Norman Arts Council Introduces New Artist Grant Program for 2023

Norman Arts Council is proud to introduce a new artist grant program to serve Norman-based artists and further our creative community. While the longstanding Norman Arts Grant Program has benefited local artists through its support of dozens of arts organizations around town, this welcomes a new form to directly benefit local artists in a variety of ways.

With hopes to offer these grants in different cycles throughout this year and beyond, the program kicks off this winter with three grants of $1,000, each in a different category.

The categories include Community Project, Creative Project and Education.

• Community Project grants help artists initiate a community-based project that leads to artistic creation. Evaluation is based on quality, the community impact and overall concept.
  APPLY HERE

• Creative Project grants support creation of new work or body of work. Evaluation is based on quality of creative opportunity, career building potential, and overall concept.
  APPLY HERE

• Education grants support opportunities to participate in conferences, residences or workshops that provide education and further one’s artistic practice. Evaluation is based on quality of educational opportunity, career building potential, and overall concept.
  APPLY HERE

Artists can apply for all three grant opportunities in each cycle, but a maximum of one grant will be awarded to any artist in a given grant cycle.

Only artists who have resided in Norman for the past 12 months are eligible to apply for the Norman Arts Council Artist Grants. Applying artists must be at least 18 years old.

Applications are due by 11:59 p.m. on Friday, February 3.

Questions may be directed to Programs & Development Manager Cher Duncan.

Learn more and apply below:

Iran-Born Artist Brings Exploration of Persian, Islamic Visual Traditions to MAINSITE

if you dont leave here by Ghazal Ghazi
84 x 65 inches. Oil on canvas, thread. 2021.

Iran-born, Tulsa-based artist Ghazal Ghazi showcases a body of work that highlights overlooked artistic traditions, as well as narratives of home life that subvert the dominant representations of an often misrepresented community in her solo exhibition Fish Without A Sea at MAINSITE Contemporary Art, 122 E. Main.

The exhibition opens with a reception from 6 to 9 p.m. on Friday, December 9 as a part of the 2nd Friday Norman Art Walk. The show continues into 2023 with an artist reception takes place from 6 to 9 p.m. on Friday, January 13 and closing reception from 6 to 9 p.m. on Friday, February 10.

MAINSITE Contemporary Art is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday, though the gallery will remain closed from Friday, December 23 through Tuesday, January 3 for the holidays.

This exhibition is made possible through support of the Norman Arts Council, Oklahoma Visual Arts Coalition and The Puffin Foundation.

According to Ghazal’s artist statement, Fish Without a Sea explores domesticity, family intimacies, and collective memory while monumentalizing the visuality of Persianate and Islamicate visual traditions like miniature painting and Iranian ceramic traditions.

In the Persianate context, miniature paintings have traditionally depicted either folk heroes and heroines or the royalty and their courts and were painted on small sheets of paper with brushes containing just a few hairs to achieve fine details. Here, the tradition of Persian miniatures unites oils with fibers on a large scale while using family archives to illuminate contemporary issues facing the Iranian-American and broader diasporic SWANA (Southwest Asian North African) communities, within the context of migration, state violence, and the intergenerational transmission of knowledge. Oscillating between embodied poetic testimonies and imposed systemic binaries, these portraits exist within a frame to which the subjects are both attached to, but also separate from, so that the patchwork corpus of the brown immigrant body politic is a site of compulsory racialization and transnational state violence wherein dual nationalities result in dual (un)belongings.

Two primary indigenous Iranian ceramic vessels have been reinterpreted for this series: the bird-like, beak-spouted vessels characteristic of Iron Age-era pottery in Iran, and the gamaj, a traditional Gilaki cooking pot which continues to be an essential part of the food culture in the northern Caspian Sea region of Gilan. Though the former was commonly produced throughout the pre-Islamic Iranian plateau and is currently regarded as an ancient Iron Age artefact divorced from its functionality in modern daily life, the latter is a vessel indigenous to a specific region and ethnic culture in Iran that continues to be used today in Gilan. Though they are from two separate time periods and have different statuses in contemporary life, what the beak-spouted vessels and the gamaj share in common is that traditionally they are both earthenware vessels with domestic uses. Reinterpreted here in stoneware, these diasporic vessels represent the symbolic disruption of, and attempted reconnection to, the chain of knowledge about both ancestral Iran and my Gilaki heritage.

This body of work encompasses an artistic practice rooted in both critical archival research and literary history, and uses both hand-painted and transferred calligraphic script. These monumental miniatures and ceramic vessels seek to center both the visuality of overlooked artistic traditions, as well as narratives of domesticity and intimacies that subvert hegemonic representations of an often-misrepresented community.

