Sun 16 Aug 12:00 | Festival Website, YouTube, Social Media
Saree Tying
Puja Pandya demonstrates how to tie a saree
AIS Open:Women Behind the Lens
The Independent Jury are currently selecting the shortlist and finalists for the latest AIS Open. We will be announcing the selected artists soon.
For this AIS Open, we're looking for applications from UK and International women photographers, at all stages of their careers, of any background and of any age.
The exhibition theme is "Place & Space" and we want you to be creative, experimental and exploratory with your responses, interpreting the theme in whatever way you like.
Deadline for submissions is midnight Sunday 4th December 2022, your local time.
There are no fees for submitting work.
The first part of the selection process will be undertaken by curator Sebah Chaudhry. The final awards will be decided by a panel led by the curator and a panel composed of judges who are experienced in the field of visual arts.
What will artists receive?
5 artists will be selected by an international jury and the AIS Open Curator as the overall winners. These artists’ work will be shown in an online exhibition in 2023. The artists will also be part of a mentorship day that will consist of talks and 1-2-1 portfolio reviews with the Jury. There are no fees for submitting work to this open call and there will be no artist fees offered for shortlisted entries.
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5 artists will have their work exhibited in the online exhibition.
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One overall winner will be given a £300 honorarium.
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The four finalists will be awarded a £200 honorarium.
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Shortlisted artists will have the opportunity to showcase their work via our social media platforms.
How to apply
Applications will be made via Google Forms. If you have any barriers to submitting an application please get in touch with us via email indiansummer@inspirate.org
Before you start your application, please read through the information and guidance on this page.
The International Jury
Learn about each of our jury members HERE
Scroll down for full information including how to apply and frequently asked questions.
Place
NOUN
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a particular position, point, or area in space; a location:
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a portion of space designated or available for or being used by someone:
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a position in a sequence or series, typically one ordered on the basis of merit
VERB
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put in a particular position:
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find a home or employment for
Space
NOUN
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a continuous area or expanse which is free, available, or unoccupied:
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the dimensions of height, depth, and width within which all things exist and move
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an interval of time (often used to suggest that the time is short considering what has happened or been achieved in it)
VERB
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position (two or more items) at a distance from one another
Last year, in response to the theme of Migration, the AIS Open received over 100 entries from women discussing the movement of people across locations, including people who have been displaced, to those living in areas where there has been migration from other communities. From these entries, we noticed a common theme emerging which we would like to explore further this year; Place and Space and how we occupy it.
This can be the spaces we inhabit, the places we go to feel safe, happy or remember a previous time…
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It can be a private or public space that we spend time in with others, or alone.
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Perhaps it’s the spaces we occupy that we shouldn't?
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Or a reflection on how climate change or a natural disaster has changed a place.
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Has Covid-19 impacted on how we navigate the spaces and people around us? Has the ‘2m’, and ‘no touching’ rule had a lasting impact?
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Or maybe it’s a reflection on how a place is forever and constantly changing….
We want you to be creative, experimental and exploratory with your responses, interpreting the theme in whatever way you like.
How to enter
Who is eligible?
UK and International women photographers, at all stages of their careers, of any background and of any age. We strongly encourage artists who are under-represented within visual arts in the UK and internationally to apply, particularly artists with disabilities or long-term health conditions, and artists from low-income, LGBTQIA, and minority backgrounds, and artists living outside metropolitan cities. If you have any queries regarding the criteria, please get in touch with us via email.
What will artists receive?
5 artists will be selected by an international Jury and the AIS Open Curator as the overall winners. These artists’ work will be shown in an online exhibition in 2023. The artists will also be part of a mentorship day that will consist of talks and 1-2-1 portfolio reviews with the Jury. There are no fees for submitting work to this open call and there will be no artist fees offered for shortlisted entries.
-
5 artists will have their work exhibited in the online exhibition.
-
One overall winner will be given a £300 honorarium.
-
The four runner ups will be awarded a £200 honorarium.
-
Shortlisted artists will have the opportunity to showcase their work via our social media platforms.
How to apply
Applications will be made via Google Forms. If you have any barriers to submitting an application please get in touch with us via email indiansummer@inspirate.org
The first part of the selection process will be undertaken by curator Sebah Chaudhry. The final awards will be decided by a panel led by the curator and a panel composed of judges who are experienced in the field of visual arts.
FAQs
Does the artwork/s I submit need to be my own?
Yes. We can only accept artworks from the originators of the work. You can not submit on someone else’s behalf or use artwork by another artist as your own. You can help an artist apply but they need to apply in their own name.
How old can the work be?
Generally, the artworks should be no more than five years old. This is to ensure the work is consistent with contemporary themes and we can show the best new work.
Is this opportunity only open to artists who are women?
Yes, and we do encourage submissions from the LGBTQIA+ community.
Is this opportunity only open to artists of South Asian descent?
No. The opportunity is open to any background as long as the work relates to the theme.
What will Selectors be basing their decisions on?
Selectors will be making decisions based on the quality of the work that you submit. We will look at the work in terms of its originality, excellence, technique and core ideas. It is therefore important that you speak truthfully about why you created an artwork and how an artwork relates to your general approach or ideas. We want to ensure that a diverse group of artists from around the world apply.
I find it difficult to write about my work. What should I do?
We will accept the main two components of the applications in audio or video format. However, we will need you to upload this audio or video to a sharing site (for example, YouTube) and send us the link in the relevant section of the application form. Please do not try to upload the audio or video to the Google form.
You can password protect the audio or video so other people can not listen to or view this part of your application. If you do add a password to the video, please send us this password. Note: do not send us that account password for the video/audio sharing site. Please contact us if you need any assistance in your application.
Is there any support available to help make an application?
If you would like to talk through making an application in advance of applying you can email us at indiansummer@inspirate.org
Are there any fees I need to pay for submitting my application?
No. There are no fees.
Will I get paid a fee for exhibiting
No one will get paid a fee for exhibiting. We will offer five cash prizes for the best work judged by a panel.
How many artists will be selected for the exhibition?
We will select up to five artists for the exhibition, however, shortlisted artists will be platformed on our social media platforms.
Will I get feedback on my application?
Due to the high volume of applications that we receive to our calls for entries, we are unable to provide individual feedback to applicants.
Can I apply without having a google/gmail account?
It is not a requirement that you have a gmail account in order to apply, just an email address and contact phone number.
What happens if I disagree with the decision of the curator or the panel?
The decision of the curator is final and can not be challenged. If you feel that something has gone wrong, then you are more than welcome to contact us and we will see if we can help. However, please note that we are unable to change the decision of the curator or the panel.