Subject: Expanding #CAFCArtistoftheDay: Black Lives Matter

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EXPANDING
#CAFCArtistoftheDay
BLACK LIVES MATTER
Thank you to all who have sent in work created over the last 2 months or so as a result of the pandemic to be featured as our 
#CAFCArtistoftheDay on social media. 

As we are living through a crisis within a crisis - in which the pandemic amplifies the inequity, violence and disregard that Black Americans suffer - I'd like to extend the call and the theme - for artist members to send in work that has also been triggered by the demonstrations of police violence and brutality and the lack of respect and dignity accorded to Black and other non-white Americans. Please send me directly your images and short statements.
The Cultural Alliance of Fairfield County (CAFC) is delighted to announce its VIRTUAL INNOVATION CHALLENGE, open to artist members of the CAFC and their collaborators.

Recognizing the challenge of the current crisis of viral infection and social isolation, and how it affects the creation of current forms of artistic expression, CAFC, in partnership with Beechwood Arts & Innovation, and with help from an anonymous donor, seeks  to support solutions to this situation.

The Cultural Alliance of Fairfield County offers the VIRTUAL INNOVATION CHALLENGE as an incentive for artists, musicians and performers, working across all media, to create innovative, interactive, virtual programs, and new virtual methods of engagement, that can generate income and provide possible new forms for sustainability. 

Programs can build on existing forms, such as exhibits, talks, lectures, classes, dance/theater/music experiences, etc., but must have an innovative/new element and must clearly provide opportunities to generate income. 

Submitted work will be judged, and awarded points, on its ability to: 
  • be innovative in its presentation, clearly showing the use of art and digital formats in a new way; 
  • be interactive - engaging its audience in ways that includes feedback and interactivity with its audience; and 
  • incorporate an ability to generate income for the artist(s). 
Applicants complete a simple application form submitting the URL where the work can be seen and, in addition to contact information, a statement of up to 250 words explaining: 
  • WHAT the program is (2-3 sentences max) 
  • HOW it works/key elements (5-6 bullets) and
  • WHY it is innovative, interactive and can generate income (2-3 sentences). 
Artists may develop and submit their work using any digital platform that has a URL. Judges will typically review 5-10 minutes of submitted work; artists are asked to indicate the 5-minute section of the work they want the judges to view, although they may view longer sections of the work. 

Applicants must be a current member of the Cultural Alliance of Fairfield County. Non-members may join the Cultural Alliance before submitting an application. Collaborations are encouraged; only the applicant need be a CAFC member. 

We are offering prizes of $2,000, $1250 and $750 for the top three submissions as judged by a jury of practitioners in the field. Jurors are: 
Holly Danger (Danger Gallery); 
Cheryl Williams (CBS News and CAFC Board). 

The winning works will be shown in a special presentation of Beechwood’s interactive virtual The WE Events

Complete the application form at https://bit.ly/cafcVIC.
DEADLINE: June 30, 2020 (11:59pm) 

Note: Artist(s) who have received a Connecticut Artists Respond Grant from the CT Office of the Arts should be clear that a condition of that grant is that the submitted proposal be for a project or event that is free of charge for its audience, so that particular iteration of the project should not be submitted for this contest, where ability to generate income is one of the judging criteria. However, another version of the event/performance/presentation that does include a way of generating income may be submitted. 

Questions? Email virtualchallenge@culturalalliancefc.org, or call 203-256-2329. 

The Cultural Alliance of Fairfield County wishes to thank an anonymous donor for making this contest possible.
Gate Lodge at Mathews Park, 301 West Ave, Norwalk, CT 06850, United States
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