Skeleton Park Arts Festival calls for submissions for Next Door 2021

The Skeleton Park Arts Festival (SKAF) is inviting proposals from Katarokwi/Kingston-based artists for installations to be included in their second annual rendition of Next Door.

Next Door is a temporary public art exhibition displayed throughout the Skeleton Park neighbourhood. Installations by local artists are exhibited in and around the neighbourhood on front lawns, through windows, suspended from homes and trees, celebrating community and showcasing the work of “next-door neighbour” artists, according to a release from SPAF.

The first iteration of Next Door: A Skeleton Park Neighbourhood Art Project developed in response to the seismic changes experienced in the spring of 2020, offering a safe way of engaging with art and animating the daily walks which became so essential to supporting mental health during periods of isolation, according to the release. SPAF says the second rendition of this project seeks to further strengthen community networks by inviting local community organizations, based within and beyond the Skeleton Park neighbourhood, to participate in Next Door by expanding outreach, sitting on the Selection Committee, and hosting installations. Artists based in Katarokwi/Kingston and the surrounding area are invited to apply.

“This is an open call for submissions and we invite work addressing a multiplicity of questions and themes,” SKAF said in the release. “Artists are invited to showcase the direction their practice has taken in response to the many changes experienced over the past year; explore new ideas and technical approaches; address current and recent events; or take on whatever thematic focus the artist seeks to explore. Next Door installations should be visually appealing and conceptually compelling. Submissions should propose works which have not been previously exhibited—submissions of new works and works in progress are welcome, and should present a clear idea of the finished piece.”

Submissions in all media and formats are encouraged, however artists should consider the scale of the project and mode of presentation. Works can be displayed outdoors throughout the Skeleton Park neighbourhood, or indoors if visible from the street. Proposals including suggested locations for display are welcome, but not required. Skeleton Park Arts Festival say they will confirm and finalize installation locations.

The deadline for submissions is 11:59 p.m., Tuesday, March 16th, 2021. Artists will be notified of their acceptance by April 16, 2021. If selected, works must be completed by June 12, 2021.

The Next Door 2021 exhibition will be on display from June 16 to August 16, 2021.

For submission guidelines, download the call for submissions document here.

Photos, descriptions and an audio tour of last years exhibition can be found on the Skeleton Park Arts Festival website.