2012 SECA Art Award

Since 1967, SFMOMA and its art interest group SECA (Society for the Encouragement of Contemporary Art) have honored Bay Area artists with the biennial SECA Art Award. The award includes an SFMOMA exhibition, an accompanying catalogue, and a modest cash prize. Artists nominated for the 2012 SECA Art Award are invited to submit a proposal for an offsite commission as part of their application. Artworks in all media to be presented outside of the traditional gallery context will be considered. The offsite commissions will launch in the Bay Area in the fall of 2013.

The selection process is based on nominations, application reviews, and studio visits with finalists. From the group of applicants, the SECA Art Award curators will select approximately 12 artists for studio visits based on the strength of their overall artistic practice and their commission concept. Studio visits are led by the SECA Art Award curators and are open to all SECA members, occurring on Saturdays in the fall of 2012. Following the completion of all studio visits, the SECA Art Award curators select one to four winners. Award recipients will be announced in mid-December 2012.

To be considered for the award, an artist must be out of school at the time of the award announcement in December 2012. SECA members, SFMOMA employees, and past SECA award recipients are not eligible. Artists must be working in the Bay Area and accessible to visits by the curators and SECA members. The cash prize given to each award recipient is separate from the commission budget. Commission budgets will vary depending on project needs, the number of award recipients, and additional funding. Applicants are encouraged to consider a production that falls under $20,000 and can be reasonably executed in the Bay Area within a year's time. Work sample requirements: 3-6 images, 0-3 audio files, and 0-3 video files (3-6 total samples).