Artists Open Call For Proposals

Download the Open Call for Proposal (pdf)

Open Call for Proposals
First Annual LUMINOSITY Festival
Ocean Beach, San Diego, California

Plans are being developed for a new, world-class event in Ocean Beach, a vibrant and historic community on San Diego’s coastline. LUMINOSITY will debut on July 4, 2023, and is envisioned by long-time community organizers as a replacement for—and reimagining of—the highly popular annual Fourth of July fireworks display off the Ocean Beach Municipal Pier. Although the pier is one of San Diego’s most visited landmarks, with ongoing deterioration and structural instability, it is no longer viable to use the pier as a launching site
for fireworks. This, coupled with ecological issues and concerns for the welfare of animals and individuals affected by the noise of the fireworks, has further justified the change.

The LUMINOSITY Festival of Light planners seek artists and designers interested in creating and presenting experiential light-based installations, projection mapping, and performances within this unique beachfront environment. The Festival of Light will also encompass specific sites along the Newport Avenue and Voltaire Avenue business districts. It is anticipated that the festival’s scope will continually expand in the coming years, eventually becoming a showcase for experimental art and a world-class cultural destination.

After dark, this coming Fourth of July, an estimated 40,000 beachgoers and viewers on the hill above will be entertained by a drone show composed of hundreds of light-emitting drones flying in complex formations over the ocean.

On the ground, this will be augmented by participating artists creating the Festival of Light described above. Given that this creative use of light is scalable based on financing and logistics, THE POSSIBILITIES ARE ENDLESS!

How Can Artists Contribute?
Artists and designers are encouraged to share stories that will engage, inspire and excite audiences, drawing inspiration from the ocean and the iconic beach town environment. Site-specific works that incorporate
architectural and geographical features, as well as interactive or collaborative experiences and performances, are encouraged. Light projections on commercial buildings, the beach sand, and the Ocean Beach Pier, for example, have the potential to give viewers an impactful and memorable experience. All works must be aesthetically well-resolved and sturdy enough to withstand potentially adverse environmental conditions or rough handling by the public. Caution should be exercised in controlling light intensity and scale. Some business owners may request partnering with artists and the opportunity to incorporate projects within
their specific locations.
In keeping with the environmental sensitivity of the beach area and residents’ concerns about it, artists are urged, whenever possible, to present works that incorporate sustainable technology (especially low-tech rather than high tech) and biodegradable materials. Alternative sources of power, such as solar and batteries, are preferable. The layout and demographics of the community should also be considered.

Festival applicants can apply for total funding, partial funding, technical support, and/or networking with potential business sponsors. As much as possible, organizers will draw upon their extensive network of
contacts to facilitate dynamic collaborations. The LUMINOSITY Arts Council will attempt to match accepted artists with appropriate sites. Alternatively, artists may propose specific sites and/or negotiate with a site owner. If a site is independently secured, festival organizers should be notified immediately. Projects incorporated within local businesses can extend display timelines beyond the Fourth of July. (Additional information is available on the LUMINOSITY website, along with a downloadable map). To reiterate, the core areas of the festival are the beachfront, as well as the Newport Avenue and Voltaire business district. Public sites will need to be negotiated and timelines will be strictly adhered to.

The LUMINOSITY Arts Council will review artists’ proposals. Council members are experienced professionals in lighting design, contemporary fine art, architecture, art history, and other fields. Applications will be processed confidentially. During the evaluation period, artists may be invited to discuss the development and realization of their project.

Light installations are not required to have a predetermined location. If such a project receives funding, the festival will assist with finding an appropriate location and, if necessary, a host. In these cases, the optimal environment for achieving the desired effect should be described.

Main Points to be Addressed in Artists’ Proposals
• Visual quality
• Artistic value
• Architectural value
• Cultural value
• Creating a temporary urban space with artistic and experiential value
• The scale of the light piece in relation to the surrounding area
• Sustainability and the use of sustainable components
• Technical and structural robustness due to beach weather and the duration of the exhibit
• The Arts Council will attempt to assist with the following:
• Potential Co-sponsors, if any
• Potential collaboration with hosts regarding locations and co-funding
• Access to power
• Strategies for protecting installations from inclement weather and vandalism

Application requirements
• A single PDF incorporating the information requested below
• 10 MB maximum size in total
• No more than seven pages, including the front page
• Language: English

Frontpage:
a) A key illustration or image
b) Artist’s name or collaborators
c) Title of work
d) Requested funding amount
e) Contact information

Work Description (One page, maximum):
The description of the piece must contain your artistic considerations: What is the piece about? Why is it
relevant? A detailed description of its appearance and technical specifications. If the work is site-specific, a description of the location and a map are needed. If the work is not site-specific, please describe the optimal
environment for it.

Visualizations (Two pages, maximum):
Visualizations can be conveyed using video, animation, sketches, illustrations, digital renderings, or other means. A scale drawing detailing the size of the piece should be included. Artists are encouraged to include active links to videos or other visualizations of the piece.

About the Artist/Artist Group (Two pages, maximum):
Description of the artist/group of artists: Portfolio/references/CV.

Budget (One page, maximum):
Project budgets must include all expenses for which funding is being sought. Unknown factors or parts not included in the budget (lift rental, cable rentals, etc.) should be noted as “unknown sums.”

No fees will be charged for submitting applications.

Applications that do not adhere to the requirements stated above will not be considered

A contractual and collaboration agreement securing the rights of all involved parties will be created for
accepted works.

Send your application to: artscouncil@obluminosity.com
Subject Line: LUMINOSITY Festival of Light Open Call 2023, [artist’s name], [title of installation]

Funding:
This is our first festival, so please let us know if your project requires funding, if you are self-funded, or if you plan to fund the project through a sponsor.

Artist Responsibilities/Collaboration Contract:
All artists, contributors, and participants chosen for the LUMINOSITY Festival of Light must sign a contractual agreement to ensure mutual rights and distribution of duties.

Insurance:
Artists or hosts are responsible for insurance of their light installations and other works if desired.

Luminosity Timeline:
• RFP announced: March 1, 2023
• Due Date for Proposal Submission: March 30, 2023
• Finalists Announced: April 15, 2023
• Contracts Sent to Artists: April 15, 2023
• Contracts Signed and Received from the Artist: April 30, 2023
• Submission of Artist Survey and Project Needs Form for Finalists: June 1, 2023
• The Arts Council will coordinate Installation Dates and Times
• Installations Completed: July 4, 2023, at noon
• Luminosity Event Begins: July 4, 2023, at 7:00 p.m.