Aardman has partnered with Cabot Circus and Europe’s largest street art festival, Upfest to create a new iconic mural in Quakers Lane, celebrating the creativity of Bristol and featuring many of Aardman’s most enduring characters.

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The 11.5m high mural by local artist Dave Bain, interprets beloved characters from Aardman’s animated worlds including Shaun the Sheep, Wallace & Gromit, Morph and Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget, and is based on an original artwork conceived by designer and illustrator Lorna Harrington, an emerging creative talent within Aardman. These characters are cleverly interspersed with famous Bristol landmarks including the Clifton Suspension Bridge, Bristol Royal Hospital for Children, and the hot air balloons that grace Bristol’s skies.

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Dave Bain’s idiosyncratic illustrations are colourful, distinctive, wildly expressive and feature stylised characters. This brightly coloured artwork interprets Lorna’s original illustration of the famous Aardman characters, known the world over, but originally created in Bristol.

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Artist Dave Bain explains: “This mural is a brilliant example of what can be achieved by working together as a creative community. Lorna provided a great initial illustration for this piece, and it was inspiring to see the process of how Aardman’s animations are created in the process. The team embraced my interpretation of their characters, and how I wanted to capture the iconic characteristics of joy and energy which are present in each of them. Cabot Circus is a fantastic location for this piece to be enjoyed by Bristolians and city visitors alike and I hope to see people heading down to see the vision come to life.”

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The colourful artwork is the latest way the destination is engaging new audiences and presents the perfect photo stop for families on a leisurely half-term day out. Customers feeling creative will also be able to book art-inspired workshops at Prior in Quakers Friars or grab a cheese toasty in true Wallace and Gromit style from a pop-up mobile cheese shop by Bristol favourites The Cheese Connection, from Saturday 21 October.

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Lucy Wendover, Marketing Director at Aardman, comments: “We are so happy to reveal this exciting collaboration, designed to bring a little bit of Aardman joy into the heart of the city centre and celebrating Bristol’s rich artistic community. The finished mural design created and interpreted so brilliantly by Dave Bain will have lots of our own characters woven into a distinctly Bristol landscape and we can’t wait to see it emerge.”

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Sarah Tinsley, Director of Marketing & Placemaking at Hammerson adds: “Collaborating with local artists and creatives is just one of the innovative ways we are evolving our assets, including Cabot Circus, from places where people come only to shop to ‘destinations’, offering a real mix of entertainment, leisure and social experiences. Bristol is renowned for its daring and colourful street art, so it made sense for us to work with Aardman and Upfest to create a mural which celebrates this creativity and engages customers in a fun and exciting way.”

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LONDON, Oct. 2, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — As the world continues to navigate the difficult waters of economic uncertainty and turmoil, the fine art market has proved to be incredibly resilient. Despite the challenges, the sector is not only surviving but thriving, enjoying excellent growth and displaying remarkable adaptability. While crypto is ailing and tech stocks struggle, the art market is booming. Waran’s Fine Art, a new London-based rising star on the scene, is poised to capitalise on the thriving arts industry.

The global art market is currently expanding rapidly as we continue to recover from the economic storm wrought by the pandemic. Indeed, the sector held up strongly through the crisis. Although understandably 2020 saw a contraction in the sales value of the worldwide market, by the end of 2021, it had achieved a greater value than that attained in 2019.

In 2023, the whole market size is predicted to surge from the $441 billion posted in 2022 to an incredible $579 billion – an impressive compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of just over 31%. And the juggernaut will continue to make progress. Experts predict that in 2027, the art market will be worth $682 billion, achieving a steady CAGR of 4.2%.

There is ever-increasing demand from collectors and art enthusiasts all over the world, with pieces changing hands for incredible sums. In 2022, one of Andy Warhol’s iconic portraits of Marilyn Monroe, “Shot Sage Blue Marilyn” was sold at a Christie’s auction for a huge $195 million. Earlier this year, sales at Christie’s Spring Marquee Week totalled $922 million, with 34 artist records set.

As the world continues to emerge from these challenging times, there can be no question the art sector is experiencing a significant surge. And it’s part of a distinct trend towards acquiring tangible assets – a movement where art is performing the best. Knight Frank’s 2023 Wealth Report reported that while the market for luxury collectibles in 2022 saw strong gains, fine art led the pack with growth of nearly 30%. 

With spiralling demand from seasoned collectors, and new art enthusiasts across the world, it’s no surprise that the appeal of art as an investment has also skyrocketed. Wealth managers cottoned on to the trend some time ago. A 2019 Deloitte report noted that 85% of wealth managers recommended that fine art be included in a balanced investment portfolio.

Today, wealth managers continue to find that the sector has lost none of its allure with investors. A recent study found that 59% of advisers stated their high-net worth clients were looking to invest in art in 2023.

Major players in the hedge fund arena have also embraced art as a rewarding asset class. Steve Cohen, the founder of Point72 Asset Management (and owner of the New York Mets) has been one of the most avid collectors of fine art in the world for many years.

