CALL FOR PARTICIPATION:

FIGMENT DALLAS 2020 MARCH 14 AT REVERCHON PARK

We are excited to announce that we will be accepting art project submissions for the FIGMENT Dallas 2020 Interactive Art Festival! FIGMENT Dallas 2020 is a one-day participatory arts event held in Reverchon Park, showcasing art that encourages participants to play, dance, sing, create, engage, experiment, and explore their environment. The event accepts submissions from artists of all ages and experience. Submit your project using the FIGMENT Artist Submission Portal by January 24, 2020.

How to Submit Your Project

Before you submit:

• Please read the new Artist’s Guide to Leave No Trace for more information on what LNT means for artists
• Please read the Artist’s Guide which provides guidelines on how to make your project as FIGMENT-worthy as possible! The guide contains practical installation and de-installation tips, rules of engagement and construction limitations at Reverchon Park, a list of things you should bring to the park, a list of things you cannot bring to the park.

To submit your project:

Submit your art project for FIGMENT Dallas before January 24, 2020! by filling out an application on the Artist Submission Portal. The Tips & Tricks Guide contains detailed instructions on how to use the portal. We recommend submitting well before the August 20 deadline to receive more detailed attention from the Curatorial Team, especially for artists with unique installation requirements.

After you submit, you will be assigned a curator, who will be your official contact and through the FIGMENT evaluation process, and then your guide supporting you through the event itself to ensure bringing your project to FIGMENT NYC Weekend goes as smoothly as possible.

10 Things Artists Should Know about FIGMENT

FIGMENT is not your typical art event. Here are 10 key things to keep in mind before submitting for FIGMENT Dallas. Most of them are discussed in detail below or in the Artists Guide.

1. 1. Everyone is welcome. Artists and participants of any age or experience are welcome to be a part of FIGMENT.
   2. All art is participatory. All of the art at FIGMENT is participatory. We look for art that encourages people to play, dance, sing, create, engage, experiment, and explore their environment.
   3. No sales, logos, or advertising. The art at FIGMENT is a gift from the artist to the FIGMENT community. Nothing is for sale at FIGMENT. At FIGMENT, interactions between people are not mediated by commercial transactions of any kind. There is no advertising, nothing is for sale, and no one asks for donations.
   4. We’re outdoors in a public park. FIGMENT takes place outdoors in a public area, so your project should be designed to withstand the weather and the public.
   5. We leave no trace. Your project can not leave any trace or mark on the Island, and artists must be prepared to completely remove and clean up after their project. See our LNT Guide for more information.
   6. We’re all volunteer. FIGMENT Project is an all-volunteer organization. Our staff gives their time as a gift to artists and participants. Additionally, artists need to supply all of the labor they need to install, supervise, and deinstall their project.
   7. FIGMENT Dallas is a completely free event. There is no charge for artists or participants to be a part of the event.
   8. We have no artists grants. The Weekend event does not have a budget for project grants.

• FIGMENT Dallas begins its call-for-artists in Nov 2019 and ask artists to tell us about their projects in a proposal application. 2020 submission requirements will look a lot like what is listed here, basically no climbing & no fire). Sign up for the artist mailing list for up to date info on be one of the first to get the 2020 proposal application.

• We're in other cities, too! There are FIGMENT Weekend events happening around the globe, and we encourage artists to bring their projects to multiple cities! Find out where else FIGMENT is happening.

CURATORIAL CONSIDERATIONS: HOW WE EVALUATE PROJECT SUBMISSIONS

The FIGMENT Dallas Curatorial Team is primarily concerned with the suitability of your project for FIGMENT and Reverchon Park, as opposed to artist experience, education or previous exhibitions of the piece. Artists of any age or experience are welcome to be a part of FIGMENT as long as the project is interactive, upholds our principles, and does not violate Island rules. Here are some questions you should ask yourself when preparing a project for FIGMENT.

Is it interactive?

Interactive or Participatory art blurs the lines between the artist, the art, and people engaging with the art. We look for art that encourages people to play, dance, sing, create, engage, experiment, and explore their environment. Theatre, dance, music, performance art, games, creative costuming, workshops and activities are all common genres found at FIGMENT. Three dimensional sculptural installations are also common at FIGMENT, as the participant’s experience of the piece alters as he or she moves around it.

We generally do not accept “wall art” such as finished paintings or photography and do not have space to display such works. Artists working in those genres are encouraged to find a way to engage FIGMENT participants in creating such works, displaying such works inside a larger sculptural installation, collaborating with a performance art event, or creating some other participatory experience that involves such works.

Does it uphold the FIGMENT Principles?

In addition to being interactive, art at FIGMENT must be consistent with our 11 principles. FIGMENT has 11 principles that shape our event, giving our events a unique flavor and experience found in few places elsewhere in the world. They also guide the curators in selecting art appropriate for the event. Upholding the principles presents challenges to FIGMENT artists, staff, and volunteers that many other art events do not have to address.

Is it durable and designed for the environment?

FIGMENT Dallas is a rain or shine event held outdoors on public park land that faces the ocean. We do not have indoor storage space for projects, and the event does not have secure borders. This means a few things:

Projects brought to FIGMENT must be able to withstand heavy rain and wind. It’s okay to disassemble or cover your project in the event of rain (or at the end of the day, just in case), but you need to be prepared for rain. If your project falls apart in the wind or rain, it is your responsibility to clean it up.Projects must be durable and ready to have up to 1,000 people interacting with it. Projects made from fragile or flimsy materials will not be accepted. Projects must also be designed with security in mind—the park is open to the public. Valuable equipment or materials are left unattended at the artist’s own risk.

Does it pose a threat to LNT?

We take our principle of Leave No Trace seriously. Your project can not leave any trace or mark in the park, and artists must be prepared to clean up after their project. For more details on what this means and how to comply, see our Artist Guide.

Is it feasible to bring to the park? Does it pose legal or liability issues?

There are a host of restrictions on materials and activities on city property. See the Artist Guide for more information.

Artist history & experience

As we stated earlier, artists of any age or experience are welcome to be a part of FIGMENT. We consider artist history and experience largely for placement and PR purposes only.

Event Process Timeline

• Fri Nov 22 Call for Submissions Opens! Artist project approvals begin on rolling basis
• Sat Jan 11 Town Hall - Park Site Visit #1 - Visit the park with the curatorial team
• Fri Jan 24  Deadline for submissions. Project Application closes
• Sat Jan 25 Park Site Visit #2 —Visit the park with the curatorial team to plan your install
• Fri Jan 31  Project Approval Deadline—You’ll hear from us by this date if you haven't already
• Sat Mar 14 Install begins at 5am
• Sat Mar 14 FIGMENT Dallas from 10am - 10pm (sunset at 6:48pm)
• Sat Mar 14 Deinstall/Breakdown from 10pm till 12am —All projects must be removed by midnight unless alternative arrangements are worked out with FIGMENT and the park