Have you ever wanted to be an Artistic Director? Do you have great ideas for concert performances that you’d like to curate? NUMUS is seeking submissions to its fifth annual Emerging Curator Competition, open to artists up to a maximum age of 29 or current undergraduate students of post-secondary institutions (any age) or individuals who completed undergraduate programs within the last 2 years (any age). The winner will curate a concert in NUMUS’ MIX Music Series in the 2019-2020 concert season, to be presented on Friday, April 3, 2020 at the TWH Social After Dark Space in Kitchener. Winners will receive a curatorial fee of $1,000 and financial support from NUMUS in the amount of $1,500 to cover programming costs such as artist fees, tech fees, and equipment rentals if applicable. Winners will also receive advertising and marketing support from NUMUS and mentorship from NUMUS’ artistic director.
NUMUS’ mandate and artistic vision is to foster and encourage new music and contemporary art forms, continually exploring new boundaries and facilitating new artistic ventures. We program, support, and promote composers, musicians, artists and communities, with a focus on Canadian and local new music. NUMUS actively advocates for and engages in community involvement, including partnerships with other arts organizations, local businesses, and educational facilities. We engage in many outreach activities, which connect our organization to younger members of our community.
HOW TO APPLY:
- Consult the competition regulations to be sure you qualify.
- Complete the attached application form and submit a concept for your concert. You may use any format you wish to convey your ideas, but your proposal must include both a project description of your proposed concert and a budget outlining all costs.
- Project Description: Describe your proposed concert to the judges as best as you can. Talk about what your artistic vision is, why it’s a good fit for NUMUS, and any ideas you have in terms of logistics. Please include approximate timings and be mindful of the Walper Hotel Oak Room Lobby space being a relatively small, open concept, non-traditional performance venue. The judges will be looking for projects that are creative, but also well thought out and realistic in terms of budget, timelines, and venue. Describe your inspiration for this project, any themes you may be incorporating, and why you feel that NUMUS should present it. Be sure to also tell us a bit about the artists you plan to use and why you chose them. Be concise and please limit your project description to 1,000 words.
- Budget: You will need to create a basic budget for your project, outlining any expected costs (such as artist fees and tech or equipment rentals if required). Use any format you like for this. Your budget should include a $1,500 contribution from NUMUS, and you will need to indicate this amount as revenue for your project and outline exactly how this money would be spent. The judges will be looking for projects with realistic costs that stay within their budgets. We are also mindful of the fact that your performers may be predominantly students.
- Completed application packages may be submitted in the following ways:
- Email all required documents to: info@numus.on.ca
- Mail your documents to: NUMUS at Box 38040, 256 King St. N. Waterloo, ON N2J 4T9
- Hand deliver your application to NUMUS’ Artistic Director, Kathryn Ladano
- Be sure that your proposed project matches NUMUS’ artistic vision and mandate (please refer to our mandate on the first page of this application)
- Please note that assessment of all entries will be blind. Provide your name and personal information only on the application form. Do not include your name or any information that could indicate your identity in your project description/budget. Note that NUMUS’ Artistic Director, Kathryn Ladano, will not be a judge for this process, so you may still submit your entries directly to her or through NUMUS’ mail and email. She will ensure your identity is protected and not given to the judges.
- Submit your application by or before Friday, December 6, 2019
The 2019-2020 Emerging Curator judges are:
Karen Sunabacka (NUMUS board vice-president)
Scott Thomson (Guelph Jazz Festival Artistic Director)
Richard Burrows (Open Ears Festival Artistic Director)
Ilana Waniuk (Thin Edge New Music Collective Co-Artistic Director)
Arie Verheul van de Ven/Adam Bovoletis (2019 NUMUS Emerging Curator Winner)