As a rapidly growing UK fine art company, Waran’s Fine Art are delighted to be playing their part in this international success story. Their expertise in sourcing, curating, and selling fine art assets will ensure they continue to contribute to this phenomenon. Here are some of their key insights into the why the global art market is proving to be so strong and resilient.

Increased Global Demand

Demand for fine art has soared as the market has expanded across the world. Vast new markets are emerging in places like China and India, with a new high-wealth class keen to demonstrate their status and wealth by acquiring fine art. Millennials are also driving demand, with a 2021 study finding that the biggest spenders on high art in 2020 were born between 1981 and 1996. These new collectors continue to seek out exceptional pieces, contributing to robust sales and price appreciation.

Digital Revolution

Technology is also driving the surge in the art sector. Online auctions, galleries, exhibitions have made it easier than ever to view and purchase art anywhere in the world. The digital revolution has connected buyers and sellers as never before. The internet has also democratised the market. Once the playground of the rich, investors can now buy shares of artworks via fractional art ownership platforms.

Resilience & Tangibility

Fine art has always been a safe bet regardless of the economic situation. In the 25 years from 1995 to the end of 2020, contemporary art appreciated 14% every year on average. This compares with an annual return of 9.5% for the S&P 500. Art is a real, tangible asset that has low correlation with often-volatile stocks and bonds, and many see it as a hedge during periods of higher inflation.

An Excellent Investment Proposition

Investing in fine art is certainly a compelling proposition. Historically, it has shown continued potential for significant capital appreciation since the mid-1990s. Operating independently of traditional financial markets, it provides a hedge against economic volatility. It makes for an attractive alternative asset class for investors seeking diversification in their portfolio. And of course, this tangible asset offers intrinsic satisfaction beyond financial returns with its aesthetic and cultural value.

Waran’s Fine Art

Dev Waran, founder of Waran’s Fine Art, is proud to be part of this thriving industry. He stated, “Art isn’t confined to museums and galleries; it’s a living, breathing entity that finds its home in the hearts of those who understand its power. In the art market, every sale is a story waiting to be told — a narrative of an artist’s vision and a collector’s appreciation of beauty. The art market is a canvas where creativity meets commerce, where every brushstroke of talent carries the potential to redefine the value of expression.”

For those looking to invest in this booming sector, seeking expert help is essential. Waran’s Fine Art believe that fine art assets should be available to all, and invite art collectors, investors and enthusiasts to explore their curated collection of fine art pieces, which includes works from renowned artists as well as the best of emerging talents.

For more information about Waran’s Fine Art and their amazing collection, please visit https://waransfineart.co.uk/. They can be contacted at [email protected], 02030262029

Company Boilerplate

Waran’s Fine Art embarked on its journey in 2023, and since then, we have been committed to redefining the art experience for enthusiasts and collectors across the United Kingdom. With a foundation built on a passion for art and an unwavering dedication to artistic expression, our founder has been instrumental in facilitating over £20,000,000 in art piece sales, fostering connections between artists and collectors that transcend traditional boundaries. As a United Kingdom-based art company, we take pride in curating and promoting exceptional works of art that not only capture the essence of the human spirit but also serve as investments in culture. We are more than just an art business; we are custodians of creativity, champions of innovation, and advocates for the enduring power of visual expression. Welcome to Waran’s Fine Art where the canvas of possibility stretches beyond imagination.

We have associations with artists like Mr controversial. We’ve secured sales of Simeon Stafford, Alan Davie, Adrian Heath, Paul Feiler, Mark Lancaster and Damien Hurst.

Photo – https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2236343/WARANS_FINE_ART.jpg

SOURCE waran’s fine art

It was a busy summer for the art professionals tasked with sorting through the fallout of discredited dealers and intermediaries. August saw multiple court filings advance the case of the New York-based adviser Lisa Schiff and her now-shuttered companies, Schiff Fine Art and SFA Advisory, whose works of art are being liquidated to satisfy creditors amid two civil lawsuits seeking at least $1.8m. Schiff is also cooperating with an ongoing investigation into her business practices by the US Attorney’s Office.

In the same month, liquidation firm ThreeSixty Asset Advisors opened an online auction offering nearly 300 pieces of art and ephemera comprising the last remaining inventory of the Los Angeles-based Ace Gallery. Sales proceeds from the lots, which together carried an estimated minimum value of $230,000, went to repaying debts incurred by the gallery ahead of its 2013 bankruptcy. (Ace’s founder, Douglas Chrismas, is also awaiting trial on federal charges of embezzling more than $260,000 from the gallery’s bankruptcy estate; he maintains his innocence.)

Although there are important differences in the legal circumstances of Schiff’s companies and Ace Gallery, both cases could only progress thanks to the undersung work of appraisers and advisers, whose role in such inquiries includes determining which works are (and are not) in a debtor’s possession; how much (or how little) value the works have in their present state; and whether any outside parties have a legitimate ownership claim to any of them.

Picking apart the status, value and condition of works of art is far from straightforward when alleged deceptions and substantial debt collide in the US art market. So how are pieces identified and assessed within such complex situations?

