16 Nicholson Street Gallery is welcoming exhibition proposal submissions to take part in our curated 2023-24 programme. We are interested in visual artists seeking to collaborate with our curatorial cooperative on an exploratory research/ making process, investigating themes at the intersections of: 

When
The exhibition period will either take place Sept-Oct 2023 or Feb-March 2024. (Please indicate your availability for either/ or in your submission)

Who we want to hear from
16NSt aims to support early career visual artists. This is a fluid category but generally we are looking for applicants who have no gallery representation and have not yet had a significant UK solo exhibition, and who are not currently students. We are particularly interested in hearing from artists who identify as queer or of any marginalised gender.

Open Call Q&A Session
16 Nicholson Street curators Aga, Isabella, and Nell held an Open Call Q&A Session (18/07/22) to discuss their process of working with artists and answer applicant questions. Find the Zoom recording below:

What we want to hear
We are asking for open format exhibition proposals that emphasise how using the gallery as an experimental laboratory for ideas and practice will impact on the artists’ practice/ output, and on the artists’ personal/professional development at this stage in their career. We are interested in engaging curatorially with projects at the development stage, rather than a complete exhibition project. 

We ask that artists’ provide a statement of intent, with 1-3 research questions included, an up to date CV including any relevant social media links (website, IG, etc.), and a portfolio (10 pages max). The proposal should include details about what this opportunity will bring to your artistic development. Where do you see your practice before and after the exhibition process? 

Submission Details

Please email your submission materials with the subject line ‘16NST 2023-2024 Exhibition Open Call Submission’ to 16nicholsonstreet@gmail.com by 31st of August, midnight. The proposal should be no more than 1500 words, and may be submitted in audio/video form, portfolio 10 page max. We welcome applicants with protected characteristics or from diverse backgrounds. To accommodate differing needs, any reasonable adjustment can be made throughout the application and interview process. Collectives or solo artists are welcome to apply. Please note, we may pair artists thematically if we see an opportunity to make work more effective within a group show.

Next Steps
We will progress a shortlist of proposals to an interview process requiring no preparation, which will take place September 2022. We will use this to assess mutual interest in the research questions, and provide a chance to elaborate on the direction and framework of your research and development approach to the exhibition.

About 16NST 

16 Nicholson Street Gallery is a Glasgow-based, non-profit arts facilitation space run as a curatorial collaborative. Our core curatorial interests are focussed on collaboration and critical discussions and discourses. The gallery was established in 2016 and all organisation and programming is managed by Isabella Shields, Nell Cardozo, and Aga Paulina Młyńczak.

16NST curates and facilitates events, workshops, talks, mentorship programmes and exhibitions. Our aim is to introduce and encourage collaborations between established and emerging artists. By creating a dialogue between artists in Scotland and a network of international artists, we hope to develop an inclusive, engaging, and intellectually rich space. 

How We Work 

16NST engages in long-term making projects that use the gallery as an experimental space/ arts lab during the production period. Our curatorial relationship with artists is hands-on and durational. Our working strategies are collaborative in nature, both within the curatorial team and between curators and artists in terms of relational working. 

We care for the creative process by providing our artists and collaborators with: 

• curatorial input and supervision with regard to the exhibition, events/ talks, and written exhibition materials 
• the gallery space and its various workspaces/ facilities
• hands-on installation and deinstallation assistance
• technical advice
• a selection of tools and technological equipment
• event management
• marketing and graphic design assistance
• (if agreed beforehand) editorial and graphic design collaboration to create a publication with 16 Nicholson Street Press
  

Output
The output for each collaboration usually consists of a 1 month exhibition period with an opening event and potential satellite/ community events, and a publication with 16 Nicholson Street Press, which is collaboratively produced as an expansion of exhibition themes.

Timeline of Curatorial Collaboration Process: 

– 2 months collaborative development/ research
– 1 month co-production/ making period
– 1 month exhibition
– 1 week deinstallation/ debrief

Funding
We are a non-profit curatorial collaborative often running on voluntary work. Where possible all exhibitions will be paid the commission fee for new work according to the a-n guidance, taking into account the size of the group and space.  Funding has not yet been secured for the 2023-24 programme, however 16 Nicholson Street has a strong track record of securing funding and we are currently working towards doing so. We will not require you to take any work without remuneration if we have not secured funding by the time we’ve reached the production stage.  

Access
We welcome applicants with protected characteristics or from diverse backgrounds. To accommodate differing needs, any reasonable adjustment can be made throughout the application and interview process. The proposal/ statement of intent may be submitted in alternative audio/video form. Please feel free to include any access requests in your submission and/or reach out anytime with access questions/ requests to 16nicholsonstreet@gmail.com.

All the Best,

– Aga, Isabella, & Nell