Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council (dlr) is delighted to invite proposals for its 2024-2026 visual art exhibition programme for the Municipal Gallery, dlr LexIcon, Dún Laoghaire. The callout is open to professional artists, curators, and arts organisations to apply. Proposals for solo, two person, or group shows are welcome. A minimum of three separate exhibitions will be programmed from this call out. They will take place between 2024 and 2026. We envisage that one exhibition opportunity will be for an emerging artist.
The aim of the programme for the Municipal Gallery, dlr LexIcon is to provide opportunities for our diverse public to engage with the visual arts as creators, spectators and participants.
The Gallery Learning Programme is an important part of the Gallery, it offers workshops, talks, tours and other events for all ages. Applicants must be open to their work being mediated in this way for the general public. This may include accessibility and inclusion considerations in the way that the artworks are presented in the Gallery for the public.
What we offer:
- A fee to the artist(s); this is €6,000 for established and €4,000 for emerging artists. Applicants should note that this amount is the total fee available for any one exhibition, to include all artists (including any EPR’s) and curators (if relevant).
- In the case of emerging artists, we may provide additional supports such as mentoring, assistance with selection and layout of artworks for the exhibition. These will be discussed and identified following selection.
- Considerations around accessibility and inclusion for audiences will be supported by the Arts Office.
- The budget outlined by the applicant should consider the scale and ambition of the proposal, number of artists and career stage of those involved.
- Marketing materials will be arranged and paid for by the Arts Office.
- dlr Arts Office will promote the exhibition via the Arts e-bulletin, website and dlr social media. Information will be sent to local press and relevant arts press via press releases/listings.
- Transportation of work by specialist art handlers up to a maximum amount of €600; transportation to be organised by the artist. This amount is separate to the artist’s fee.
- Qualified art technicians will be provided to install the work (the standard allocation for this is 2 technicians x 2 days for install, and 2 technicians x 1 day for de-install).
- Exhibition launch (if appropriate).
- Photographic documentation of the exhibition will be organised and paid for by the Arts Office.
- The Arts Office does not handle sales of work. However, artists are welcome to put a price list into the Gallery and sell directly from the exhibition. No commission will be taken by DLR.
Please note that artists who have had an exhibition in the Municipal Gallery as part of a previous Open Call or Visual Art Commission opportunities in the period 2016-2023 are not eligible to apply. You may have had an artwork exhibited as part of the Open submission exhibitions during this period and be eligible to apply.
A separate call for submissions for the Visual Art Commission will be issued in mid-2023 for exhibitions in 2024 and 2025. This Commission is specifically for the creation and exhibition of new work; the fee to the artist will be €12,000.
The Gallery
The Gallery is un-invigilated; therefore, artists are advised not to propose artworks of a delicate nature unless they are to be displayed in locked plinths (six of which can be provided by the Arts Office), or they are comfortable with the risk that the works may be damaged during the exhibition run. In general, artwork will be insured while on the premises. However, in certain instances where dlr Arts Office deems the work to be vulnerable we may only agree to exhibit the work when the artist is willing to take this informed risk. In this case the artist is required to sign an indemnity letter for dlr County Council acknowledging that the work is uninsured by us and exhibited at their own risk.
Gallery Learning Programme & Mediation of Artworks for the Public
dlr Arts Office creates opportunities for the public to engage with the arts, as creators, participants and spectators. The Gallery Learning Programme forms an integral part of the annual programme in the Municipal Gallery and is intended to develop and enhance opportunities for audiences to view and experience visual art. Mediation opportunities may include, but are not limited to, workshops, demonstrations, talks and screenings. Work will be mediated with a non-arts audience in mind; in addition to specific audiences as decided by dlr Arts Office.
As the Gallery is situated within a public library the range of visitors is diverse; for example, a lot of children visit the Gallery. The Municipal Gallery is funded by local government, therefore inclusion and accessibility are key considerations for the space. As such, certain aspects need to be considered as part of the visitor experience. For example, the language used must be plain English, seating in the Gallery is a requirement for all shows, labels are required for all works, and the type and level of lighting may need to be considered.