“It’s fundamentally a role of ‘putting the pieces together’,” says Caroline Sayan, the president and chief executive of international advisory firm Cadell. “Compiling a picture of the works and their value is never going to be a perfect science, and there will always be different perspectives, but it will, at least, enable the process to move forwards.”

The neutrality doctrine

Within liquidations of art holdings, appraisers are appointed relatively early by the party overseeing the process, as part of their broader goal of recovering as many assets from the debtor entity as possible, deducting a fee and paying dividends to parties able to demonstrate ownership of property or creditor status. Debts are paid off in a particular order, with secured creditors (who disbursed loans or credit agreements backed by an asset) and employees typically prioritised. When dealers face insolvency, artists most often become secured creditors by virtue of consignment agreements for unsold work or unpaid invoices for proceeds from sales.

Although Schiff initiated a bankruptcy alternative called an “assignment for the benefit of creditors”, the process still broadly resembles bankruptcy in that her companies’ assets were transferred to a trust to be liquidated by an independent third party.

Bankruptcy and business lawyer Douglas J. Pick, the assignee in Schiff’s case as of August, commissioned Winston Art Group (described in court papers as “a well-known and highly respected art advisory”) to counsel him in “identifying, marketing and ultimately liquidating the Art Property” of Schiff Fine Art, in addition to “soliciting interest in the Art Property for purchase”.

Part of the liquidation process also involves determining when a debtor may lack clear title to a work in its possession. Potential third-party ownership claims hovered over certain pieces in Schiff Fine Art’s inventory, as outlined in an 11 August court filing, and over certain works in the auction of Ace Gallery’s holdings. A further 23 lots in the latter were by artists who could not be identified.

In both civil and criminal lawsuits, lawyers may also pull on a range of expertise to develop their case. “There is often a race to find the best appraiser or expert,” says Fred Clark, a senior associate of corporate and commercial law at London-based firm Boodle Hatfield. “Sometimes the appraiser is appointed by a party before court applications are made as part of the pre-action correspondence. However, it is common for a court to order that X number of opinions are sought. The parties will usually try to agree upon the appointments, but if that fails the presiding judge will decide for them.”

No matter how an appraiser is chosen, assuring the neutrality of their advice is paramount. Although in the US there are Congressionally approved frameworks for the trade, such as the Uniform Standards in Professional Appraisal Practice (USPAP), there is no business license for art appraisers. Professional bodies such as the Appraisers Association of America and the International Society of Appraisers provide guidance on reputable service providers; the former organisation includes more than 900 independent appraisers and affiliated professionals who have passed an entry exam and agreed to amass at least 70 continuing education credits in the field every five years.

Similarly, where an art historical opinion is sought regarding a work’s authenticity, investigators and legal teams must navigate the dealers, auction-house specialists and art historians with specific expertise to determine the most qualified opinion or set of opinions.

In legal proceedings over ownership, parties often involve the Art Loss Register, an international database of missing objects, to document works as “in dispute” to prevent further resales, encourage settlement or provide factual evidence, such as who searched for an item when or what provenance was provided.

Valuation variables

In addition to authenticity, provenance and title issues, appraisers and advisers also face the challenge of properly valuing the work or collection being liquidated. Although pre-existing inventories or appraisals may exist, an up-to-date assessment is crucial given the fast-paced nature of today’s market, changing tastes and the increasingly rigorous obligations around provenance and due diligence. Different appraisals are also prepared for different purposes: for example, a value assessed for an insurance policy is not necessarily appropriate or acceptable for estate planning.

The most typical appraisal concerns “fair market value”, which presumes an open and willing market for the works being considered. In Schiff’s case, Winston Art Group concluded in early August that Schiff Fine Art still held 894 works with a fair market value of more than $3.1m, including examples by Michael Craig-Martin, Damien Hirst and Chris Ofili. The firm also verified each work’s respective location, with Bortolami gallery and Phillips auction house among the sites. A further 108 works with a fair market value of more than $1.1m were deemed “missing”.

Conversely, appraisers can also assign a “liquidation value”, which estimates the amount the works would fetch if released onto the market immediately. This appraisal incorporates factors such as the reputational damage to any works caught in ongoing legal disputes and the resulting level of market saturation if a collection of comparable works were offered simultaneously.

As a reference point, consider the 2018 sale of Arab, Iranian and South Asian art collected by the liquidated Abraaj Group, a Dubai-based private-equity firm. Many of the 200 items were offered without a reserve price, and presale estimates reflected deep discounts. For instance, Iranian sculptor Parviz Tanavoli’s Poet and Bird (2006), which was expected to fetch between £50,000 and £100,000 ($66,500 and $113,000), previously sold for $480,000 (with fees) at a Bonhams auction in Dubai a decade earlier.

Other art liquidations have proven more lucrative, such as Sotheby’s multipart sale of digital works from the collection of Three Arrows Capital, an insolvent cryptocurrency hedge fund, this year. Each of the first 44 NFTs offered across two live auctions in New York exceeded its high estimate, with the trove bringing around $13.4m in total (with fees).

