Founded by artists for artists in 1998, Locust Projects is Miami’s longest running nonprofit alternative art space. We produce, present, and nurture ambitious and experimental new art and the exchange of ideas through commissioned exhibitions and projects, artist residencies, summer art intensives for teens, and public programs on contemporary art and curatorial practice. As a leading incubator of new art and ideas, Locust Projects emphasizes boundary-pushing creative endeavors, risk-taking and experimentation by local, national and international artists. We invest in South Florida’s arts community by providing artists with project grants and empower creative careers by supporting the administrative work of being an artist through an onsite artist resource hub and access to pro bono legal services.
Build the World You Imagine!
2024 Locust Art Builders (LAB): Summer Art Intensive for Teens.
Students will meet in person at Locust Projects with take home activities and field trips.
APPLICATION OPENS: March 16, 2024
DEADLINE: Friday, May 24, 2024 | Acceptance letters sent by May 31, 2024
LAB 2024 INTENSIVE: June 18 - July 20, 2024 | Tuesdays – Fridays | 10am - 2pm
OPENING RECEPTION FOR FRIENDS & FAMILY: Saturday, July 20 | 6-8pm
About Locust Art Builders (LAB): Now in its 14th year, LAB is a unique summer art intensive for high school students with an interest in art, design, and exploring creative careers. 30 students will be selected from across Miami-Dade County to learn from professional artists in a dynamic program on-site this summer. They will dive right into the creative, and practical, aspects of completing a collaborative full-scale exhibition at Locust Projects!
LAB is FREE for all students.
- Students will be provided with free lunch daily.
- Students may request a transportation stipend to assist with travel to and from Locust Projects.
- Students will receive a Builder Box with art supplies and more as well as an artist edition shirt.
- Students may be able to receive community service hours for their participation; please ask your school for details.
Want to learn more about what makes LAB so special? See this video created by past LAB students!
What's on the application?
- WHY IS LAB FOR YOU? Express your interest in LAB via text or video. We'd love to know what you want to learn this summer and why you are a good fit for this opportunity!
- SHOW US YOUR CREATIVE SIDE: Share up to 8 recently completed art works, designs, or projects. You can upload photos of your work or show us your work in a short video!
- IMAGE CAPTION SHEET: Please include a PDF with the title, media, date, and a brief description of each art work.
- OPTIONAL: Letter of recommendation from a teacher, mentor, or advisor.
FAQs
Who is eligible? Students currently enrolled in public or private high schools in Miami-Dade County. Students must have completed at least one year of high school by June 2023. Rising 10th, 11th, and 12th graders as well as graduating 12th graders are all eligible to apply.
Who is not eligible? Students who are in middle school, entering ninth grade in the fall, or who graduated in 2022 or prior.
Can I apply if I am not sure I want to go to art school? Of course! LAB is the perfect place to explore your interest in art or design, learn how to make things using new skills and tools, and learn all about careers in the arts. Whether or not you go to art school, LAB can help you gain confidence and learn how to problem solve creatively.
Can I work on my personal projects as part of LAB? While some activities will involve working independently, working collaboratively with other young artists is a crucial part of LAB. Most projects, and the final exhibition, are produced as a team. Personal art practices often feed into this final result, but it is important that applicants understand that they will also be required to work closely with other young artists during LAB. If you are not open to working collaboratively as part of a team, this program might not be the right fit for you.
Can PDFs include links? Yes, they may include links to websites, video hosting services like YouTube or Vimeo, as well as links to galleries, previous exhibitions, and/or past reviews, if applicable.
Can I submit my application without using the online submission system Submittable? Unfortunately, no. All submissions must be submitted through Submittable. Submittable accounts are free. If you need assistance completing your application, please let us know by reaching out to programs@locustprojects.org. We're happy to help!
Who can I speak to if I have more questions? For more info, please contact: programs@locustprojects.org or 305.576.8570. Locust Projects is committed to inclusion, diversity, equity, and access. If you need support to participate in LAB, please let us know.
Locust Projects invites local, national, and international artists to apply for the opportunity to access the space and resources to create ambitious, large-scale new work in our 2,500 sq ft MAIN GALLERY in our new home in Little River.
