Lawndale accepts Artist Exhibition Proposals twice annually.
NEXT DEADLINE: March 15, 2012
Lawndale Art Center is a non-profit alternative space actively seeking proposals from artists for exhibitions and performances. Lawndale was founded in 1979 as a student/artist exhibition center. It was established to support local and regional visual and performing artists. Formerly located in an old East End cable manufacturing warehouse owned by the University of Houston, Lawndale is now centrally located at 4912 Main Street in the Museum District. Its continuing mission is to present work by both emerging and established Houston artists, as well as regional artists. Lawndale seeks to sponsor educational forums and dialogues, which address the relationship between art and society.
topOur building at 4912 Main offers four exhibition spaces. Diagrams are available by clicking on the images below. Proposals for the Mary E. Bawden Scuplture Garden and alternative spaces throughout the building are considered on a case by case basis by the Programming Committee.
John M. O'Quinn Gallery
Approximately 2100sq. ft. Floor Space, 153 linear ft. of hangable wall space, 16 ft. Ceiling
Click here for full floor plan
Grace R. Cavnar Gallery
Approximately 650 sq. ft. floor space, 90 linear ft. of hangable wall space, 8'6" Ceiling
Click here for full floor plan
Cecily E. Horton Gallery
Approximately1100 sq. ft. floor space, 85 linear ft. of hangable wall Space, 8'6" Ceiling
Click here for full floor plan
The Project Space
Approximately 525 sq. ft. floor space, 70 linear ft. of hangable wall space, 10'11" Ceiling
Click here for full floor plan
All proposals for exhibitions submitted by March 15, 2012, will be reviewed by the Programming Committee for exhibitions to be scheduled between between November 2012 and May 2013. All proposals materials must be received by this deadline (this is NOT a postmark deadline). Proposals received after the March 15, 2012 deadline will be considered for the following review period. Proposals are accepted throughout the year and reviewed twice annually (September 15 and March 15).
The Lawndale Programming Committee serves as the curatorial voice for Lawndale. The committee consists of a diverse group of regional artists and arts professionals. Members serve on the committee for three years and are exempt from consideration for exhibitions at Lawndale during their tenure.
Lawndale encourages exhibition proposals from artists and curators whose work is site-specific, traditional, non-traditional, experimental or collaborative. Proposals accepted will include, but are not limited to, visual and performance art, video and installation. Artists and curators are also invited to submit proposals for other spaces in or around the building, outside of our galleries.
Lawndale Art Center offers a modest honorarium for each gallery to help cover such expenses as materials, travel, and packing and/or shipping of artworks. Installation and deinstallation is the responsibility of the artist or curator. Assistance can be arranged if needed.
Lawndale's Programming Committee will consider proposals that are:
- Original, Innovative and Contemporary
- Non-Commercial
- Difficult to show elsewhere
- Feasible based on project description and demonstrated ability
- More than one artist's work and that are thematically coherent
- Submitted by one artist or collaborative team and are site specific
- Work that has not been previously shown in Houston
NOTE: No member of the Board of Directors of Lawndale Art Center may propose an exhibition of their work to be displayed at Lawndale until one year after their last day of service on the board.
All proposals are preliminarily reviewed in digital format. Please provide all of the information below on a single CD-ROM labeled with your name and telephone number. Do NOT submit paper copies of your materials as they will not be reviewed.
All proposals are required to adhere to the following formats.
- Work Examples
VISUAL ARTISTS — NO MORE THAN 15 digital images of work on a CD ordered in viewing priority. Image files must be in jpeg (.JPG) format, no larger than 1024x768 pixels at 72 dpi. Please use only alpha-numeric characters (abc, 123...), dashes (-) and underscores ( _ ) in the files names of digital materials. Images not conforming to this standard will not be viewed.
Please provide a corresponding list of images saved as a text file (.txt), PDF or Microsoft Word document (.doc) ONLY.
VIDEO AND PERFORMANCE ARTISTS — For video, include no more than 5 minutes of video on CD with proposal materials. Videos must be able to play on a computer using Windows Media Player or QuickTime (Quicktime video files are preferred) and be no larger than 50MB.
- Resume(s)/CV saved as a text file (.txt), PDF or Microsoft Word document (.doc).
- Proposal - ONE page text file (.txt), PDF or Microsoft Word document (.doc) including the following information:
Name and contact information
Title, Concept and description of exhibition
Special needs/equipment needs (if any)
Specify space or gallery
- Self-Addressed Stamped Envelope (SASE) for return of materials.
If no SASE is provided in the proposal, materials will be disposed of in 30 days.
PLEASE include your name and contact information on all documents (i.e. resume, proposal, list of works). A link to your website with additional work examples is also encouraged, but not required.
PLEASE do not submit Microsoft Word documents saved as .docx .
PLEASE check to make sure all files are complete and will open in their respective software. Please adhere to all format/file type requirements. Files that cannot be opened will not be reviewed by the Programming Committee.
Proposal materials may be dropped off at Lawndale or mailed to:
Lawndale Art Center
Attn: Programming Committee
4912 Main Street
Houston, TX 77002
NOTE: The selection process may take 6 – 12 weeks for completion. You will be notified of your proposal status by email as soon as the selection process is finalized.