Yet the Ace Gallery auction, which closed 12 September, ultimately delivered a hammer total of less than $200,000, short of its $230,000 aggregate low estimate. That result and the company’s decade-long bankruptcy should remind the trade that, when it comes to Lisa Schiff and her defunct businesses, August’s appraisal of the works to be liquidated could mean resolution is still years away—and full repayment to creditors will probably never arrive.

by Brianna Allison

Mon, October 2nd 2023, 11:57 AM UTC

Vintage Market Days of Coastal Carolina happened in Myrtle Beach Friday, Sept. 29, 2023, through Sunday, Oct. 1, 2023. The upscale vintage-inspired indoor market featured vendors from across the area selling original art, antiques, clothing, jewelry, home décor, outdoor furnishings and more. (Jendaya Fleming/WPDE)

Arts + Literature Lab on Madison’s East Side will be hosting a Fall Native Art Market from 10 am to 5 pm on the weekend of Oct. 7 and 8 — in celebration of Indigenous Peoples’ Day on Oct. 9 —by showcasing 20 Native artists who will be sharing and selling their work in galleries along with free demonstrations. 

Dakota Mace is an interdisciplinary artist who works out of the Arts + Literature Lab space focusing on translating the language of Diné history and beliefs, and developed the idea for the Fall Native Art Market earlier this year. The market will highlight the range of products that Indigenous artists will have for sale including Indigenous beadwork, quillwork, weaving, leatherwork, metals, and clothing.

“For many Indigenous communities, their family traditions, culture, language, and future are expressed through their art,” Mace stated in a release. “This essential artistic expression connects to the past, present, and future and is vital for maintaining cultural traditions. For most, creating art provides a source of income and also opens up opportunities for Indigenous makers to continue the education and cultural resilience of their art.”

There will be a free performance on Saturday, Oct. 7 at 7:30 pm by Duo Pukra playing Indigenous music from the Andes featuring siblings Richard Hildner Armacanqui and Natalia Hildner Armacanqui. There will also be additional work of Native artists Monty Little and John Hitchcock (with Chad Oliver) in the main galleries of the Lab. Admission is free for the market, exhibitions, and performances. 

Mace piloted the Market first in May 2023 as a platform for Indigenous artists to share their work and raise awareness of Indigenous cultures and supporting artists in the community. Mace and collaborator Paige Skenandore invited 20 artists to participate including Rebecca Comfort (Keweenaw Bay Indian Community); Charlotte Easterling (Oglala Sioux);Ruth A. Garvin (Sac and Fox Nation); Harmony Hill (Oneida); Xavier Horkman (Oneida); Monty Little (Diné); Dakota Mace (Diné); Joe Mace (Diné); Laura Manthe (Oneida); MicahMarie E. McCann (Ho-Chunk); Marjorie MorningStar Mehojah (Oneida); Sayokla Kindness-Williams (Oneida); Cynthia Otero (Diné); Eliza Skenandore (Oneida); Liandra Skenandore (Oneida); Paige Skenandore (Oneida); Miranda Smith (Oneida); Cynthia Thomas (Oneida); Crystal Wabnum (Kickapoo); and Sunny Webster (Oneida).

The Market is being supported by a plethora of community partners and Mace hopes that it will instill a framework of appreciating the art and culture while supporting artists.

“Through this market, I hope to challenge the fetishization of Indigenous art and allow each artist’s work to speak to the importance of community and tradition,” Mace stated in a press release. “For participating artists, it is about creating a new visual language independent of the western gaze, embracing our complexity, and seeing our art through our eyes. Through shared experiences, we can reimagine a new future of Indigenous art that embraces our art as more than a symbol of aesthetic decoration but one that forms from experimentation. The market provides a space for Indigenous people to push those boundaries while fostering and supporting Indigenous/Native artists.”

The Arts + Literature Laboratory is hosting the newly created Native Art Market.

This market is a celebration of Native art and culture. Over 20 native artists from Wisconsin, Illinois and Minnesota will be featured at the market, selling a wide range of traditional and contemporary art forms while also hosting artist workshops. The market will take place Saturday, Oct. 7 through Sunday, Oct. 8 from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. on both days with no admission fee.

In addition to shopping for Native art, visitors can attend artist workshops and demonstrations. The workshops will cover a variety of topics, including beadwork, quillwork, weaving, leatherwork, metals and clothing. The participating artists are members from a range of tribes, including Oneida, Diné and Ho-Chunk.

Allegations of a local artist posing as Indigenous and profiting from it in December 2022 motivated Dakota Mace, an Indigenous artist and co-founder of the Native Art Market, and Paige Skenandore, a member of the Oneida Nation and a UW-Madison graduate, to launch the market this past Spring to provide a supportive space for Indigenous artists.