GENERAL GUIDELINES
Locust Projects is committed to supporting the creation and presention of ambitious new work. Existing work is not accepted for Open Calls. Proposals for new, installation-based work that has never been presented before should specifically be designed for our Main Gallery. We present visual artists working in any medium and any stage in their career as long as the work they propose for Locust Projects demonstrably pushes their practice in new directions as part of our mission to invite risk-taking and experimentation. Collectives and artist collaborations are encouraged to apply as long as the work is presented as a singular vision. Artists addressing social justice issues including race, identity, gender parity, basic needs, climate change, environmental advocacy, and more, through their projects are encouraged. Final projects are realized with support from a collaborative environment and supportive Locust Projects staff.
MAIN GALLERY OPEN CALL OPPORTUNITY
-Solo exhibition of ambitious and new, installation-based work created specifically for Locust Projects Main Gallery (approx. 2,500 square feet) *updated Floor-plan available soon
-Community engagement with the public through public programs or activations (i.e. conversation, collaboration, performance)
MAIN GALLERY PROJECT SUPPORT
-$10,000 Project Budget (may include but is not limited to: production/fabrication, equipment rental, materials, professional/technical support, installation/construction labor, assistants, shipping, de-installation) Final budget determined based upon dates, proposal scope and scale of project, feasibility.
-$5,000 Artist Fee plus $40 per diem stipend for up to 10 days and $600 towards roundtrip flights and ground transport available to artists that live 150 miles away from Miami. (above and beyond travel expenses shall be applied to production budget). Artists may use the Artist Fee at thier discretion.
-Accommodation in a private room at the Locust Projects Residency, a 2-bedroom/1 bath house which is walking distance to Locust Projects. Note, one other artist may be in residence pending Covid safety limitations.
-Basic infrastructure provided by Locust Projects includes access to use existing tool and av equipment inventory, up to 20 hours preparator labor/assistance for install/de-install, signage, installation documentation, and promotional support
THE SELECTION PROCESS
Proposals are reviewed by a rotating jury of artists that have previously exhibited at Locust Projects and one local curator.
The following criteria will be used during the review process:
-Conceptual strength of the proposal, ambitious ideas, scale and/or use of space
-Strength of past work
-Unique or innovative approach to transforming or activating LP's space and extension of the artist's practice
-Feasibility of proposed project and related programs within budget and logistical concerns
-Compelling approach to contemporary artistic practice, societal concerns, and/or community impact
Please keep in mind, we are a non-traditional alternative art space. If the project could easily be presented in a traditional or commercial gallery setting or could be realized without the support of our organization, it is unlikely for us to consider your proposal. We do not show existing work, host traveling exhibitions, retrospectives, or group shows. We are not a commercial gallery, we do not offer artist representation.
Locust Projects is proud to be W.A.G.E. Certified (Working Artists in the Greater Economy), ensuring that we have and we will continue to compensate artists fairly, at, or above, minimum W.A.G.E. fees For more information on W.A.G.E. certification, click here.
OPEN CALL: MAIN GALLERY:
The Main Gallery 2024 Open Call is open for submissions from April 6-May 29th, 2024. To submit please send your proposal through Submittable.
Late submissions will not be accepted. (Please allow time for possible technical difficulties by submitting well before the deadline.)
Please direct questions to submissions@locustprojects.org
SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS:
- Description of how your project fits Locust Projects Mission of commisioning new work (100 words)
- Project description (max. 500 words)
- Project Impact (max. 250 words)
- Draft floorplan/rendering of proposed project. available here Up to 3 samples.
- General artist statement (max. 250 words)
- Bio, CV or Resume
- Up to 3 images of proposed project (video links can be added to a PDF and uploaded)
- Up to 5 images of previous/related work or 3 links to time based works
- Image details (title, date, year medium of the submitted work and/or links)
- Project Budget (estimate production costs for the proposed project)
PLEASE NOTE: This application is ONLY for Cycle 11 (2024) Research & Development category WaveMaker grantees requesting Implementation funds. Please do not complete this form unless you have been invited to do so.