MORE ABOUT THE ARTIST

Ghazal Ghazi (Tehran, Iran, 1990) is a multidisciplinary visual artist whose life has spanned three distinct regions: the Middle East, the U.S., and South America. As an artist, she investigates collective memory and cultural intervention, exploring themes like displacement, language, and state violence through embroidered oil paintings and ceramics.

Most recently, she was chosen as a semifinalist in the National Portrait Gallery’s Outwin Boochever Portrait Competition 2022 at the Smithsonian Institution and served as a 2022 Junior Fellow at the Library of Congress.

Norman Arts Seeks Qualifications for Public Artist Project at Griffin Park

Norman Arts Council, on behalf of The City of Norman and Norman Forward 1% Percent for Art for Griffin Park, is seeking an artist (or team of artists) to create a significant work of art for Griffin Park located at 1001 E. Robinson Street, Norman, Oklahoma.

Qualifications are due by 11:59 p.m. MST on Friday, December 23. Finalists will be notified in January with a site visit planned for mid-February and final selection made in late March or early April. Installation for the chosen work is planned for Fall 2023.

The project has an $89,000 budget, and any professional artists with experience working on public art projects is eligible to apply.

Learn more below, or visit the submission site here!

Griffin Park History

Of the 64 neighborhood and community parks in Norman, Griffin Park has perhaps one of the most unique histories within the City of Norman. In 1891, a State mental institution was established on over 600 acres of land in Norman. Much of that land was occupied by the hospital’s 450 head of cattle. This area was a farming operation that produced most of the food for the facility and the dairy was run by the patients of the hospital. Today, the old grain storage towers remain in the park - an un-marked reminder of the past use of the land.

The farming operation closed in the 1960’s and now 320 acres of the land are leased to the City of Norman. Over time, The City built soccer, baseball, and football fields in the park. Just to the north of the park is the George M. Sutton Urban Wildlife Park.

After decades of popular use by families in Norman, the Park is being renovated and updated for use by both residents and the Norman Youth Soccer Association with plans to attract major regional and national youth soccer tournaments to the park.

The Artwork

The Selection Panel has determined that the most effective artwork will be an iconic three-dimensional sculpture centrally located in the park in a 6,400 square foot triangular greenspace just north of a parking lot and south of the NW Concession Plaza (see attached map of park).

This location has been selected because of the potential for the artwork to be very visible and accessible to the largest number of visitors to the park.

The renovated park will contain 22 soccer fields and will be completed in 5 phases. The Norman Youth Soccer Association (NYSA) leases the fields from the City and all of the fields, including the space allocated for the work of art, are gated and locked at night. The local use of the fields reaches over 3,000 children during spring and fall leagues with thousands of family members attending games each season. NYSA and the City of Norman hope the new fields will also allow the community to host 2 to 3 large, national tournaments that would include over 200 teams of both adult and youth players bringing 7,000 to 8,000 visitors to the park each tournament and to increase the park’s attraction to even more tournaments in the future.

In addition to being situated in a sports complex, the Selection Panel desires the work of art to fulfill the mission of NYSA: “Passion, Respect, Integrity, Development, and Excellence” (PRIDE). The work should reflect the culture of the community of Norman to both residents and visitors. The selected work will promote diversity and inclusivity through inclusive design principles.

We anticipate the artwork will be interacted with in a variety of ways. Visitors will be around it both day and night when fields are in use by NYSA. (The work will be behind protective fencing when fields are not in use by NYSA). We would like it accessible to people of varying abilities which could include it being tactile or have sound elements. We would also anticipate it being a meeting place for teams and families and would likely serve as an iconic backdrop for team and individual photo opportunities. Due to the anticipated accessibility, the work must be highly durable and should be easily visible from distances within the park.

The Selection Panel is open to any media or material that is appropriate to the site as long as it is durable, safe, low maintenance, and vandalism resistant. Weather in Oklahoma is unpredictable – extreme heat and sunlight should be a consideration as should damaging winds and hail. Because Griffin Park has a very large number of youth visitors, it is crucial that the design and materials are child-friendly and safe. The City of Norman and Norman Arts Council stress that the public art in Norman is ADA compliant so it is accessible and enjoyed by everyone.

Budget 

The total artist's fee for the project is $89,000.00. This amount must cover all associated costs including design, materials, fabrication, lighting, travel, insurance coverage, shipping, and installation.