Touch of Ukraine serving traditional dishes on Madison’s East SideTouch of Ukraine, which opened two months ago on Madison’s East Side at 2438 Winnebago Street, is known for its Read…

Both Mace and Skenandore are participating artists at this year’s market. Mace is an interdisciplinary artist whose work is inspired by traditional Diné symbols and motifs. Mace also focuses on translating the language of Diné history and beliefs. She uses a variety of beadwork, painting and sculpture in her work.

A University of Wisconsin alumnus and former research coordinator for the Indigenous EcoWell Initiative at the School of Human Ecology, Skenandore will also be a featured artist. In October 2022, she helped organize an Indigenous EcoWell Initiative Event, which featured numerous Indigenous artists showcasing their creations to over 100 guests. Skenandore is inspired by beadwork and takes profound joy in teaching others the beauty of it.

Tribal artists participating in the market must adhere to several enrollment guidelines, including submitting identification of a U.S. Federally Recognized Tribe and ID or passport. Artists also must be compliant with the Federal Indian Arts and Crafts Act. This act prohibits misrepresentation in the marketing of Indian art and craft products within the United States.

Photo submitted to the Times Observer
Free The Songbirds, a piece of art by Elizabeth Myers Castonguay, will be among the works on display at the Crary Art Galley starting Oct. 7.

Elizabeth Myers Castonguay and Abby Carter will be exhibiting their paintings at the Crary Art Gallery from Saturday, Oct. 7, through Sunday, Nov. 5.

An opening reception with Castonguay and Carter will be held from 3 to 6 p.m. Oct. 7 with the artists speaking starting at 4 p.m.

Castonguay’s body of work titled ‘Endangered’ displays the effect of humanity on the biodiversity of the environment. It is also meant to connect human diversity and the biodiversity of nature. Her goal is to invite the viewer to “internalize, reflect, and see the world that we have created.” Castonguyay said, “we were given Paradise but didn’t recognize it,” and, human behaviors and actions have had a role in the increased number of endangered species on planet Earth. Her art draws the viewer into the elegance and intrigue of a paradise many don’t know is being lost.

Castonguay visited a lot of art museums as a child, and she recommends the same opportunity for all children.

“If children can attend a museum or other program that gives them crayons, colored pencils, paint, and other things to be creative that is great,” she said. “Art is important in schools because it gives children the materials to make art and exposure to different mediums and approaches. The arts give many children a ‘reason’ to want to go to school. Every child, regardless of resources, is an artist.”

Photo submitted to the Times Observer
The painting “Flamboyant Guest” by Abby Carter is pictured.

In addition to producing award-winning works of art, Castonguay has taught art in Pittsburgh for more than 15 years. She has taught at the Art Institute of Pittsburgh, Carnegie Mellon University and the Carnegie Museum of Art in addition to international workshops.

Carter is a lover of art, science, and nutrition. Like Castonguay, Carter said she knew when she was young that she wanted to make a living with her art. She considered being an architect or medical illustrator, but in the end, she pursued illustrating children’s books. At the age of 11 she nurtured her love of art, and curvy lines by creating small greeting cards. Thanks to the efforts of her grandmother, the cards could be found in 75 stores throughout Maine.

Photo submitted to the Times Observer
Free The Songbirds, a piece of art by Elizabeth Myers Castonguay, will be among the works on display at the Crary Art Galley starting Oct. 7.

Photo submitted to the Times Observer
The painting “Flamboyant Guest” by Abby Carter is pictured.

src=”https://ogden_images.s3.amazonaws.com/www.timesobserver.com/images/2023/10/01230407/AbbyCarterinHerCTStudio-375×500.jpg” alt=”” width=”375″ height=”500″ class=”size-medium wp-image-924328″ /> Photo submitted to the Times Observer
The painting “Flamboyant Guest” by Abby Carter is pictured. [/caption]

Photo submitted to the Times Observer
Free The Songbirds, a piece of art by Elizabeth Myers Castonguay, will be among the works on display at the Crary Art Galley starting Oct. 7.

Photo submitted to the Times Observer
The painting “Flamboyant Guest” by Abby Carter is pictured.

Years later, Abby combined her three loves by starting a juice company, Fresh Samantha, with her husband in 1992. She developed healthy juice combinations and created the labeling. Fresh Samantha is no longer in production; however, Carter’s characters can be found in numerous children’s books such as “Daddies Do It Differently” by Alan Lawrence Sitomer (Hyperion Book CH) and “Andy Shane and the Barn Sale Mystery” by Jennifer Richard Jacobson (Candlewick Press).

Both exhibiting artists gave the same advice to children, and adults, when it comes to pursuing a love of art. Keep pursuing, no matter what anyone else says. Successful adults have told Castonguay their parents wouldn’t let them pursue art because they wouldn’t be able to make a living.

“It’s never too late to learn, so if this is your story then change it,” Castonguay said. “Take lessons or just start drawing regularly. There is an artist in everyone.”

One sentence Abby has heard repeatedly from adults is, “I wish I never stopped drawing or playing the piano or tennis…”. When asked what advice she would give to children interested in art she said, “I would tell children not to stop doing what they love. Fit it into their life any way they can.”

