Spring 2020 Call for Exhibition Proposals at BSA Space

Description

BSA Space features over 7,000 square feet of gallery space for creative explorations of the potential for design to engage community, inspire vision, and to provoke positive change. Home to the Boston Society of Architects/AIA (BSA) and the BSA Foundation (Foundation), BSA Space welcomes community members and design professionals. BSA Space produces exhibitions and programs exploring the aesthetic, economic, and social impact of architecture, design, and the built environment on Greater Boston and the wider world. Exhibitions at BSA Space are supported by the BSA Foundation. 

How proposals are selected
BSA Space favors provocative content that stimulates change in the way its visitors experience the built and natural environments. Submitted proposals will be reviewed by the Foundation’s Exhibitions Committee (the Committee), which is composed of museum professionals, Foundation board members, and community representatives. 

Proposals will be vetted against the BSA Foundation’s strategic agenda and must

• Elevate public awareness and understanding of the power of design as it relates to urban conditions including climate change, environmental sustainability, urban planning, housing, plus social, economic, and cultural equity; 
• Contain plans for an exhibition component that can be executed in the community;
• Result in professionally curated content that includes a mixture of media types (2- and 3-dimensions).
   

​Specific criteria for 2020

Spring 2020 proposals should also address why materials matter to the sustainability dialog and suggest how this exhibition might lead to environmental impact. 

Summer 2020 proposals should address ways to engage the public in discovery around the monumental form and suggest how this exhibition might challenge attitudes about infrastructure and its role in the urban experience. 

Special care should be taken to indicate how the ideation expressed within proposals will manifest in 3D exhibits. 

How exhibitions are produced
Selected designers will work closely with BSA and Foundation staff to develop the exhibition, in accordance with BSA Foundation and AAM exhibition guidelines. Major exhibitions run 3-6 months, and are intended to mainly utilize the second floor gallery space. Guest curators will be given a budget of $30K-$70K, depending upon the specific needs of the proposal. Budget will include all exhibition expenses, including materials, fabrication, installation, curator fees, designer fees, and fees for any portion of this work contracted out. 

Audience
Exhibitions at BSA Space are spoken in a language that everyone can understand. BSA Space welcomes both public visitors and design and construction professionals. Exhibitions at BSA Space invite both audiences to expand their understanding of the power of design to affect multiple aspects of the built environment in Boston and beyond, and to build better communities. Exhibition content must appeal to visitors with diverse backgrounds and learning styles. 

Eligibility
This call is open to individuals, teams, or firms (note: proposal should not showcase the work of a single firm or individual). Applicants for this round of entries must have demonstrated experience curating a museum-quality exhibition. Applicants should not feel limited to architectural themes, as the committee will consider proposals that explore a wide variety of design and urban-related topics. BSA Space also considers traveling exhibitions that have formerly been exhibited at other venues.