Kolaj Institute’s Artist Development Program is a collection of three core workshops for self-motivated artists, at any stage in their career, who want to develop and expand their collage-based artist practice and work towards professional goals, particularly in the areas of exhibitions and publishing.
About Kolaj Institute Artist Development
At Kolaj Institute, our philosophy is that if we bring artists together, explore ideas and concepts, share knowledge, we can stretch and develop as artists. When we bring that knowledge and skill into our communities, we raise the standing of collage and contribute to the civic discourse. To that end, we offer three core artist development workshops that are designed to support artists gain a deeper understanding of their art practice and to develop their practice so that they can achieve their professional and artistic goals.
The program is designed for artists to work in stages, at their own pace, in four-week blocks. Artists are welcome to take a single workshop and are not committed to taking all three workshops. The programs are not pre-requisites and artists may take as many or as few as they wish in any order they wish. Throughout the program, we offer one-on-one support to artists around understanding one’s practice and goal setting.
Who Is This For?
The Artist Development Program is open to any artist over the age of 21 from anywhere in the world. The Program is intended for self-motivated artists, at any stage in their career, who want to develop and expand their collage-based artist practice. Workshops are particularly oriented to those who wish to make a change in their current practice. We look for artists who have made a body of artwork. We also look for established artists who want a space and structure to explore new goals while developing new skills. The program takes as a premise that part of being a professional artist is putting one’s artwork in front of an audience or community.
“I believe this workshop was transformative for me by giving me the tools to identify the parts of my practice and to put a better artist statement together – indeed to know what makes a good statement.”
Workshops
Collage in Practice
The practice of collage takes on many forms and is shaped by the artist’s goals and what they want to achieve with their artwork. The Collage in Practice Workshop is designed to give artists a working understanding of artist practice and how this understanding informs approaches to professional and artistic development. Participants will explore critical concepts and collage taxonomies as a way to develop and refine the language they use to talk about their own practice and to develop a broad view of the creative landscape in which they operate. Participants will finish the workshop with a deeper understanding of their practice; a strong statement of practice that can be used to communicate with curators, editors, and art professionals; a portfolio of artwork (or a plan to make one); and tools for growing or developing their practice.
NEXT SESSION
Saturdays, 19 October to 9 November 2024, 2-4PM ET
NEXT DEADLINE
Saturday, September 28, 2024
Curating Collage
Curating is a vital part of art’s function: a curator creates a bridge between artwork and audience. For artists, this process can be confusing and mysterious. The goal of the Curating Collage Workshop is to equip artists with the tools to curate their own work, to work with curators, and build exhibitions that connect with diverse audiences. We do this by curating artwork from Kolaj Institute’s Collection and curating the artwork of other workshop participants. Artists complete the workshop with an exhibition proposal or prospectus.
NEXT SESSION
Sundays, 29 September to 27 October 2024, 2-4PM EDT
NEXT DEADLINE
Saturday, September 14, 2024
Collage Publishing
At Kolaj Institute, we see the book, not just the gallery, as a place to experience collage. This sentiment has broad implications for how collage artists work and how their work is received by an art world whose orientation is decidedly fixed on the gallery wall. In the Collage Publishing Workshop, artists turn a body of work or a project into a zine, art catalog, monograph, or book. We explore different models of publishing and types of book projects and we walk through the steps and support one another as we create publishing projects and prepare to put them out into the world.
NEXT SESSION
Mondays, 11 November to 2 December 2024, 6-8PM EST
NEXT DEADLINE
Sunday, October 20, 2024
“The course is applicable to both new and experienced artists and that they will complete the course with a greater understanding of the artist practice, knowing the importance of your artist voice and gaining a new community of collage artists.”
How to Apply
Application Process
Once an artist is accepted into the Artist Development Program, they do not need to apply for future workshops in the program. They will automatically receive announcements of sessions and an invitation to join a workshop. Artists will be considered part of the Artist Development Program for 36 months from their date of acceptance after which they will need to reapply.
The submission process asks applicants for:
- Contact information
- Artist Bio (50-250 words)
- Statement of Artist Practice (50-300 words)
- 5-7 images of artwork
We also ask:
- What do you hope to accomplish by participating in the Artist Development Program?
- What do you want viewers to take away from your artwork?
- What communities are important to you?
- Who do you want to speak to with your art?
- How often do you work on your art?
Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis and invitations are sent to applicants until space is filled.
QUESTIONS
If you have questions, send an email.
General Program Information
VIRTUAL
The Workshops take place in a virtual environment. This means that we will use online tools such as Zoom, Slack, and Google Drive to communicate and share information. We expect this experience to be new to some. We will work together and support one another.
DAY-TO-DAY ACTIVITIES
While online meetings take place once a week, workshops unfold through daily prompts and conversations via Slack. While we understand that life often gets in the way, we expect participants to respond to prompts regularly and to catch up when time permits.
PROJECTS & PRESENTATIONS
Projects are presented in the form of online presentations where participants present and speak to a series of images. The group then offers feedback to the presentations which the participant may choose to incorporate into their final project.
GRADING & CERTIFICATION
The Artist Development Program exists to share and exchange knowledge in a way that allows us to grow as artist professionals. We do not grade work, nor do we issue certificates.
COMMITMENT
We ask participants to commit to being in community with other artists; to engage and share knowledge; to work in a spirit of respect, consent, and mutual support. Participants are expected to attend each session; participate in discussions between sessions; and complete the final projects. We commit to working with participants collaboratively to overcome challenges that arise along the way.
Cost
The cost of each workshop is $600 US. For those interested in all three workshops, we offer a discounted rate of $1500 US, payable at a rate of $500 US per month over three months.
Join our email list to receive updates about future Calls to Artists.
Financial Support
We understand that investing in professional development can be as difficult as it is important. Upon request, we can provide a letter of acceptance that a participant can use to apply for professional development funds. Also, we can offer payment plans for artists accepted into the Artist Development Program. A limited number of grants is available to reduce barriers to participation in the program, particularly for those artists coming from places in the world that face historic economic disadvantages. These grants are possible through the generous support of our donors.
“This is a workshop where you will learn to structure and to talk much more professionally about your work and practice.”