The Crary Art Gallery is a non-profit private art museum located at the corner of Market Street and Sixth Avenue in Warren. Its mission is to educate, entertain and extend the importance of visual arts. In addition to displaying its permanent collection, temporary exhibitions are held every other month throughout the year, beginning in February. Hours of operation are Fridays and Saturdays from noon to 6 p.m. and Sundays from noon to 4 p.m. Admission is free. For more information, visit craryartgallery.org.

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Every month, Colossal shares a selection of opportunities for artists and designers, including open calls, grants, fellowships, and residencies. If you’d like to list an opportunity here, please get in touch at hello@colossal.art. You can also join our monthly Opportunities Newsletter.

BLINK Cincinnati Call for ArtistsFeatured
With the highly anticipated return of its massive public art spectacle, BLINK, Illuminated by ArtsWave, is calling for artists working in light-based experiential installation, murals, projection mapping, digital art, or animation to submit proposals for the October 17 to 20, 2024, event. BLINK plans to commission 12 to 15 new murals, 30 to 40 temporary lighted installations, and 30 to 35 projection/digital animation installations, and applications are open to artists from anywhere in the world.
Deadline: December 15, 2023.

Open Calls

BigCi Environmental Awards 2023 (International)
Two winners will receive $4,000 and a four-week BigCi residency. Artists working in visual art, installation, multimedia, performance, literature, music, photography, filmmaking, curating, are welcome to apply. There is a $35 entry fee.
Deadline: October 2, 2023.

The Bennett Prize (U.S.)
Women working in figurative realism are eligible for this prize, which provides $50,000 over two years to one artist. Ten finalists will be selected to participate in a traveling exhibition organized by the Muskegon Museum of Art (MMA) and the winner will be showcased in a solo exhibition at the close of her grant. $10,000 will be given to one finalist. There is a $40 entry fee.
Deadline: 11:59 p.m. MT on October 7, 2023.

City of Milwaukee Vel R. Phillips Plaza Commission (International)
In recognition of one of the leading Black woman jurists, politicians, and civil rights leaders, Vel R. Phillips, Milwaukee will commission an artist to transform a parking lot into a new social space. The project budget is $600,000.
Deadline: October 9, 2023.

Passepartout Photo Prize (International)
Open to photographers at any stage of their careers, the Passepartout Photo Prize is accepting submissions for its seventh edition. Winners receive exhibition and publication opportunities, with one 500 Euro award. There is a 25 Euro entry fee.
Deadline: October 10, 2023.

All About Photo Magazine 35 Colors
Color is the theme of this competition, and photographers are encouraged to submit a cohesive body of work exploring or related to pigment. Winners receive $1,000 cash and magazine coverage. There is a $30 submission fee.
Deadline: October 10, 2023.

Open Source Gallery: Exhibition Open Call (International)
Artists working with experimentation, sustainability, and social engagement are invited to submit exhibition proposals for 2025. Chosen applicants receive W.A.G.E.-certified fees, a production budget, and support in planning, production, and communication.
Deadline: 11:59 p.m. ET on October 13, 2023.

#CreateCOP28 (International)
CreateCOP28 invites creatives aged 14 to 30 to submit work that sparks conversations about the climate crisis and the need for action, particularly at COP28, the United Nations’ annual climate summit. Eight artists will win prizes of $10,000, $5,000, or $2,000.
Deadline: October 16, 2023.

Booooooom x Capture Photography Festival: Public Art Open Call (International)
For Capture Photography Festival, Booooooom is seeking submissions for a public art installation at Broadway-City Hall Canada Line Train Station in Vancouver. The work will be up from April to August 2024, and the artist will receive a $665 CAD stipend. There is a $15 entry fee.
Deadline: 11:59 p.m. PST on October 23, 2023.

Loewe Foundation Craft Prize (International)
The prestigious Loewe prize is accepting entries from artists and craftspeople. One 50,000 Euro award will be given to the top artist, with other winning works exhibited in Paris in spring 2024.
Deadline: October 25, 2023.

Arte Laguna Prize 18 (International)
This prize is open to artists working in painting, sculpture and installation, photographic art, video art and short films, performance and acting, and digital. Chosen applications will exhibit in Venice at the Arsenale Nord and win €10,000.
Deadline: October 26, 2023.

Beam Center NYC Open Call (International)
The center seeks proposals for public artworks that will be realized by a community of more than 100 young people in NYC. Artists receive a $5,000 award and $15,000 fabrication budget.
Deadline: 11:59 p.m. ET on November 6, 2023.

The 10th International Landscape Photographer of the Year (International)
This contest awards winners $10,000 in cash prizes, inclusion in a photo book, and NiSi filter outfits and tripods. Entry is free until November 8.
Deadline: November 15, 2023.

Third Annual Festival Dei Lumi Open Call (International)
Video artists working on pieces that explore the intersection of art, nature, and ecological thinking are encouraged to submit to this annual festival. There is a €10 submission fee.
Deadline: November 22, 2023. 

