FAQs
Q: How big is the space?
A. Please consult the album of photos and a floor plan to see the dimensions and layout.
Q: When will Sessions take place?
A. Selected Sessions will take place between September 2020 and August 2021.
Q. Are Sessions open to non-US citizens?
A. Yes. We love receiving international applications. However, materials stipends and honoraria will be reported to the IRS for tax purposes. Thus, we do ask that non-US citizens have either US residency status (with a valid Social Security number) or a valid work visa that runs through at least the end of the residency period.
Q. Should members applying as a group each provide a resume and examples of past work?
A. Yes, each person in your group should submit a resume. Groups can divide their 10 work samples amongst members as you see fit. If you have worked together in the past, please submit examples of past collaborations. If this is your first time working as a group, individual work is fine.
Q. Can I submit more than one application if the proposals are totally different?
A. No. Please submit only one application each round; you can always reapply with new ideas in the following year. Please select the idea you think is most in line with Recess’s mission. If you submit more than one application, all of them will be disqualified.
Q. Can I submit one application as an individual artist and one application as a member of a group or collective?
A. No. Please submit only one application each round; you can always reapply with different collaborators in the following year. If you are affiliated with more than one application, all of them will be disqualified.
Q. How much should my budget propose?
A. You should propose a budget that reflects your projected materials costs as closely as possible. If granted a Session, artists will revise and finalize their budgets in consultation with Recess staff. Generally, materials stipends range from $3,000-5,000 with occasional exceptions on both ends of that spectrum. NOTE: We cannot cover living or out of state travel expenses within project budgets.
Q. Can the project stipend include an artist fee for me or honorariums for other artists or performers?
A. Project stipends should go towards physical materials and guest presenter/performer fees or technical support fees. We suggest you pay your collaborators according to W.A.G.E payment standards. Recess provides Session artists with a separate unrestricted honorarium of $1,500 to recognize your labor according to this same set of W.A.G.E. standards, so you needn’t include fees for yourself in the budget.
Q. Can I include images in my proposal?
A.No, please submit all images, including renderings, as work samples. Please save your proposal as a .pdf file.”
Q. Can I submit renderings of my proposed project as work samples?
A. Yes.
Q. What do you mean by “proposed means of public engagement?”
A. We ask that each proposal define public engagement in terms of the specific needs of the project. We never ask artists to propose participation for participation’s sake. Instead, we’re interested in projects that create an active space that changes and evolves over the course of a Session, creating opportunities for visitors to interact throughout the project’s unfolding. Artwork can engage its audience through visual, intellectual, or aural means, or more explicitly through opportunities direct participation. We ask that artists think about and articulate how they will communicate with Recess’s built-in audience of passersby, whether through displaying captivating imagery, utilizing signage, or engaging in personal outreach (among other possibilities).
Q. What kind of tools, AV equipment, and furniture does Recess have?
A. We have drills, basic tools (hammer, saw, pliers, etc), and a supply of basic hardware. For AV equipment, we have a few flatscreen monitors, 1 PA systems, a microphone, 2 projectors, a projector screen, 4 media players, and some lights. In terms of furniture, we have a set of folding chairs and a set of folding stools, a range of desk chairs, tables of various sizes, and 2 pedestals. We are also members of Materials for the Arts, and all Session artists are welcome to visit the warehouse to procure various materials for free.
Q. Can I propose receptions and events as components of my Session?
A. Yes, we encourage artists to think about how programming will complement their daily work. Artists are welcome to propose talks, panels, performances, workshops, or other programs, though any such events would need to take place within Recess’s public hours (Tuesday–Saturday, 12–6pm; Thursday, 2–8pm). We suggest that each Session include no more than 4 events, but we recognize that some proposals demand a more event-heavy approach. Please be sure to articulate in your application how the proposed events will contribute to the project’s overall goals.
