CANMORE – The artsPlace Hub Gallery is now accepting submissions for the 2021 RISE Emerging Artist Program.
The art program aims to promote Alberta’s emerging artists by pairing an exhibition opportunity with mentorship by a local art professional.
“The RISE Emerging Artist Program has always been a cornerstone of the artsPlace gallery space,” said programs manager Nicole Fougère. “ArtsPlace really wants to be the heart of this community and that means supporting emerging artists as they transition into their professional career.”
Fougère defined an emerging artist as someone who is in the early stage of their career, less than five years.
“We would love to receive submissions from artists of all visual disciplines – sculpture, photography, digital artwork, painting, drawing. There are so many possibilities that would work beautifully in the artsPlace space,” Fougère said.
This year the program will accept three applicants, who will build experience in exhibition design, installation, and marketing and business training.
The accepted artists will each be paired with a local artist mentor, who will help guide the artist through preparation and planning for the exhibition, the installation of the exhibition, and the artist talk for the opening reception.
“With no education, you have no idea where to start with something like an exhibit, and artsPlace is really great at providing an experience at a show like you would see elsewhere at other galleries later in your career,” said former RISE emerging artist Katie Barron.
“Having someone that has been through the process and understands how to set up a show, and even basic things like how to hang a painting, are so valuable to an artist who is trying to break into the industry.”
Each artist's exhibit will be four weeks long, and allows them the opportunity to educate, exhibit, sell, and promote their work within the Bow Valley.
“It was a great push into the community. Before the show, friends and family knew my work and appreciated it, but the RISE exhibit really provided me with the opportunity the show off my work to a wider audience,” Barron said.
The exhibition dates this year will be from March 10 to April 10, May 17 to June 17 and July 26 to Aug. 26.
“We will hold these exhibitions whether artsPlace is open to the public or not,” said Fougère.
ArtsPlace is working with McKeown Photography, who will create 3-D tours of each of the exhibits in the gallery space.
“Even if artsPlace is closed to the public during these exhibits, people will still be able to experience these exhibits online and the artists will still have the artistic empowerment of creating their exhibition.”
If the gallery is open to the public, Fougère said people will have the choice to attend the exhibit in person or online, in the same way that Sinéad Ludwig-Burgess’s RISE exhibition was operated last November and December.
There is no application fee to apply and Fougère is encouraging all emerging artists to apply.
“It’s great if the artists who apply can really show us pieces that they are already working on rather than work that is still in their imagination,” said Fougère.
The deadline for submissions is Feb. 21 and the notification of acceptance will be Feb. 10.
Visit artsplacecanmore.com, for more information about the program.
