Call for Submissions: Ice Follies Biennial – Temporary Public Art Project

Submission Deadline: September 1st, 2024

Ice Follies is seeking proposals for new public artworks in any medium that can be displayed in an outdoor location on frozen Lake Nipissing, as a part of the 11th edition of the Ice Follies Biennial from Feb 7 – 21, 2025.

Ice Follies is a biennial festival of contemporary and community-engaged art produced by an ad-hoc collective on frozen lake Nipissing. Audiences are invited to engage with works situated offshore from the North Bay waterfront and along the shores of Nipissing First Nation. The Ice Follies Committee includes representation from the three artist-run centers in the Nipissing area spanning contemporary visual arts, indigenous arts, performance, media arts, and community-engaged artistic practices.

The theme for the 2025 festival is “Ozhaashikwaa” (The Ice is Slippery). We are seeking artwork that explores the challenges of navigating difficult and unsteady terrain, whether interpreted metaphorically or physically, or in combination.  The project that will be chosen for this festival will not only reflect on Ice Follies’s 2025 theme, it will also show a strong understanding of the situational and contextual considerations for presenting contemporary artworks outside on a frozen lake in February, such as safety and ecological issues.

Finished artworks will be displayed in a designated location off Shabogesic Beach in North Bay, during Ice Follies’s 11th Anniversary Festival, February 7-21, 2025. Set-up and tear-down of selected projects are the responsibility of the selected artists as arranged with the Festival Coordinator. Installation and tear-down occur in the days leading up to, and following the festival.

PROJECT GUIDELINES:

Medium: Works in any medium will be accepted, as long as the proposed artwork can be safely installed in a public place, and can withstand 2 weeks of February weather. Artworks or installations must be structurally sound: no precarious structures or objects that may fall or collapse onto viewers.

Subject Matter: Artists should keep in mind that selected works will be displayed in a high-traffic public location with audiences of all ages. Artwork subject matter is invited to respond to the theme of “Ozhaashikwaa” in such ways that are mindful of the current sociocultural and ecological context, while remaining accessible and engaging for a wide ranging audience.

If you are concerned that your idea/material choices do not meet the suggested guidelines please email dhruvraj.icefolliescoordinator@gmail.com for assistance.

ELIGIBILITY:

Must be a current resident of Northern Ontario and have resided in the region for at least one year.

WHAT WE PROVIDE:

• An artist fee of $2,380 (inclusive of any taxes, permits, etc)
• Material and installation costs of up to $2,000 can be negotiated, with valid receipts
• Reasonable Installation Support
• Travel and shipping costs of up to $1,000 are included, with valid receipts.

APPLICATION PROCESS:

Submissions must include:

• A project proposal outlining your intention for the artwork and how you will execute this plan (max. 500 words or max 5 min video).
• Please also include a separate 200 word explanation of how you will address the safety/environmental considerations.
• Paragraph outlining an overview of your practice/interests (max. 500 words).
• Current artist CV (max 3 pages).
• Up to 10 images of previous works. You may include a link to video clips with accompanying descriptions (max. 10 min).
• Brief outline of materials and equipment needed.
• Confirmation that you are available and able to complete the artwork by Feb 5th, 2025, in time for set-up on the lake.

*All submissions must be emailed as a single PDF email attachment (no zip files), and must not exceed 25 MB. Please do not send additional documents. Alternatively, images and or videos can be shared through WeTransfer.

Ice Follies is dedicated to an equitable selection process and promoting cultural diversity in our programming. We encourage applications from contemporary artists, collectives, and curators from BIPOC, queer, feminist, and other under-supported communities. If you would like to self-identify as representing one of these perspectives, you may do so in your application. However, this is not a requirement. We also aim to be as accessible as possible, and will do our best to accommodate your individual needs through the application process.

DEADLINE TO SUBMIT: August 31st, 11:59pm ET time.

Artists will be notified of submission results by September 15th, leaving 4 months to complete the work.

Please send queries and applications to dhruvraj.icefolliescoordinator@gmail.com, and indicate “Ice Follies Public Call 2025” in your subject line.

This project is being generously funded by the Canada Council for the Arts, and FedNor through their Youth Internship program.