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Exhibitions Open Call

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2025 – 2027 True F. Luck Gallery Exhibitions at Visual Arts Center of Richmond

About | What Artists Receive | The Selection Process | | FAQ

The True F. Luck Gallery is centrally located in the Visual Arts Center of Richmond and hosts eight exhibitions annually with related educational programming, all free-of-charge to the public. Two of these annual exhibitions are selected by artist-led, community review panels from proposals submitted in an annual open call. The goal of our exhibition programming at VisArts is to focus on contemporary artists who are utilizing and innovating the media we teach within our programs in our facility. We strive to prioritize historically marginalized voices and support artists at all stages of their creative careers in order to cultivate a growing community of artists. Our gallery at VisArts engages 20,000+ viewers each year and exhibits international, national and regional artists with established or rising careers. For information about past exhibits, visit the Exhibitions page on our website.

Applications for the 2025 – 2027 True F. Luck Gallery open call proposals are now closed. 

Selected artists will receive:

  • A 6-7 or 8-10 week exhibition at True F. Luck Gallery during the 2025 – ’26 or 2026 – ’27 exhibition seasons.
  • $3000 artist honorarium for a solo exhibition OR $500 artist honorarium per artist for a group exhibition up to 10 artists.
  • Housing accommodations and subsidy towards travel to and from Richmond for a scheduled installation week prior to the exhibition opening event. If opting for a residency opportunity, a travel subsidy can be provided to and from Richmond additionally.
  • A VisArts-contracted curator, if the applicant is interested in working with one to support their exhibition but doesn’t have one already identified. VisArts will provide this curator and cover their contract fee.
  • The opportunity to work in residence at VisArts, utilizing our residency house and communal studios for 2 to 4 weeks to create new work for the exhibition.
  • Installation assistance, with the expectation that the artist(s) will be involved in the process.
  • Professional exhibition photography.
  • A written catalogue.
  • A 5-minute professionally produced exhibition video highlighting the artist’s process and content of their work.
  • An opening reception with public artist talk.
  • Promotion and marketing of the exhibition including press and social media coverage.
  • Optional opportunities for engagement with VisArts community and the public through gallery educational programming such as workshops, community partnerships and artist talks. Additional opportunities for access to VisArts studios and trained teaching-artists will also be available, as needed.
  • Additional funds for an overall exhibition budget based on the needs of the exhibition. Applications must include a proposed budget which should include the following items:
    • Framing
    • Shipping and transportation
    • Any additional travel subsidy beyond attending the installation/exhibition opening and attending a residency (covered by VisArts), if applicable
    • Contracting fee for a curator if one is included in the proposal

The Selection Process

  • VisArts staff and an artist-led, community review panel will review submissions and contact references to determine a shortlist of finalists.
  • Finalists will be notified and asked to schedule a Zoom interview with representatives from VisArts.
  • The final selections will be made by October 31, 2024 and will be asked to sign a contract to secure their scheduled exhibition and residency dates.

APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS

  • Contact Info
  • Personal Statement
  • Residency Request
  • Exhibition Proposal
  • Installation Plan
  • Bios
  • Resume/CV
  • Website/Social Media
  • Exhibition Dates
  • Budget
  • Documentation
  • Community Engagement Statement
  • References

APPLICATIONS ARE NOW CLOSED.

Notification by October 31st 2024

MEET THE JURORS:

 

 

Anne Fletcher serves as the arts administrator at Capital One. A dedicated artist with years of experience bringing exhibitions into view, Fletcher also lends her talents to VisArts as a member of the board. 

 

 

 

Diego Sanchez is an award-winning artist and educator. He has exhibited internationally and currently serves on the board of directors at Visual Arts Center of Richmond.

 

 

 

 

Karen Kelly is a member of the VisArts board of directors. An independent collector and supporter of the arts, Karen is committed to championing local emerging talent.   

 

 

Lanecia Rouse is an artist based in Richmond VA and Houston, TX. She is also recognized for her excellence as an educator, editor, and writer. She has curated numerous projects, including the most recent VisArts Annual Residency exhibition Dream Manual.  

 

 

Leigh Suggs is a Richmond-based artist creating intensely vibrant paper artwork. Her distinctive work has been celebrated with exhibitions at VisArts and prestigious galleries and museums across the nation. 

 

 

APPLICATION FAQ

Who is eligible? What are we looking for?

The True F. Luck Gallery exhibition open call is limited to artists and curators located within the United States only. We are looking for:

  • Proposals for either a solo artist exhibition or a group exhibition including up to 10 artists. Group exhibition proposals must be submitted by a single person applying on behalf of a group, up to 10 artists. If you are a curator, you can apply on behalf of the artists.
  • Artists working across a variety of visual media but will prioritize applicants who are working with media represented within VisArts facilities and programs (clay, fiber, printmaking, glass, metals, wood, letterpress, drawing, painting, digital media and photography).
  • Artists who have not had a solo exhibition at True F. Luck Gallery already.
  • All artists are welcome to apply, but in an effort to address systemic inequalities, we will prioritize applications from BIPOC applicants and those that come from groups that have been historically underrepresented due to age, disability, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, or socioeconomic status.
  • This is a pilot open call program and VisArts will work with selected artists throughout their experience to find ways to improve and be successful. We are looking for artists who are willing to learn alongside us, provide feedback from their experience, and help shape the future program.

How are exhibitions chosen?

Applications must meet eligibility criteria and the application has been fully completed.