Artist Eligibility

Open to professional artists with experience working on public art projects of this scale and working in creating site-specific works.

Artists identifying with an ethnic, cultural, sexual, gender, economic, or ability minority are encouraged to apply.

Timeline

• RFQ Deadline: December 23, 2022, 11:59pm MST

The following dates are approximate and subject to change:

• Notify Artists: Week of January 23, 2023

• Finalists’ Site Visit: Mid-February 2023

• Finalists’ Presentation of Proposals: Late March 2023

• Contract with Selected Artist: May 2023

• Installation and Dedication of Artwork: Fall 2023

Application Guidelines

All applications must be submitted via CaFÉ

Submissions for this project must contain the following materials:

• A one page maximum typed letter of interest outlining your qualifications for and interest in the project, as well as the general idea for your approach. Please consider the following questions when developing your letter of interest:

  • Why do you want to work on this project?

  • How would you approach this project?

  • What materials do you work with that would be appropriate for outdoor use?

  • Have you worked on similar projects? If not, what relevant experiences do you have?

  • How does this project relate to your current work?

• Resume/CV

• Artist Bio/Statement

• Three references with whom you have worked on a public art project, including current telephone number and email address.

• 10 - 15 high-resolution images of previous work you feel would support your ability to carry out this project. Include all pertinent information on your Cafe slides: title, medium, size, date of completion, location, and project details (i.e. Budget commissioning agency, etc., if public art).

Committee and Selection Criteria

Selection for this project will be made by a panel including stakeholders, design professionals, City representatives, a member of the Norman Public Art committee, a member of the Norman Arts Council Board, and members of the arts community.

Three finalists will be selected based on the materials submitted---please see the Application Guidelines above.

After a formal presentation by the finalists, the selection panel will choose the best project for the site based on the merit of the artist’s work, past experience, and appropriateness of the proposed concept. The Panel will also focus on artists who can demonstrate sensitivity to the site and surroundings. Artists must be able to commit and effectively work within the project timeline and collaborate with the administration of City of Norman Parks and Recreation Department and Norman Arts Council.

Selection Process

1. The Selection Panel will review all applicants who respond to this RFQ.

2. Three finalists will be invited to move on in the process.

3. Finalists will come to Norman for a mandatory site visit to meet with the Project Team and others. Finalists will be paid a $600.00 allowance to cover transportation, hotel, and per diem expenses for the site visit.

4. After the site visit, finalists will be asked to create a site-specific design proposal that will include:

   1. a scale model, maquette, or computer-generated design

   2. an itemized budget

   3. a project timeline

   4. project narrative

   5. maintenance plan

5. Finalists will each be awarded an honorarium of $1,000.00 for their proposal.

6. Finalists will be required to present their proposals in-person to the Selection Panel and will receive a $600.00 allowance for transportation, hotel, and per diem expenses for the proposal presentations.

7. The Selection Panel will make the final decision on the artist awarded the project pending approval of the Norman Arts Council and Norman City Council.

Artist Eligibility

Open to professional artists with experience working on public art projects of this scale and working in creating site-specific works.

Artists identifying with an ethnic, cultural, sexual, gender, economic, or ability minority are encouraged to apply.

Spring 2023 Arts Education Scholarships Application Window Open through November!

The Spring 2023 Arts Education Scholarship application window is open now to give Norman students the opportunity to attend arts programming that is offered outside of schools. This can be in any artistic discipline (visual or performing arts) and any student who lives or attends school in Norman is eligible to apply for up to $500 to help offset the costs associated with this outside instruction.

APPLICATION DEADLINE:

SPRING 2023 Programs – Applications are available on November 1, 2022 and are due by 11:59 p.m. on Wednesday, November 30, 2022!
APPLY HERE

Note: Please read application guidelines thoroughly to ensure timely completion of all requirements!

ELIGIBILITY: The Norman Arts Council invites students in grades K-12th who live or go to school in Norman, Oklahoma to apply for a scholarship to offset the cost of an arts education experience provided by an established arts organization or educator.

APPLICATIONS: NAC guidelines and criteria should be followed carefully. Only Applications submitted through the on-line process will be considered for funding. Applications must be 100% completed for consideration. "I don't know" or "unsure" answers will deem an incomplete application.

