Applications are now open for the annual Emerging Curator Mentorship

Applications due midnight Friday 16 August 2024

Blindside invites applications from emerging curators to receive mentorship from Laura McLean, Associate Curator at Liquid Architecture, Naarm Melbourne, to develop a $3000 funded onsite exhibition and radio program at Blindside.

Through this exciting initiative the successful applicant will conceive and develop a critical group exhibition in one of Blindside’s galleries, opening in November 2024, and will present an accompanying radio program to air on Radio Blindside.

As part of Blindside’s 20th anniversary celebrations, Radio Blindside will be broadcast live from the gallery, running from November to December. Radio Blindside will host a range of different programs, and provide a unique context for the Emerging Curator Mentorship exhibition—which will be engaged with sound and listening—to be situated within.

This opportunity would be well suited to sound-artists, who are interested in developing curatorial skills.

The successful applicant will work closely with the mentor to carry out curatorial research, artistic exchange, project management and funding applications. The project will develop over a number of months leading up to the exhibition, with support from both the mentor and additional support from the Blindside Board of Directors and Gallery Coordinator, and Liquid Architecture Director and Creative Producers. The successful applicant will present a project that is considerate of context, time and relevance, engages with contemporary curatorial methodologies, and considers various artistic viewpoints.

Applicants are required to submit an application that outlines their proposed project. Please keep in mind that proposals must present an exhibition framework and possible broadcast outcome, including details of a developed project concept and list of artists.

This year's Emerging Curator Mentorship is a re-establishment of the Blindside / Liquid Architecture Sound Series - an initiative that ran from 2015 - 2022 and invited ongoing sonic explorations into the gallery.

Please note, we welcome international applications, however you will need to be physically present in Naarm / Melbourne for the installation , opening and de-installation.

Key dates:

> Installation: Monday 18 / Tuesday 19 November 2024

> Exhibition opening, Thursday 21 November 2024

> Deinstallation: Saturday 14 / Sunday 15 December 2025

> Inclusion in radio program: date TBC November / December 2024

The successful applicant will receive:

• One-on-one mentorship through a series of (online) engagements of up to ten hours.
• Support with budget development and project management.
• Regular feedback on the curatorial and conceptual development of the project.
• Marketing and promotional support.
• Project support in the form of venue, online platform and exhibition budget (to be used for artist fees, writers fees, and the production of an accompanying online catalogue).
• Support with grant applications for exhibition funding.
• Curatorial and professional development advice.
• Assistance connecting exhibiting artists with writers and curators.
• Onsite technical assistance for your installation.
• Staff to invigilate the exhibition, opening event and public programs.
• Promotional support through an e-invitation to our database, social media promotion.

Applications will be assessed by members from the Liquid Architecture curatorial team and Blindside Artistic Directors following the proposal period. We will provide a response as to whether your application was successful.

Please note due to the high volume of applications, Blindside is unable to provide feedback on applications.

If you need assistance with the applications process, or alternative application possibilities due to access needs, please reach out to our Community Coordinator - Josephine Mead: community@blindside.org.au

View previous curatorial mentorship projects:

2023. The Playroom. Curators Zoe Sydney and Dae Knight. Curatorial mentor Zara Sully.

2022. Considering how exaggerated music is,. Curator Sanja Grozdanić. Curatorial mentor Angela Brophy.

2021. Flow. Curator Beatrice Rubio-Gabriel. Curatorial Mentor Amelia Wallin.

2020. Micro-(bial) Tenancies. Curator Abbra Kotlarcyzk. Curatorial Mentor Kyla McFarlane.

2019. Connecting in the grey zone. Curator | Anador Walsh. Curatorial Mentor | Mark Feary.

2018. Anticipation Is Half Of The Seduction. Curator | Jonathan Homsey. Curatorial Mentor | Hannah Matthews.

2017. Always There And All Apart. Curator | Andy Butler. Curatorial Mentor | Emily Cormac.