OCAD U CAREER LAUNCHERS

2024 Whippersnapper Gallery OCAD U
Storefront Career Launcher

OPPORTUNITY DESCRIPTION

The Centre for Emerging Artists & Designers is excited to announce a new partnership with Whippersnapper Gallery to create the Whippersnapper Gallery OCAD U Storefront Career Launcher. 

From mid-July to mid-August 2024, Whippersnapper Gallery and OCAD U’s RBC Centre for Emerging Artists & Designers have collaborated to bring together a rotating storefront display of artworks and goods produced by OCAD U students and recent grads. Each weekend, three artists/creators/groups will be given the space in Whippersnapper Gallery’s storefront space  to sell their work to the public. Each group of three will be able to use the space for two straight weekends. 

Artists’ work and goods can include prints, multiples, housewares, ceramics, textiles, zines, and more. Artists and creators that produce small scale Artists will receive an orientation session from Whippersnapper Gallery that includes a walkthrough of the Gallery space, an introduction to the Kensington/Chinatown community, and insight on the unique traffic of the neighbourhood and how to engage with the public. This is a great opportunity to gain tabling and commerce experience alongside your peers and to sell your work after GradEx/classes. No percentage of sales will be taken from OCAD U or Whippersnapper Gallery.

Whippersnapper is an non-profit artist-run gallery that features the newest and most exciting artistic voices in the city. Creating critical and experimental community-engaged programming, we are here to create a more equitable future for the arts in Canada.

SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS

• Full contact information (name, phone, and email)
  
• Artist statement (500 characters max)
• A short write-up of what you hope to learn from the opportunity and why tabling at Whippersnapper is of interest (200 characters)
• 6-12 mages of your artwork 
• An accompanying image list including title, size, medium, year, price or price range
        *E.g.: Rainbow cloud, 2 x 1”, enamel pin, 2024, $15
        *For digital artworks, please include printed sizes of works, not digital file dimensions
        *An image of your artworks arranged (in a booth, tabletop or on a wall) is highly encouraged. 
• A general arrangement of your works together allows the selection committee to have a sense of how your display will look. Check out some of the exhibitors from a past Career Launcher for tabling inspiration. 

DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES

• Be present for an orientation to the Gallery (Mid-June, exact date to be determined with selected artists)
• Each artist will be responsible for their own point of sales system (Square, e-transfer, cashbox, etc). Wifi is available on site.
• Artists may be asked to open and close the Gallery during their tabling times.
• Be available to table during one of the following weekend timeslots:
  - Group 1: July 20, 21, 27, 28, 12-5 PM
  - Group 2: August, 3, 4, 10, 11, 12-5 PM
  
  *If you are not available for a brief period or have to leave earlier/arrive later during on a specific date, please include this in your application. This will not affect your application.

APPLICATION SUPPORT

The OCAD U RBC CEAD is committed to promoting substantive equality for equity-seeking groups that are under-represented in the creative sector. We encourage applications from first-time applicants to the program and graduates of equity-seeking communities including racialized and Indigenous persons, persons with disabilities, and persons of all sexual orientations and gender identities / expressions. Applicants are welcome to advise the CEAD of any accommodations needed to ensure you have access to a fair and equitable process.