FOCUS: OK↔KC Regional Exhibition Exchange

FOCUS: OK↔KC is a collaborative project of Oklahoma Visual Arts Coalition and Charlotte Street Foundation designed to challenge, support and connect artists working in Kansas City and Oklahoma. The project engages arts professionals from both outside and within the region with artists from these communities and fosters increased exposure for and critical dialogue about the work of artists practicing in the region.

The multi-component project includes curated group exhibitions of Oklahoma and Kansas City artists in both Tulsa, Oklahoma and Kansas City, Missouri; residencies of up to 2 weeks in each city for selected participating artists from the partner region; public programs in each city organized in conjunction with the exhibitions; and a catalogue including commissioned essays about the exhibition project and participating artists. The core component features a curated group exhibition of up to 10 artists total from Oklahoma and Kansas City (approximately 3-5 artists from each). The first exhibition will be presented at the Hardesty Art Center in Tulsa, Oklahoma, December 16, 2012-February 16, 2013. The second exhibition will open at Charlotte Street Foundation's la Esquina gallery at 1000 West 25th Street, Kansas City, spring 2013.

Kansas City based visual and cross-disciplinary artists whose work can be presented in a gallery context are invited to apply. Artists must be 21 years or older, must both live and work within a 60 mile radius of downtown Kansas City, and should be artists without a substantial history of national exhibitions and solo shows. Applicants should be interested and prepared to actively engage with curators, critics, and peer artists involved in the project. Required materials include artist statement (300 words or less), up to 10 images or 5 minutes of video documenting work created within the past 2 years, detailed list of work samples, and current resume. Studio visits to a short-list of artists will be conducted by chief curator Liza Statton in Kansas City in September 2012. Artists selected for this project will receive honoraria of $1500 each as well as some travel support. Kansas City artists completing residencies in Tulsa will be provided with housing.