Works will be clearly labelled and an A0 mediation panel in plain English written by dlr Arts Office will be hung on the wall just inside the Gallery. Museum quality labels are used to label artworks in the Gallery. Artists will have the choice of 2 label sizes: 100 x 50mm / 100 x 150mm; text for the labels will be minimum 11-point sans serif font.
The selected artist(s) may be asked to participate in a maximum of two public engagement events, for example an “in conversation” with the curatorial team or perhaps a workshop. Artists will be paid an additional set rate for these, as per Learning Programme fees.
Municipal Gallery Audience
Consideration of the audience of dlr LexIcon should be clearly evidenced in proposals submitted. The audience for the Municipal Gallery has been identified as a mix of library visitors, dlr residents, local arts community, tourists and day visitors. As the Gallery is within a busy Library all work proposed must be suitable for viewing by both adults and children.
Online and In-person briefing sessions for interested applicants
The Arts Office will host an online briefing session on Thursday 9th February at 11.00 am, and an in-person briefing session in the Gallery on Tuesday 21st February at 6.00pm to introduce the space and answer any specific questions. To book a place for this, please email Carolyn Brown
cbrown@dlrcoco.ie Facilitated gallery visits cannot be accommodated outside of this time.
Selection criteria
Applications will be evaluated using the following criteria:
- Quality of previous work (30/100)
- Quality and feasibility of outlined proposal (40/100)
- Suitability of the outlined proposal within the overall Gallery Programme, public library setting and audiences (30/100)
The selection panel may choose to programme 2 solo exhibitions concurrently if it is felt that this would be mutually beneficial to both artists and where the pairing will create a complimentary exhibition programme. (Previous examples include exhibitions by Denis Kelly/Ben Readman; and Fiona Hackett/Catherine Delaney).
Application Process - Applications must be made on Submit.com
You will be required to upload the following:
- CV/group biography
- Examples of previous work (photographs, video, catalogue etc.)
- Exhibition proposal
If you have any access requirements in order to make an application, please let us know by contacting arts@dlrcoco.ie or (01) 236 2759.
We welcome applications from all artists regardless of their socio-economic background, gender, civil status, family status, sexual orientation, religion, age, disability, race or membership of the Traveller Community.
Adjudication will be conducted by the Arts Office and independent practitioners with arts expertise. The decision of the selection panel will be final. If necessary, the selection panel may contact an applicant to seek clarification on specific proposal details. All applicants will be notified regarding decisions by email.
Closing date for applications: Tuesday 14th March 2023 at 1pm
Successful applicants will be notified by end of April 2023
Freedom of Information
The provisions of the Freedom of Information Act 2014 apply to Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council. Applicants should state if any of the information supplied by them is confidential or sensitive and should not be disclosed to a request for information under the aforementioned Act. Applicants should state why they consider the information to be confidential or commercially sensitive.
GDPR
All information provided for this application will be held for a period of one year from the date of submission and will remain in the ownership Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council Arts Office. Information supplied in the application will be used only for the purpose of the application itself and will only be used by dlr Arts Office for the purposes of administering and managing this particular exhibition, including the selection process (2 x designated external panel members will participate in the selection process). You may withdraw your consent to the retention of the information relating to your application at any point by sending an email to
arts@dlrcoco.ie
Summary Timeline
Online Briefing Session: Thursday 9th February at 11am
In Person Facilitated Gallery Visit: Tuesday 21st February at 6pm
Deadline for receipt of applications: Tuesday 14th March 2023 at 1pm
Successful applicants informed by: End of April 2023
For further information
Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council reserves the right not to select if a requisite number of the proposals received are not deemed to be suitable. In this instance, Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council reserves the right to pursue a different selection process. Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council reserves the right to extend the life of the panel.