
Every year, True/False brings a multitude of talented visual artists from near and far to reinvent venues and transform public spaces. What began as a visual backdrop for our fest nineteen years ago is now an integral part of every aspect of what we do. We seek out creative, ambitious people and provide the tools to remake ordinary spaces into magical, ethereal environments.
Additionally, we strive to provide a strong platform for expanding visual artists’ ability to create site-specific installations in unconventional spaces, providing a challenge for artists to explore beyond the traditional gallery atmosphere. We are excited to work with artists at all stages of their careers, from emerging artists to well-established exhibiting artists.
We encourage all interested artists to learn more about the Fest as a whole by exploring our website, and to read through the overarching Mission for the Ragtag Film Society, which speaks to our goals for Art Installations exhibited during the Fest.
We welcome questions at any and all points during the application process; please feel free to contact us at [email protected]
WHAT ARE WE LOOKING FOR IN A PROPOSAL
True/False is looking for dynamic, original large-scale installations, sculptures, experiential work, and venue designs. Aesthetically, we encourage artists to use as inspiration the overarching ideas and mission of the festival (broadly, an immersive artistic experience that seeks to transform the everyday) and/or the year-specific theme.
In short, our ideal proposal embodies flexible specificity. That is, we are looking for proposals that have the flexibility to be modified to work in a variety of locations, but are rich in logistical details such as construction plans, aesthetics, intent, installation logistics, budget, and other relevant details and information. We have included examples of the required proposal narrative and the required budget below; we’re happy to provide additional examples upon request, and are always happy to answer any questions that you might have as you develop your proposal.
Due to the nature of our festival, T/F art installations tend to be both temporary (the Fest is 4 days; art installations are rarely up for longer than 6 days) and site-specific. There are a variety of sites that are potentially available. Some are interior, some exterior; some sites require that the art be suspended, others allow for art to be placed or secured to the ground, and some have the potential to combine both. Most locations have access to power. We have limited options for more traditional gallery work and video installations. Almost all of the art installations we exhibit are located in spaces that large groups of people move through or spend time in; this knowledge should inform your construction plans and design.
To view past work created for T/F, please see our Instagram feed (@truefalseart), which showcases a variety of pieces both in progress and installed. If you have questions about specific past pieces, please don’t hesitate to contact us.
Please note that all of the spaces we inhabit are either public spaces or are privately owned by organizations or individuals other than the Fest, and in some situations this may require additional information, permissions, or considerations. Once your proposal is accepted, we will work with you to determine (and prepare) any additional information, permissions, or considerations needed to install your piece.
Feel free to submit multiple proposals.
Collaborative proposals are permitted and encouraged.
We will accept proposals from anywhere in the world.
We have provided a Sample Narrative (actual proposal from T/F 2018; shared with permission from the artist) and a Sample Budget (totally made up) to assist you in the creation of those documents.
2023 THEME
Each year T/F adopts a visual theme – the 2023 theme is THIS IS A TEST.
This year’s theme springs from the spirit of experimentation that first brought True/False into the world and has kept us going for 20 editions. The festival remains a work-in-progress, always reaching for new forms of understanding; our collective evolution, innovation, and exploration continue to be essential in forging a way ahead, as a festival, and as humans. With this theme, we invite you to reflect on the very process of life as a journey: a series of experiments in which we all work to figure out what does and doesn’t work (knowing that even failure leads to learning) and acknowledge that ultimately, there are no right or wrong answers. In this time of uncertainty and reckoning, the opportunity to reevaluate and reimagine is still ever-present, if a little obscured, and so we embrace a leap into the unknown in the pursuit of the shining possibility of something better.
PROMPTS
- No amount of experimentation can ever prove me right; a single experiment can prove me wrong. -Albert Einstein
- Trial and error
- The philosophy of reality / metaphysics
- Risk
- Controlled experiments (The scientific method, placebo effect, variables and control groups, probability)
- Warning signals (a non-verbal indicator)
- Dress rehearsal
- Alternate timelines, self-fulfilling prophecy, nostalgia
- The ethics of experimentation / the limits of testing
- Burden of proof
- Simulations; trust/mistrust of reality
- The next frontier
- Rebirth / a reckoning
- Black box
- Invention / opportunism
TIMING AND DEADLINES
For T/F 2023, we will have one Open Call period, which will open July 7, 2022.
Proposals are due no later than September 30, 2022; we welcome early submissions.
Applicants will be notified via email by December 2022.
The Fest will be held March 2 through 5, 2023. All accepted work will need to be complete (ready for install) by Friday, February 24, 2023; installation will occur no later than Thursday, March 2, 2023 (install dates will depend on location) and tear down will occur on March 6, 2023. We have a highly skilled art curatorial team to install and deinstall the installations in the various venues. We encourage artwork which can be shipped and installed by our T/F team.
What we offer:
- Up to $2000 for an artist stipend
- Artist Pass to the Festival (upon Request)
APPLICATION
The 2023 call for entries is now closed. Please contact Sarah at [email protected] with any questions.