City of Raleigh Arts Commission: Block Gallery and Block2 Artist Call 2012

The City of Raleigh Arts Commission invites artists and curators residing or working in Chatham, Durham, Johnston, Orange, or Wake County for at least one year (by June 29, 2012) to submit work for exhibition in Block Gallery and/or Block2 Street Video Series for exhibition years 2013 and 2014. Applications must be submitted via CaFÉ by 5 p.m. EDT on Friday, June 29, 2012. There is no application fee.

Since 1984, Block Gallery has served as an exhibition space located on the first and second floors of the City of Raleigh's downtown municipal building, offering 2,296 square feet of marble walls with custom lighting. The gallery's first and second floors are suitable for two-dimensional artworks, and three-dimensional works can be exhibited in secured glass cases on the second floor. Block Gallery was dedicated in 2006 to honor community leader Miriam Preston Block. In 2010, the Arts Commission inaugurated Block2 Street Video Series, curated by Neill Prewitt, with videos airing daily from dusk to 3 a.m. Both galleries follow the same exhibition schedule, with exhibits changing every five to six weeks. Exhibitions will be scheduled from February 2013 through November 2014.

Eligibility: Artists must be 18 years or older and have participated in two juried or invitational shows in the past five years. Artists who have exhibited at either venue since September 2010 may not apply. Commercial gallery owners are not eligible to apply on behalf of artists. Independent curators must meet the same residency and age requirements. All applications are reviewed by a committee of visual art professionals, Raleigh Arts Commissioners, and city staff. After selection, the Block Gallery Coordinator and/or Block2 Curator works with the artist or guest curator to choose works for exhibition. Each exhibition will have a public reception and exhibition materials will be produced. All transportation for works is the sole responsibility of the lender. All sales inquiries are directed to the artist; no commission is taken by the Arts Commission.