Prisma Art Prize (International)
Open to emerging painters and artists, this quarterly competition awards €2,000 in cash and €3,000 in services annually, plus exhibition opportunities. There is a €29 submission fee.
Deadline: January 11, 2024.

Outwin Boochever Portrait Competition 2025 (United States, Puerto Rico, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, American Samoa, and the U.S. Virgin Islands)
This portrait competition is open to all media, including painting, drawing, sculpture, photography, printmaking, textiles, video, performance art, and digital or time-based art. One winner will receive $25,000 and a commission to portray a remarkable living American for the National Portrait Gallery’s collection. Other prizes range from $1,000 to $10,000, and all finalists will be included in an exhibition. There is a $50 entry fee.
Deadline: Midnight MT on January 26, 2024.

Sony Future Filmmaker Awards (International)
The Sony Future Filmmaker Awards elevates voices that bring a fresh perspective to storytelling. The shortlisted filmmakers are flown to Los Angeles for an exclusive four-day event to gain unparalleled insight into all aspects of the filmmaking process to advance their careers.
Deadline: February 15, 2024.

Grants

Monument Lab Re:Generation Initiative (U.S.)
Monument Lab’s Re:Generation supports teams of two or more individuals working together to create a new or expand an existing public-facing project. Each selected Re:Generation team will receive a total of $100,000 in unrestricted funding toward their commemorative campaign or project.
Deadline: October 2, 2023.

Creative Equations Fund (Brooklyn)
This fund offers $10,000 grants to community-engaged artists, organizations, cultural entrepreneurs, and researchers  who are focused on social issues.
Deadline: 11:59 p.m. ET on October 8, 2023. 

Alex J. Ettl Grant (U.S.)
This $5,000 grant is awarded by the National Sculpture Society each year to an established figurative or realist sculptor.
Deadline: October 9, 2023.

The Rbhu Gives Back Grants (International)
Rbhu Engineering offers artists in need of engineering $12,000 worth of free services.
Deadline: October 16, 2023.

Bronx Council on the Arts Community Engagement Grants  (Bronx)
The Bronx Council on the Arts currently has three funding opportunities open: New Work, Arts Fund, and Community Arts grants ranging from $1,000 to $5,000.
Deadline: 11:59 p.m. ET on October 31, 2023.

California Documentary Project Grants (California)
This grant supports documentary film, audio, and digital media projects about California. Funding is available for research and development (up to $15,000), production (up to $50,000), and in DP NextGen Grants (up to $15,000).
Deadline: November 1, 2023.

The Adolf and Esther Gottlieb Emergency Grant  (International)
The Adolph and Esther Gottlieb Emergency Grant program provides one-time interim financial assistance to qualified painters, printmakers, and sculptors whose needs are the result of an unforeseen catastrophic incident and who lack the resources to meet that situation. Awardees typically receive $5,000, up to $15,000.
Deadline: Rolling.

Adobe Creative Residency Community Fund (Ukraine or refugee)
Adobe’s Creative Residency Community Fund commissions visual artists to create company projects on a rolling basis. Awardees will receive between $500 and $5,000.
Deadline: Rolling.

Pollock-Krasner Foundation Grant (International)
The foundation welcomes applications from actively exhibiting visual artists who are painters, sculptors, and artists who work on paper, including printmakers. Grants are intended for a one-year period. The foundation will review expenditures relating to an artist’s professional work and personal expenses, and amounts range up to $50,000. The size of the grant is determined by the individual circumstances of the artist, and professional exhibition history is taken into consideration.
Deadline: Rolling.

Residencies, Fellowships, & More

Eyebeam Fellowship Open Call (International)
Artists interested in technology and decolonization, reframing history, language, and care are invited to apply for this six-month fellowship. Selected artists receive a $20,000 stipend.
Deadline: 11:59 p.m. ET on October 1, 2023.

Bruce Museum Artist-in-Residency Program (International)
Open to all disciplines, this nine-month residency starts in November 2023 and includes studio space, a $35,000 stipend, and ran $8,000 materials budget.
Deadline: 11:59 p.m. on October 7, 2023.

Art Omi Residencies (International)
Architects, artists, and writers are eligible for this round of Art Omi’s residencies, which provide food, lodging, and studio space.
Deadline: October 15, 2023.

2024 RAIR Open Call (International)
Applications are open for two Recycled Artist in Residency (RAIR) programs: The Standard is a four- to six-week traditional residency, while The Biggie Shortie is project-based. Both grant access to Revolution Recovery’s waste stream and RAIR’s staff. There is a $25 application fee.
Deadline: 11:59 p.m. ET on October 22, 2023.

Queens Museum Jerome Foundation Fellowship for Emerging Artists (New York)
This fellowship grants two emerging artists $20,000 each, studio space, and mentorship as they work toward a 2025 exhibition.
Deadline: 11:59 p.m. ET on October 29, 2023.

Moab Arts Reuse Residency (International)
For artists interested in waste management and sustainability, this residency offers housing, studio space, project and community facilitation, a stipend, and access to materials at local waste disposal sites.
Deadline: 11:59 p.m. MT on October 31, 2023.

