The Six Foot Platform 2022

NOW ACCEPTING PROPOSALS FOR THE SIX FOOT PLATFORM!
DEADLINE TO SUBMIT IS April 1, 2022
Artists will be notified by May 16, 2022
* All applications must be submitted online. Guidelines available here with photos of street & platform.

Honorarium
$1,250

Payment will be made on the day of appearance.

What:
THE SIX FOOT PLATFORM is an experimental art & performance program, inviting Brooklyn-based artists in all mediums to activate a 6x6 platform at the intersection of Washington and Water Streets, Dumbo’s most iconic block, for a single summer Saturday from 1-8pm.
Washington Street is Brooklyn’s most iconic street, photographed more than 100 times per minute by visitors across the City and globe. Part of Dumbo’s Open Streets program, this is the 2nd time this opportunity is being offered. The “audience” is fluid, and flexible. Dumbonians, New Yorkers, and visitors from further afield, some on Washington Street for the first time, some seeking out your work specifically.
This is a space-within-a-space, an experiment, an intervention in public space. The expectation is that the platform be activated CONTINUOUSLY throughout the course of the residency 1-8pm. The experience of the space can change over time, but it should be constant and deliberate.
The work must be appropriate for all ages and be suitable for public space.

We’re open to all mediums. Some things we can envision here are:

• Living sculpture, or sculptures;
• Performance art;
• Installation that makes creative use of the structure, the wind, the view.
• Live performances, including puppetry, dance, theater, and spoken word.

Where:
Washington and Water Street, Dumbo’s most iconic block.
When:
Each residency encompasses one summer Saturday, from 1pm-8pm. Load in begins at 11am. Load out must be completed by 9pm.
Available dates:

June 11

June 18
June 25
July 2
July 9
July 16
July 23
July 30
August 6
August 13
August 20
August 27

Technical Specifications & Logistics
The platform is 6’ x 6’, and roughly 12” high. The vertical poles are 8’.
The work, whether performative or sculptural, must be contained within the 6x6 footprint. You may make use of cross beams for hanging work/materials, but they are not strong enough to support a person. Performers who are waiting ‘on deck’ can be off the platform, on the street/sidewalk, and we’ll provide shade.
Submit your proposal and we will review requirements for backline & other equipment.
* A stage manager will be on site all day to assist with instructions and wayfinding as needed. You will be responsible for installing and breaking down your experience. Amplified sound is permissible; we’ll secure sound permits on your behalf.
Rain plan
The rain plan will be discussed and approved in advance with each artist, based on the circumstances of their project. When applying, please keep contingency plans in mind when considering the scale of your proposal and the number of folks involved to execute.
Marketing & Promotion
Dumbo Improvement District and Brooklyn Arts Council will promote THE SIX FOOT PLATFORM through press releases, and on social media (@dumbobrooklyn, @bkartscouncil with a combined reach of 150k). Additionally, the presence of the platform is itself an incredible marketing tool. As noted above, Washington Street is one of Brooklyn’s most trafficked blocks; expect audiences from all over New York and the world to experience the work in the moment.
Artist will also be expected to promote their appearance through their own channels. The Dumbo Improvement District will provide assets where appropriate.

THE SIX FOOT PLATFORM is presented by the Dumbo Improvement District in partnership with the Brooklyn Arts Council. Applications will be reviewed and curated via panel.

Review Criteria

• Artistic merit of the proposed project
• Quality and clarity of application narrative
• Audience benefit to be derived from the project
• Non-duplication of similar project in type of programming
• Clearly defined ability to successfully complete the project
  
• We want to curate a purposeful “mixed bag” of applicants & Platformers reflective of our beloved borough - that means we’ll be looking for diverse types of art as well as artists (emerging or established)!

Technical Issues with the online application form or questions about logging onto Submittable must be directed to support@submittable.com or 855-467-8264. Other questions can be directed to lnordvig@brooklynartscouncil.org.