SELECTION CRITERIA: The NAC is seeking applications for scholarships from students who:

• express a strong desire to enhance their arts education experience beyond what is offered in schools, demonstrates a past commitment to visual or performing arts, or a student that a parent, guardian or teacher deems the child could benefit from an arts experience

• have the ability to commit to the completion of the program

• have a financial need that prevents them from funding the tuition themselves

• priority will be given to low income applicants or families facing a hardship

• $500 is the maximum award a single student will be granted for a single program

• Applications must be 100% completed

Applicants will not be turned down for not meeting ALL of the criteria. It is encouraged, however, to try to meet as many as possible and to address the criteria directly in the proposal.

AWARDS: Award notification will be by email. Due to limited funds, applicants may not receive the full funding requested and/or may not receive any funding at this time. Oftentimes, our requests far exceed our budget each semester.

DISBURSEMENT OF FUNDS: Upon award notification and receipt of the signed scholarship agreement, the Norman Arts Council will give the awarded funds directly to the organization or individual implementing the program applied for on behalf of the student. Should the program be cancelled for any reason by the organization or individual implementing the program, the funds will be returned to the Norman Arts Council’s scholarship program and may be applied for during the next cycle.

COMMITMENT TO PROGRAM: Upon award notification, the student’s parent or legal guardian will receive a scholarship agreement that states they will commit to ensuring the student’s regular attendance to the program. If the student fails to attend at least 75% of the program, the student will be asked to withdraw; any remaining funds will be returned to the Norman Arts Council’s scholarship program; and the student will not be eligible in the future.

AVAILABILITY OF FUNDS: The total amount of scholarship funds available may be awarded to one applicant or divided among multiple applicants. The Norman Arts Council reserves the right to not award any scholarships should there be a lack of qualified candidates or shortage of scholarship funds.

LIABILITY: Award recipients and their guardians agree to indemnify and hold harmless the NAC, its employees, its agents, and its Board of Directors, in connection with any action, claim, lawsuit, charge, or proceeding, including but not limited to any civil action in State or Federal Court, or before any State or Federal agency, which is made or brought against recipients, NAC, and/or any of NAC's employees, agents, or board members, by any person or entity, based upon and/or arising out of a recipient's use of the funds.

APPEALS: Any applicant who is denied a scholarship in whole or in part may only appeal directly to the NAC Education Committee on the following grounds: 1) discrimination against the applicant or its membership on the basis of: race, color, national origin, gender, religion, age, or disability, which is shown to have materially and adversely affected the outcome of their application; 2) illegal activity on the part of the Education Committee or a member of the Education Committee, which is shown to have materially and adversely affected the outcome of their application.

Artist Karson Brooks Combines Fine Art and Cat Comic in Exhibition Exploring Mental Health, Escapism

Oklahoma City artist, illustrator and designer Karson Brooks explores mental health and depression — as well as a colorful, cartoonish escape from it — in her solo exhibition Feline Fine, running from Friday, October 14 through Saturday, November 12, 2022 at MAINSITE Contemporary Art, 122 E. Main, Norman.

There will be an opening reception from 6 to 9 p.m. on Friday, October 14 and closing reception from 6 to 9 p.m. on Friday, November 11, both in conjunction with the 2nd Friday Norman Art Walk. Receptions and daily gallery hours — 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday — are free and open to all.

Feline Fine explores both sides of the artist. One side of the gallery illustrates the mental discourse of depression and mental health, while the other seeks an escape to a world of cartoonish life events. The colorful use of abstract meets Mid-Century Modern is meant to emulate the surroundings and curation of the artist’s home, person, and internal dialogue.

Karson Brooks is an Oklahoma-born artist, currently located in Oklahoma City. Her primary focus is centered around her career as a visual designer and illustrator. Through her self-exploration as an artist, she’s been working on both new and old concepts, one of which includes her cat comic, Belmont and several series that focus on her mental health and bodily autonomy.

Belmont features small windows into the life of her cat Velma, aka: Belmont. Belmont, is the name given to Velma when she’s been a “bad cat.” And while Belmont is baby, Karson hopes that many others see their own little bad kitties through the antics of the two main characters. The comic also highlights her passion for plants, interior decor, and a nod to some of her favorite animators.

As someone who has been managing manic depression since her early teens, the scope of her mental well-being is a heavy concept for her other art pieces. Her earlier concepts that focused on topics such as learning of her own infertility issues to lifelong depression struggles can be seen in their evolution in this exhibit. By combining organic movement with stark contrast of human figures, she unites the two to create a visual understanding of the how her emotions play into the everyday life she presents.

Karson hopes to continue developing these concepts by working toward a more physical presence in the art world. Plans for more physical media are on the horizon, as well as, many more shows she is looking forward to. To stay updated with future shows, artwork, and more, follow her on Instagram under @plight.studio.