Imagination Station seeks artists to join us as our next Artists in Residence. This exciting opportunity is designed to encourage artists to explore science, create new work, and directly engage with our visitors.
We're inviting artists to explore the intersection of art and science in our program. Successful proposals will offer a fresh and innovative perspective, introducing unique ideas through your work and creative approaches to technique, problem-solving, and creative expression. We will be looking for someone who engages thoughtfully with their chosen theme, as well as someone who incorporates scientific concepts to add depth and meaning to the work
Paid Artist in Residence Opportunity; Feb - June 2025
Imagination Station seeks artists to join us as our next Artists in Residence. This exciting opportunity is designed to encourage artists to explore the wonders of science, create new work, and directly engage with our visitors. Artists will be awarded a stipend for time and materials commensurate with the proposal's complexity. We welcome projects of all sizes and scales. The strength of your proposal, its clarity, and its impact are what truly matters, not the scale of your project.
We're inviting artists to explore the intersection of art and science in our Artist-in-Residence Program. Successful proposals will offer a fresh and innovative perspective, introducing unique ideas through your work and creative approaches to technique, artistic problem-solving, and creative expression. We will be looking for someone who engages thoughtfully with their chosen theme, as well as someone who incorporates scientific concepts to add depth and meaning to the work.
We would like you to present a well-organized plan, with a realistic timeline of your project. Please include a reasonable budget, of up to $3,500, briefly outlining necessary expenses and how resources will be allocated. This budget should include payment for your own time. Your portfolio and artist’s statement should reflect on your experience and past work, demonstrating how your background will contribute to the success of the project.
We're eager to see how artists will use their creativity to blend art with science, sparking curiosity and engagement among our visitors. Artists' proposals that show the ability to work effectively with a diverse audience and/or would be comfortable and interested in leading public programs are a bonus. Providing opportunities for visitor interaction, and creating immersive experiences that invite audience participation and learning is what we do at Imagination Station. We are committed to bringing greater representation to STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math) and artists from every background and ability will be considered. We look forward to your innovative ideas and the chance to collaborate to bring your vision to life at Imagination Station.
Residency Period
Artists will typically complete their projects within 30 days. The amount of time spent at Imagination Station will vary depending on the project. Saturdays offer the most potential for interacting with our visitors. A typical day consists of 5 hours of visitor interaction and or art production for days you work onsite.
Artists are to select one of the following time slots to complete their project:
April through May 15, 2024
May through June 15th, 2024
Responsibilities:
Create new artwork inspired by STEAM experiences at the science center.
Spend 6-8 days within 30 days at the science center producing work and/or engaging with families explaining the process.
Work should inspire young creators with what is possible. It is advantageous for artists to demonstrate a commitment to creating artwork related to science, technology, engineering, art, and mathematics.
Encouraged in your proposal but not mandatory:
Teach the Imagination Station team and guests how to utilize the tools and techniques used in your work.
Work directly with the Imagination Station team and visitors to create new artwork at the science center.
Project Proposal Ideas:
Imagination Station is seeking artists who work in a variety of mediums. This is by no means an exhaustive list of proposal topics, and you are not required to create a proposal around one of these topics. The strength of your proposal is what is important, not the medium or the topic.
Textiles Fiber Arts
Technology
Sewing
Weaving
Chemistry
New Media
Weather
Water
Plant/ Animal life
Kinetic or movement-based projects
Science Fiction
Submission Requirements
We look forward to welcoming talented and visionary artists to our team and exploring the exciting intersections of science and art. Please provide the following information in your application via email to: artist@istscience.org
Artist name, address, phone number, and email address
A timeline for the execution of the project
A preliminary budget that details the time and materials needed to complete the project
A brief artist statement (150 words or less) explaining how your work relates to science
A portfolio of recent work (up to 10 jpg images) with descriptions
A CV or artist’s resume
Application deadline: February 7th, 2024
Notification: Feb 14th, 2024
Background checks will be completed on artists awarded this opportunity, at no cost to the artists.
Imagination Station, Toledo’s Science Center, is the region’s resource in interactive Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math (STEAM) education. We offer a mind-on, body-on, hands-on experience with hundreds of interactive exhibits, activities, and demonstrations that teach vital science concepts. The science center is a hub of learning that provides the tools necessary to thrive in the 21st century and that shapes future scientists and innovators. We represent the idea that the sciences are more than theorems or formulas on a page, but are powerful concepts that can allow a wide-eyed child to ride a bike across a high wire and learn about where they get their energy.
This project is supported in part by The Arts Commission, the City of Toledo, and Lucas County.
For further information, please contact;
Mark Leasor
Experience Development Manager
Pronouns: He/Him
Imagination Station
1 Discovery Way
Toledo, OH 43604
Work: 419-214-9117
Fax: 419-255-2674
mleasor@istscience.org
Apply