Submissions are now open for
The Quenten Doolittle Memorial Gallery Exhibit: Emerging Artists!
in association with the IGNITE! Festival for Emerging Artists
April 18th – June 22nd, 2024.
The Pumphouse Theatre is a vibrant facility with historical significance and a focus on showcasing community, emerging and early stage career artists. It supports and presents all art forms and creates opportunities for engagement, enrichment, cultural experience, learning and inspiration, while serving all Calgarians. To enable this, the Quenten Doolittle Memorial Gallery provides accessible wall display space for Mohkinstsis (Calgary) visual artists to display and sell their work, free from commission.
The Pumphouse Theatre supports an inclusive and diverse community. We encourage any submissions of eligible visual artists from all communities including but not limited to the LGBTQ2+, BIPOC, and those with disabilities.
IGNITE! is a festival dedicated to supporting, mentoring, and presenting emerging artists of all disciplines. IGNITE! allows artists to embrace risks in a supportive environment while providing resources, a bridge to the professional arts community, and meaningful opportunities for collaboration and community building with their peers.
For this exhibit, we are looking for work that is created by emerging artists. This includes artists with less than 5 years of professional experience creating or exhibiting their work. Submissions of any style, from realistic to abstract, and in any visual art medium will be considered, provided it meets all gallery requirements below.
Submissions must meet the following requirements:
- The artist resides in Alberta and must be available for installation.
- Artist must identify as Emerging (less than 5 years of experience)
- Artwork must be delivered ready to hang (wall space only)
Artists will be given a choice to opt into allowing their work to be adjudicated to become the official art piece of IGNITE! 2024. All submissions will be displayed from April 18th – June 22nd, 2024. If selected to be the official art piece of IGNITE! 2024, the artist will receive an artist festival pass and an honorarium for the use of their image in marketing material.
Installation Requirements: All art MUST be equipped with picture hanging wire and D rings (a piece of metal hardware shaped like the letter D used on the back of frame or canvas as hooking device). Hanging cleats or flat metal hardware unfortunately will not be accepted. Dimensions must correlate with those provided on the submission form, otherwise they may not be installed upon being selected.
This gallery is intended to be available for in person and online viewing. Due to the uncertainty of COVID-19 pandemic, there is the possibility of this exhibit being online exclusively. All installation requirements are still necessary for this exhibit at this time.
In the event of an in-person gallery, The Pumphouse Theatre will install the work on behalf of the artists. Artwork may be dropped off or picked up by either the artist or a representative during the hours of 12pm and 6pm on the installation and take down dates provided. Artist must reserve an installation and take down date via a provided form or by contacting the Programming Director.
Timeline:
- Submission Deadline: March 22nd, 2024 4pm
- All artists who submit will be notified with a decision no later than 2-2 1/2 weeks after the deadline.
- Installation: April 14th – April 16th, 2024
- Exhibition: April 18th – June 22nd, 2024
- In the event of a virtual gallery only, this exhibition end date may be extended into the summer
- Take Down: June 23rd – June 26th, 2024
To apply, please send the following information via email:
- Completed Gallery Submission Form
- Artist Biography (250 words max)
- A short description of who you are and your art background, training, passion, and/or any combination of the fore mentioned information
- Artwork: Photos, maximum of 5, do not send original works.
- Images of artwork only; do not send original works with application
Applications or queries are sent to:
Programming Director
2140 Pumphouse Ave SW Calgary, AB T3C 3P5
kelly@pumphousetheatre.ca 403-263-0079 ext. 100
Selection Process: Art pieces are selected by a committee of no less than 3 people and are a mix of artists and administrators. Selection criteria is based on: suitability to the theme, technique, emotional response, creativity & innovation, and suitability for the Pumphouse Theatre gallery space and its patrons (ages 8-80 representing various socio-economic and cultural backgrounds). Unfortunately, we are unable to accept works that feature nudity.
Any artists who need assistance with their application, or have inquires and questions, are welcome to contact The Pumphouse Theatre at any point.