Found Festival presents original performances and art installations in unconventional spaces in Edmonton, Alberta.

Found Festival is an equal opportunity presenter. Artists in varying stages of their career, with formal training or none, and of diverse identities, cultural backgrounds, and abilities will be considered. The festival dates are July 4 to 7, 2019.

Before you go any further! Do written submissions scare/bore/aggravate/overwhelm you? Cool. Email bethdart@commongroundarts.ca and let’s have a meeting!

WHAT YOU NEED TO DO: 

Eligibility: 

• Found space, site specific, and installation based work;
• Any artistic discipline: music, dance, visual art, film, performance art, theatre, writing, etc.;
• New or previously produced performer-created work;
• One-minute performances, weekend-long endurance art pieces, and everything in between;
• Projects should be informed by or built to suit found space; and
• Preference will be given to projects that best consider community impact, integrate use of found space, or are informed by their desired location, and prove the consideration of the performers’ relationship to audience.

Project Submissions (Individuals or Ensembles):

• Maximum two pages (not including Lead Artist CV and support materials). PLEASE: do not include artist or company name in header or footer of document. During the first stage of selection, applications will be reviewed anonymously to ensure a fair and unbiased process.
• Project description including desired audience experience;
• Desired venue(s)/location (specific locations or types of location, i.e. Wee Book Inn vs. a used book store);
• Potential community impact (how the project involves and/or effects the local community, additional outreach activities to be associated with the project);
• Potential requirements (power access, sound, lighting, projection, etc.);
• Creation and development process for new work, including timeline;
• Self-promotion initiatives;
• Company Bio (if applicable), Lead Artist CV(s); and
• Support material (past performance history, script excerpts, photos, videos, etc.).

DEADLINE: Submissions are open until festival is fully programmed.
Applications submitted before midnight MST on February 4, 2019 will be assessed by February 11, 2019.

Please send Submissions to Artistic Producer Beth Dart at bethdart@commongroundarts.ca.

WHAT YOU GET IN RETURN:

Found Festival will provide successful applicants with:

• Presentation guarantee and/or box-office split;
• Festival artist passes;
• Front of house support;
• Advance and on-site box office services;
• Secure an appropriate venue through a community or city partner;
• Assist in sourcing, setting up and troubleshooting technical equipment;
• Festival marketing and advertising, including online, festival program; and
• Artistic or producing mentorship, if requested.

THINGS TO KEEP IN MIND WHEN CONSIDERING YOUR FOUND SPACE:

• Found space performance requires close consultation with the City of Edmonton and community partners to ensure the use of public or privately owned property;
• CGAS works closely with these partners to secure locations, and will facilitate these relationships for artists;
• Found Festival ‘Found Grounds’ are located in the back alley behind the Backstage Theatre (10330 83 Avenue, facing Gateway Boulevard). The festival aims for all venues to be within a 10-minute walking distance of the Found Grounds;
• We are committed to presenting innovative, entertaining, and provocative new works that push the boundaries of audience interaction, allowing both spectators and performers to engage in a more stimulating brand of risk-taking and play; and
• For more information on Common Ground Arts Society, visit www.commongroundarts.ca or email bethdart@commongroundarts.ca.

Common Ground Arts Society respectfully acknowledges Found Festival is located on Treaty 6 territory, the traditional gathering place for diverse Indigenous peoples whose histories, languages, and cultures continue to influence our community. We are all treaty people.

ABOUT FRESH AiR

Calling all Edmonton based emerging artists! Do you have an exciting found space project rattling around in your brain? Not sure how to get it from page to unconventional stage? Concept to creation? With support from the Nextfest Arts Company, Common Ground Arts Society (CGAS) is offering the third annual Fresh AiR Emerging Artist in Residence Program!

Found Festival presents original performances and art installations in unconventional spaces in Edmonton, Alberta.

Found Festival is an equal opportunity presenter. Artists with diverse identities, cultural
backgrounds, and abilities will be considered. Artists are not required to have formal training to apply. All projects will receive a presentation fee. Festival dates are July 4-7, 2019.

Before you go any further! Not sure where to start? Never written a proposal before? Send us an email before the submission deadline and Beth (bethdart@commongroundarts.ca) and/or Megan (marketing@commongroundarts.ca) will meet you for coffee to talk through your idea. We know application processes can be daunting/stressful/off-putting/or just plain inaccessible. We are here to help.

Onto the good stuff…

WHAT YOU GET:

• Six month mentorship with CGAS’s Artistic Producers Beth Dart & Megan Dart (February to July, 2017);
• Workshop presentation at Nextfest (May 30-June 9, 2019);
• Premiere at Found Festival (July 4-7, 2019, minimum four performances);
• Grant Writing Assistance;
• Timeline management support;
• Development support;
• Nextfest and Found Festival artist passes for all project artists;
• Support to secure an appropriate venue through a community or city partnership;
• Front of house support;
• Advance and on-site box office services;
• Assist in sourcing, setting up and troubleshooting technical equipment;
• Festival marketing and advertising, including online, festival program etc.; and
• Archival video and photos.

HOW YOU GET IT (read closely!):

Project must be:

• An original creation, not previously produced
• Found space, site specific, and/or installation based work;
• Created by emerging artists in the first 10 years of their career;
• Dance, theatre, music, performance art, performance poetry, installation art, and/or interarts;
• Project must be informed by or built to suit found space, and can be site specific or immersive;
• Preference will be given to the project that best considers community impact, integrates
  use of found space, and proves consideration of the performer’s relationship to audience.

PROJECT SUBMISSIONS: INDIVIDUALS OR ENSEMBLES

• Maximum three pages not including Lead Artist CV and support materials. PLEASE: Do not include artist or company name in header or footer of document. 
The first phase of the application review will be done anonymously to ensure a fair and unbiased process. 
Selection process may include interviews with shortlisted project leads.
• Project description, including desired audience experience;
• Desired outcome of mentorship;
• Desired venue(s)/location (specific locations or types of location, i.e. Wee Book Inn vs. a
  used book store);
• Potential community impact (how the project involves and/or affects the local community,
  additional outreach activities to be associated with the project);
• Potential requirements (power access, sound, lighting, projection, etc.);
• Anticipated creation and development process, including timeline;
• Self-promotion initiatives;
• Company or lead artist bio, lead artist CV(s) in separate document; and
• Support material (past performance history, script excerpts, photos, videos, etc.).

DEADLINE Midnight MST on Monday, February 4, 2019

Please send submissions to Artistic Producer Beth Dart at bethdart@commongroundarts.ca.

***

We are committed to presenting innovative, entertaining, and provocative new works that push the boundaries of audience interaction, allowing both spectators and performers to engage in a more stimulating brand of risk-taking and play. For more information on Common Ground Arts Society, visit www.commongroundarts.ca or email bethdart@commongroundarts.ca.

Common Ground Arts Society respectfully acknowledges Found Festival is located on Treaty 6 territory, the traditional gathering place for diverse Indigenous peoples whose histories, languages, and cultures continue to influence our community. We are all treaty people.