The Clemente Open Call

We are pleased to invite independent curators, emerging artists and arts professionals to submit exhibition proposals to be considered for the two gallery spaces at The Clemente, the Abrazo Interno Gallery, and the LES Gallery, from April 2022 to April 2023.

The Clemente Soto Vélez Cultural & Educational Center is a Puerto Rican/Latinx arts institution where, for close to three decades, countless New York based Latinx, BIPOC, local LES, and international artists create multi-disciplinary contemporary work in a collaborative environment. We focus on the cultivation, presentation, and preservation of Latinx culture, producing and promoting artistic events that fully reflect the cultural diversity of the Lower East Side and the city as a whole.

The Clemente’s Visual Arts program is dedicated to supporting alternative voices, intra-diasporic exchange and work that pushes the boundaries of its media. The Clemente’s Visual Arts Review Panel, which includes independent museum professionals, curators, gallerists and arts educators, will select 8 exhibitions total for the Abrazo and LES Galleries based on the strength of the art and curatorial concept. Submissions will be judged on merit; you do not have to be a professionally trained curator to submit a proposal. For a full list of guidelines please see the application link via Submittable.

Selected exhibits will run for 8 weeks. The Clemente will offer a stipend of $500 for each curatorial proposal. Each curatorial project is expected to execute a public program component, such as a public workshop, artist talk, panel, etc. as well as exhibition documentation such as a video tour or podcast- The Clemente works with a videographer and sound editor to support this programming.

Submission Deadline is October 25th, 2021. Application is open to US and non-US residents. Artists will be notified of selection mid December 2021.

Requirements

-Submissions will be judged on merit; you do not have to be a professionally trained curator to submit a proposal.

-Curators should select their preference for either the LES or the Abrazo Gallery (floorplans included on the Clemente website under ‘Spaces’)- The Clemente will have the final decision if proposal is selected.

-Group exhibitions are strongly encouraged (note: group shows are defined as 3 or more artists), however, show proposals for the work of a single artist will be considered if they meet the criteria below.

-Artists acting in a curatorial role for a proposed group exhibition may include their own work in a proposal, i.e. you may not submit a solo show for yourself.

-Submissions that include programming such as artist talks, community workshops and gallery tours are encouraged.

-Proposals that include an additional fee-based open call will not be considered.

-To be considered, Clemente Residents cannot constitute more than 25% of the artists in your proposal.

-We do not accept proposals from undergraduate or graduate students.

-The Clemente does not discriminate based on age, gender, or nationality.

-Single Artist Exhibition Criteria: This option is intended to offer exhibition opportunities to mature (artists 65+) or deceased artists whose work has been overlooked. Artists acting in a curatorial role may not submit a solo show for themselves.