It’s time for the next round of the LEA Artist-in-Residence Land Grants!
The LEA Land Grant program seeks to promote and nurture the arts in Second Life, through a six-month land grant to recipients. Recipients can be individuals or groups interested in creating or curating art, or proposing cultural projects which would require/utilise a full-sim build and can be completed within the allotted time frame. The LEA is able to offer land grants through the generosity of Linden Lab.
Below you will find all the information needed to apply for a Land Grant, including helpful information for your application, and how decisions will be made, with a link to the application is at the bottom. Please read this carefully even if you are familiar with this process, as new information is available here.
WHO?
You. And the LEA. We are looking for projects that utilize the many possibilities available in the virtual world. This is not limited to visual art; we encourage applications that are also collaborative efforts across the spectrum of the arts, including performance, music, and film. We’d like to encourage Second Life residents at all levels to apply, and also suggest residents might form groups and apply together if they don’t feel they’re able to fill a sim on their own.
WHAT?
We expect that residents will plan and execute a project utilizing their land grant within a certain time frame. This has often been in the form of a full-sim art exhibition and/or immersive installation, but we also welcome applications which propose curatorial projects, especially those which have a connection to physical exhibitions and events (augmented reality) by individuals and arts groups. The LEA would also prefer that projects be original works for this installation, though of course curators might be presenting extant works.
Recipients can expect to ‘buy’ (at zero cost) a full sim’s-worth of land from the LEA. You will own the land and be able to deed it to your group, and so forth. LEA estate managers will have to change some settings on the land, such as terrain RAW files and textures, and will be available to support you throughout your residence.
Artists will be given 4 months to execute their build, so that all sims have open work during the last 2 months of their grant. This, however does not mean you cannot open your project earlier than the 4 month deadline, and in fact many artists in the past have used their land to have multiple exhibits. However, it is imperative that your project will be ready within 4 months, and this time-frame should be considered (and reflected) in your application.
WHAT IS EXPECTED OF RECIPIENTS?
In addition to the aforementioned completion of builds, LEA Land Grant recipients are expected to uphold the LEA Code of Conduct.
Recipients will also be expected to hold at least one event at some point within their residency. This could be an art opening, or it could be lectures or demonstrations. It could be an ongoing event, as well. They will also be expected to participate in an LEA-wide art festival, tentatively scheduled for the first week of the final month of your residency. While this could simply mean your build is complete and accessible, we would enjoy if you might consider being an active part of events (ex. talks, performances, gatherings).
WHAT CAN ARTISTS-IN-RESIDENCE EXPECT OF THE LEA?
In addition to providing land and estate management support, the LEA wants to help make your project a success. You will be assigned a liaison from the LEA Committee, who will help guide you through the land grant timeline, land management, PR planning, and point you to other resources which might maximize your experience and success.
WHEN?
The next round of land grants are scheduled to start on September 1st, 2012, and finish on February 28, 2013.
Applications are available now, with a DEADLINE OF AUGUST 15, 2012
HOW ARE DECISIONS MADE?
Land Grant recipients are decided upon in a democratic fashion by the 7 members of the
LEA Committee. All applications are STRICTLY CONFIDENTIAL – they are only reviewed amongst the LEA, and we will not make public who has applied.
Criteria
We feel one of the strengths of the LEA committee is that we come from different backgrounds – artists, architects, curators, historians, etc. – all of whom have different ideas on what makes virtual art great. We share a passion for this project, emboldened by differing viewpoints. What this means for the LEA Land Grant applicants is that there is no one ‘right’ project. Some committee members like immersive builds, others enjoy highly technical and scripted work, still others look for projects embracing collaborative, curatorial, or education projects. Some might wish to select those who have a history of successful exhibits in SL, while others are passionate about providing experiences to new and emerging artists. This is great news for applicants, as it means that ANYONE has a chance at getting sim, provided you show us you have an idea for a great project (even if it isn’t completely thought through, and we realise that this will most likely change in your working process).
Decision Process
Each full LEA committee member makes a list of their top 20 selections from the application pool, then these are tabulated by a member of the Advisory committee (link) to retain anonymity. With the results tabulated, the committee reviews the results and votes again, if necessary, to break ties in order to achieve 20 finalists. The remaining ‘tied’ applicants will be listed as alternates should someone be unable to accept their sim.
Notification
Successful recipients can expect to be notified within 2 weeks (see timeline below), and will be handed their sims at or near the time of acceptance. If an applicant has had a change of circumstance and feels they can no longer complete their project, that sim will return to the pool and be given to an alternate. No public announcements will be made until all applicants are notified of their result.
APPLICATION TIMELINE (subject to change in the event of unforetold crises)
Applications available/announced – July 18-19th
Application deadline – Aug 15th
Final Decision Committee Deadline – Aug 26th
Notification period, and selection of alternates if need be – Aug 27 – 31st
Sim handover and public announcement – Sept 1st
HOW TO APPLY?
Fill out the form .
Please take care to ‘paint a picture’ of your project, and include slurls and/or web pages where we might view your work, to help the committee make an informed decision.
Thanks for your application, and good luck!
Chantal Harvey 