A.I.R. Fellowship Program (New York)
Six underrepresented and emerging women and non-binary artists will be awarded a year-long fellowship to develop and exhibit a project at A.I.R. Gallery. Selected applicants receive a stipend, access to gallery space, and support.
Deadline: 11:59 p.m. ET on November 1, 2023.

Do stories and artists like this matter to you? Become a Colossal Member today and support independent arts publishing for as little as $5 per month. The article October 2023 Opportunities: Open Calls, Residencies, and Grants for Artists appeared first on Colossal.

Last weekend, hundreds of digital art devotees descended on Marfa, the tiny West Texas artist’s oasis, to partake in what’s rapidly become a can’t-miss cult favorite in digital culture circles: the Art Blocks Marfa Weekend.

Art Blocks, which curates and releases generative digital art collections minted on the Ethereum blockchain, first invited community members to the desert town in 2021, when the company opened its physical gallery just off Marfa’s main drag. Last year, the event ballooned substantially, into an all-out three-day party that illustrated the resilience of the crypto culture scene amid a devastating crypto bear market and the collapse of industry titans.

The third annual Marfa gathering again blew past expectations, drawing ever-larger crowds that tested the sparsely populated town’s capacity. As with last year, increased interest appeared to shift the event’s identity, this time from a boisterous gathering of Art Blocks artists and collectors into a full-fledged pop-up ecosystem of myriad on-chain and digital art projects seeking to connect with live audiences and promote the cutting edge of art and technology. 

Here’s a peek at a few captured moments from the weekend, which saw over 50 official and unofficial events take over Marfa’s galleries, homes, event spaces, bars, and restaurants. 

Photos by Vincent Roazzi, Jr.

Artists in the Art Blocks ecosystem showcased 10 experimental projects involving generative design components to kick off the weekend in a lighthearted, science fair-esque demonstration for visitors. 

Projects on display included “Stitchables,” a generative embroidery pop-up from Luke Shannon and Matt Jacobson (pictured below) that invited passers-by to adorn their own shirts with algorithmically crafted patterns and patches. Shannon and Jacobson are set to soon launch a Stitchables platform using Art Blocks Engine infrastructure.

Other projects included “Lumina,” a mesmerizing show of generative, shifting “lightscapes” from Jason Ting (pictured below), and “Mycorrhiza” (also pictured), in which the artist Jimmy Herdberg demonstrated the automated, generative engraving of fungi-inspired designs into thin pieces of wood. 

Later in the afternoon, attendees gathered just a few streets over at the Art Blocks gallery, to hear from artists behind the company’s latest projects and collections. 

Listeners in the gallery’s backyard hid under any shade they could find to dodge the beating desert sun as artists Harvey Rayner and Shane Richardson detailed their collaboration on their latest project, “MarfaMESH”—the latest installment in Art Blocks’ Explorations series, which encourages artists to tinker with less formal artistic experiments designed to delight and engage.

Rayner and Richardson, in collaboration with experiential tech startup IYK, created a digital art project designed specially for the weekend’s in-person attendees. Every visitor to this year’s Art Blocks Marfa Weekend received a physical badge upon check-in, which, when tapped by another user, digitally altered an on-chain art piece minted at the weekend’s conclusion. It served as a unique, collectible record of social encounters for each attendee.

Mad Pinney, Art Blocks’ artistic coordinator, then took the stage with artist studio Beervanger and platform DECA to discuss “Collēctīvus: Computation, Consciousness, and Collective Memory,” the exhibition currently on display in the Art Blocks gallery. The Art Blocks community voted to determine what pieces would be selected for the series, which examines the potential for collective curation and the nature of group artistic preference.  

Later that night, crowds split up to attend various official and unofficial Art Blocks weekend events held across Marfa, including a series of immersive shows at the Crowley Theater. 

Poet-technologists Nathaniel Stern and Sasha Stiles first performed a live rendition of “Still Moving,” a full-body, interactive AI-powered poem that explored the daily dance humans perform in transitioning from analog to digital and back. 

Then, digital artist Steve Pikelny delighted audiences with “Dopamine Machines,” an immersive audio-video experience.

One of many independent digital communities to show up with a physical presence in Marfa over the weekend was Bright Moments, a globe-spanning on-chain art project working to establish permanent hubs in 10 cities around the world. On Saturday morning, over coffee and pastries at Glitch Gallery, the Bright Moments team teased at plans for its final three city activations: Buenos Aires, Paris, and Venice, Italy, all to come in the next year. 

Later on in the afternoon, die-hard generative art enthusiasts gathered to compete among themselves for the coveted title of Art Blocks trivia champion, testing their knowledge of signature works from past collections and other artistic details.

The evening culminated with the weekend’s signature event: an open-to-the-public backyard cookout back at the Art Blocks gallery, where out-of-towners and Marfa locals mingled, exchanged ideas, and reflected on the state of the global digital art scene. Despite the enduringly dismal state of the NFT market, it appears to be humming along just fine.