Mommy Foundation
 

(A foundation for supporting young Chinese artists and projects)
 

Introduction:
 

The Mommy Foundation is a project initiated by Biljana Ciric, an independent curator based in Shanghai. The foundation will function as a bridge between artists and the board members, who will work on a voluntary basis, helping to organize matters relating to the foundation and it’s activities.
 

The Mommy Foundation will be the first foundation of this kind in China that supports young and emerging artists and their projects. The foundation will be established thanks to support from institutions, galleries and individual donors in China and abroad, starting with Shanghai.
 

All galleries and institutions that support the foundation will become members of the board and will participate in the selection process of projects for the annual grant.
 



Goal of the Foundation:
 

Today, the non-profit sector in China for contemporary art remains largely absent; nor are there any foundations to support young Chinese artists prior to their initiation into the gallery and museum systems. This symbolic initiation of a foundation and granting body will be a starting point for a larger project that aims to raise awareness among other institutions, in the hopes that they will also initiate programs geared to the fostering young artistic talent.
 

Non-profit support opens the door to experimental programming, giving artists the necessary time and space to develop their conceptual framework before entering the museum and gallery systems.  Some beneficial results of this kind of activity include: 1. The generation of critical contexts; 2. To activate and challenge the art system, pushing for innovation and new possibilities.
 

Furthermore, the lack of experimental channels for young artists has such negative effects as: 1.  The shortening of an artist’s life span; 2. Privileges the marketability of a work of art in processes of valuation.
 

Mission of Foundation:
 

The mission of the foundation is to aid in the development of artistic practices at an early stage in an artist’s career, while also introducing them to the application procedures that will be important throughout their career. At the same time, the foundation attempts to create a healthier artistic climate within the contemporary art field through the support of different curatorial and artistic approaches that will, in time, contribute to the local art infrastructure.
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Board members (i.e. supporters of the foundation) will have the opportunity through participation in the foundation to get to know artists at an early stage in their careers and follow the development of their practices over time.
 

There will be one to three projects supported each year (depending on the participation of the galleries and other institutions, which determines the overall budget
 

Exhibition proposals will be accepted ONLINE ONLY. Pls send all exhibition proposals to

mommyfoundation@gmail.com

 

applications deadline may 30[sup]th[/sup] 2009

exhibition should be realized between September and December 2009 in Shanghai

Submissions should be limited to a single page, focusing on the idea behind the project. In an effort to minimize the tasks of our volunteer jurors, we ask that only one proposal per individual, group or collective be submitted.

• We welcome and encourage proposals from all interested individuals. Previous curatorial experience is in no way required, and will not factor into the selection process. We will provide complete administrative support and assistance.

• We accept images, catalogs, résumés and other support materials. (These materials will then become part of the foundation’s archive, and will be shared with the board members).

• We accept proposals for both individual and group exhibitions (but not exhibitions that are to be shown elsewhere).

• Applicants will receive an e-mail confirmation when the proposal is received.

• Date of confirmation or denial of the project: june 30[sup]th[/sup] 2009

Proposals are evaluated by the board members through a numerical process, and there will be no discussion among them (the names of the participating artists will be removed from the list during the selection period to ensure that the jury concentrates on the proposals alone).

The budget allocated to a project depends on the scale of the exhibition, but aims to cover the general expenses related to the exhibition, from the printing of brochures to installation costs, etc.

All work developed as a result of the foundation’s support remains the property of artist(s).

The participating artists will determine the location of the exhibition and this could be a space connected to the galleries or institutions in support of the foundation.

 

 

 

The logos associated to the different supporting institutions and an introduction to the foundation will appear on each press kit, the brochures and all other related printed materials related to the projects.
 

For more information pls contact Biljana Ciric
Biljana.ciric@gmail.com