2025 LAB MFA - Summer Residency and Exhibtion
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Opportunity: LAB MFA - Summer Residency and Exhibition
Application Deadline: midnight EST March 16th, 2025
Eligibility: Artists currently enrolled in MFA studio art programs in the U.S. during spring 2024
*first, second or third year students can apply
Join us for an info session on Sunday March 2 at 1pm PST/4pm EST.
*Residency opportunity dates: May 23 - July 7th, 2025
*Artists can stay as long as they wish during Residency opportunity period as long as their installation is completed by June 14th and they are present for any committed public programs. Note residence second bedroom may be occupied by another artist at some point during this time period.
Exhibition dates: June 14- July 5th, 2025
Opportunity Description:
Locust Projects, Miami’s longest-running alternative art space, invites graduate-level artists to submit project proposals for an exhibition in our 625 sq ft Project Room during the summer of 2025. This year's focus is on digital and new media projects that push the boundaries of technology-driven artistic practices. Exhibition proposals should reflect an expansion of an artist’s practice in conceptual scope, scale, or media, with a strong emphasis on digital innovation, interactivity, and hybrid approaches integrating physical and virtual experiences.
Priority will be given to projects that demonstrate exceptionally unique methods, processes, or concepts—particularly those that could not be presented in a traditional gallery setting, emphasizing site-specificity, installation, and digital media explorations. Artists addressing social justice issues, including race, identity, gender parity, climate change, and environmental advocacy through digital platforms, are encouraged.
We accept proposals from artists working in any digital or technology-based media, including interactive installations, AI-generated art, video-based works, virtual reality, augmented reality, and code-based art. Artists can apply as individuals or two-person collaboratives presenting a singular project. Special consideration will be given to artists presenting work directly related to their MFA studies or artists who have never realized a solo exhibition before. Locust Projects is not a commercial gallery; we do not offer artist representation.
To be eligible, applicants must be enrolled in an MFA program during the spring of 2025.
LAB MFA RESOURCES AND SUPPORT
- Artist stipend: $1,500.
- Production budget: Up to $1,750 (includes production, fabrication, equipment rental, materials, specialized lighting, professional/technical support, and public programs).
- Travel support: $500 stipend towards travel to/from Miami for out-of-town artists.
- Residency accommodations: Free accommodations for approximately four weeks near Locust Projects.
- Basic infrastructure: Access to AV equipment, tools, and supplies; up to 20 hours of preparator/contract labor assistance during install/de-install.
- Public programming: Artists will commit to creating public programming, such as conversations, performances, or collaborations, paying collaborators based on W.A.G.E. standards.
- Cross-disciplinary collaborations with Miami-based organizations or individuals are encouraged.
APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS. Please provide the following information in Submittable.
- Project proposal (350 word max.) Provide a summary of your proposed project, describing both its conceptual and physical aspects and how it will be realized. If you are graduating this year, explain how this project builds on your MFA thesis work. If you are graduating in the future, describe how it leads to your MFA thesis project. (350-word max)
- Draft floor-plan/rendering of proposed project - see attached PDF for floor plan and images
- Artist Statement (max. 150 words); can also be a 1 min video submission
- Letter of recommendation from a current professor (it can be attached or emailed directly to submissions@locustprojects.org. If it is emailed, please include an attachment in your application noting who is sending the recommendation and that it will be emailed directly to submissions@locustprojects.org).
- Work Samples. Upload 6 images of recent/ related work. If you have video based work you can put up to 3 video links in your application. You must provide at least 2 examples of previous work.
- Work Sample Descriptions. Please list the image file name with title, medium, dimensions and year for the images you attached in the image samples section.
- Artist resume or CV. Please include artist contact information (no more than 2 pages).
Please send questions to submissions@locustprojects.org.