Exhibition proposals are then reviewed by a jury comprised of artists who have participated in VisArts exhibitions, residents, board members, and community members such as artists, curators, and other professionals from community organizations. Jurors change with each application period.

Proposals are selected based on quality of work as well as strength and clarity of concept. Additionally, preference will be given to artists with a strong, cohesive body of work and to proposals that include thoughtful programming ideas that allows for engagement with the VisArts community. We ask that artists consider their proposal to align with VisArts’ mission and vision.

What is required of exhibiting artists?

Exhibiting artists are responsible for:

  • Collaborating with VisArts staff and a curator in the exhibition lay out, along with being present and participating in the installation process. VisArts will provide professional art installers and assistance to support the installation and deinstallation of the exhibition, within reason.
  • Attending the exhibition opening reception and participating in a public artist talk on the first date of the exhibition schedule, typically from 5pm – 7:30pm on a Friday. VisArts will provide a travel subsidy for the exhibition install/opening.
  • Maintaining consistent communications and working with VisArts staff on preparation of the exhibition by providing exhibition materials (exhibition statement, artist bio, headshot, art checklist, etc.) on set deadlines provided to the artist(s).
  • Facilitating at least one community engagement event related to the exhibition (e.g., artist talk, public reading/screening, workshop, performance, etc.).

What is the residency opportunity?

Applicants have the option to opt for a residency with VisArts. Our visiting artist residencies include housing, a private workspace, communal studio access at VisArts and a separate materials stipend.

  • Housing: Housing is provided at a private neighboring house adjacent to VisArts, just around the corner from our facility. The house will be equipped with all the essentials such as a fully furnished living room, bedroom, bathrooms and kitchen, as well as a private workspace that can be used as a studio in most cases. Visiting resident artists are responsible for their food and meals, however our proximity to grocery stores and restaurants makes this convenient and centrally located. Off-street parking is available; the building is also on a direct bus line. No pets are allowed. The facilities are smoke-free. Please note: at this time, the house is accessible via a staircase only.
  • Duration: The residency ranges from 2 to 4 weeks long, depending on scheduling for both VisArts and at the visiting artist’s request.
  • Commitments: The intention of this residency opportunity is to provide exhibiting artists with the chance to create new work in our studios. Accepted residents must agree to create 1-3 new works that will be a part of the accepted exhibition. Residents will be provided a materials stipend and teacher instruction on request. Accepted residents must also agree to appear in a culminating exhibition video that will be filmed during the scheduled residency. Please see an example of a video here.
  • Who can apply?: The residency option is only open to artists living in the United States, not curators. If you are applying as a solo artist, you can opt for this opportunity on the application. If you are applying as a group exhibition, the residency can only be offered to 1-2 artists out of the group if opting for this opportunity on the application.
  • What do you get?: Accepted residents will receive free housing, travel subsidy for travel to and from the residency, a separate $250 materials stipend per artist for supplies needed during the in-person residency, up to 6 hours of teacher instruction, access to VisArts communal studios during business hours and per the approval of the Facilities team, and the opportunity to connect with the VisArts community through programming.

What is the gallery space like?

True F. Luck Gallery is approximately a 1900 square foot gallery space centrally located inside the Visual Arts Center of Richmond. The gallery contains three open rooms and high-pitched ceilings as tall as 15 feet. If you are local to Richmond, please stop by the gallery anytime during VisArts hours to see the space, Monday-Friday from 9am to 9pm. You can also view past installation images at the bottom of this webpage. You can view our gallery floorplan here.

How do I prepare and submit a budget?

We ask that artists submit a proposed budget with their application that goes over the anticipated costs of the exhibition. VisArts will make every effort to accommodate the proposed budget, but may need to work with finalists to adjust their exhibition budget based on VisArts capacity. This proposed budget will need to include itemized anticipated costs for the following:

  • Materials and supplies needed for installation, if applicable
  • Framing, if applicable
  • Shipping and transportation, if applicable
  • Any additional travel anticipations beyond attending the installation/exhibition opening and attending a residency (covered by VisArts), if applicable
  • Contracting fee for a curator if one is included in the exhibition proposal (Alternatively, if the applicant is interested in working with a contracted curator to support their exhibition, VisArts will provide one and cover their contract fee).

We’ve provided a sample of an exhibition budget here for reference.

What are your artwork image upload guidelines?

We are looking for images of recent work, created within the past 3 years. The images uploaded should depict a complete body of artwork for the proposed exhibition, or, in the case where new works are anticipated to be made leading up to the exhibition, be works in line with what is anticipated to be included.

  • Please upload 10-15 JPEG images (no larger than 5 MB each) of proposed work.
  • For 3-D work, please include no more than 1-3 different views for each piece.
  • For video, audio, performance, etc, upload 1-3 artwork samples in either JPEG form (of a still image) and/or provide PDF files with URL links to Vimeo or Youtube footage.
  • Group Exhibition applications and applications submitted by Curators: Applicants may apply in groups of up to 10 artists. One person should apply on the group’s behalf and submit a PDF that compiles all the works, which includes up to 3 work samples for each artist (meaning up to 9 work samples submitted for a 3-person group exhibition).
  • All applicants: Please include a description of the artwork on either the image descriptions box in SlideRoom or listed on an uploaded PDF of compiled works. Descriptions must include the Title, Medium, Dimensions/Duration and Year.

I have more questions. Is application assistance available?

Please reach out to [email protected] for any questions.