curators, and academics.
In conversation with Recess staff, artists designate their own work hours, which must overlap with at least 12 of Recess’s 30 public hours each week. Working during public hours allows Session artists to connect with visitors through visual, aural, and/or performance-based material or activity. If the artist chooses to work in part when the space is closed to the public, his/her presence must be implied during open hours by the presence of site-specific work in process.

THE SPACE: Recess is located at 41 Grand Street in Soho, one of New York City’s first artist communities. The 1,200 square-foot space features high ceilings and natural light from the glass storefront window that links artists to the street, the neighborhood, and the public. In addition, this space offers wifi, a kitchenette, tools, AV equipment, and storage for project materials. To see photos and a floor plan of the space visit our Flickr page. Public hours in Soho are Tuesday–Saturday, 12-6pm; Thursday, 2-8pm.

SELECTION CRITERIA: Recess will only consider complete proposals submitted in the correct format; please read submission guidelines carefully. Session artists will be selected based on the conceptual rigor and artistic quality of their proposal and their potential to work productively within the unique program environment. Successful applicants will articulate a particular need to work in a manner that expands beyond traditional studio methods and gallery exhibition formats.

Proposals will be evaluated with the following criteria in mind:

1. Quality of the proposed project – assessed based on submitted project proposal
2. Need to work in Recess’s non-traditional studio/exhibition space – assessed based on project proposal and samples of past work
3. Project feasibility – assessed based on project proposal and proposed budget
4. Artistic merit and professional record – assessed based on CV and the samples of past work

SELECTION PROCESS: In an effort to decentralize visual authority while maintaining a level of critical coherence, a panel consisting of former Session artists, leaders from the contemporary arts community, curators, and arts practitioners with programming experience review Recess’s applications. Visit the Artist Review Panel page for a listing of this year’s panelists.
Panelists first review project proposals and then look at samples of past work. If panelists judge these primary application materials to be of the highest quality, then they review all other supplemental material. A small portion of successful applicants will be selected for interviews to discuss their proposal in detail.

APPLICATION: THE FOLLOWING ITEMS MUST BE INCLUDED IN YOUR APPLICATION
INSTRUCTIONS:
Applicants must submit an application via the Submittable website (you must create an account if you do not already have one).
The application requires the following items saved as individual files named with your first initial, last name, and description. Ex: jsmith_proposal, jsmith_budget, etc.

1. Project Proposal: Your proposal, including all text and up to 4 renderings or images of proposed installation (optional but encouraged), should be less than 1000 words and should not exceed two pages of 12-point, single-spaced type. Please save your proposal as a .doc or .pdf file. Your proposal should include and/or address:
   • General project information (materials, scale, conceptual and technical goals, etc.)
   • A visual description of WHAT OUR SPACE WILL LOOK LIKE throughout your Session. What, physically, will be in the space? How will it evolve during your Session? Renderings are helpful, but not required
   • Specific interest in Session at Recess
   • Desired Length of Session (generally, Sessions are 2 months long. If you require a different length, please explain)
   • Proposed means of public engagement
2. Proposed Budget: Estimated total and annotated list of possible expenditures (these need not be final numbers. If selected, budget will be discussed and potentially amended with Recess staff)
3. Work Samples: Documentation should show work created within the past two years and/or renderings of proposed project. Media files should be titled with your first initial, last name, and number: ex.: jsmith1.jpg, jsmith2.jpg. Video and audio submissions must be Mac compatible. Each clip will be viewed for no longer than 3 minutes. Please submit work samples according to one of the following options:
   • 10 Jpeg images (12 images if applying as a group), at 72 DPI resolution minimum, no dimension exceeding 1,000 pixels
   • OR up to 2 video or audio samples sent as links to online work (preferred) or as quicktime files no larger than 3 MB (each clip will be viewed for no longer than 3 minutes) AND up to 8 Jpeg images (10 images if applying as a group)
4. Work Descriptions/Image List/Video List: A numbered list of images, audio, or videos with title, year, size, and medium of work. Include a brief (2-3 sentences) description of work if necessary
5. Resume or CV

If you have any technical problems or questions, please don’t hesitate to contact us at info@recessactivities.org or 646.863.3765.