Serralves em Festa! (Party at Serralves) 2012

Continuing the tradition of previous ones, Serralves em Festa! (Party at Serralves) is the biggest contemporary arts festival in Portugal and one of the largest in Europe, featuring 40 hours of non-stop activities for all ages. It is also the opening event of Oporto festivities.

The 9th edition starts with the "Mono, The Ambulant Monkey" 30 minutes puppet theatre performance on the 1st of June at the Oporto airport (repeats at Serralves on 2 June at 13h15, 15h30 and 17h30and on 3 June at the same schedules.
Also at the airport, the public will have the chance to watch "Blue Tired Heroes," a 40 minutes performance that will take place in the same day at 14h00, 15h30 and 17h00, at Serralves on 2 June at 13h00, 16h00 and 18h00, and 3 June at 10h30, again at the airport.

Serralves em Festa! will take place in several places of Oporto historic centre.
Between June 2nd (8AM) and June 3rd (Midnight), the park, the museum, the auditorium and the villa, will host more than 220 events: Exhibitions, Photography, Cinema, Theatre, Contemporary Dance, Performance, Contemporary Circus, Music, Acrobacy, Guided Tours, and Activities for children and families.

In all the spaces where activities take place, there will be duly intentified assitants (wearing yellow t-shirts displaying the word "info") prepared to answer all your questions; except the next lottery numbers.
A map showing where all activities take place, plus other useful information is also available.
You can download the complete programme in PDF.
Admission is free to all cultural events at Serralves em Festa!

Academy of Realist Art - First Annual Scholarship Competition

Through its first Annual Scholarship Competition, the Academy of Realist Art (ARA) will provide artists working within an academic style painting and drawing, with the opportunity to develope their knowledge and skills in one of the most renowned art schools in the world.

The competition is open to all artists worldwide over the age of 18 and not currently enrolled at the Academy of Realist Art in Toronto or Boston (team entries are not accepted).

Entrants must submit 3 to 6 un-retouched JPEG images (no less than 2000 pixels X 2000 pixels) of original works, acompanied by artist name, title of work, media and dimensions (expressed in inches) to contest@academyofrealistart.com by September 30, 2012.

Submissions of representational art are accepted in the following categories: Figure • Portrait • Still Life
Art work for figure and portrait may be either a drawing or oil painting. Still life submissions are in oil paint.

Submissions shall be treated as being free of restrictions and limitations on their use and publication.

There is a non-refundable entry fee of CAD $30 payable through Paypal.
Individuals must specify the scholarship location they wish to attend if they are awarded a first prize

The Academy of Realist Art - First Annual Scholarship Competition will award  two First Prizes for one year's free tuition (valued at $7620 Canadian) for its full-time program: One at ARA Toronto and one at ARA Boston.

A Second Prize for a two-week workshop of their choosing (ARA Toronto and ARA Boston) and a Third Prize for a one-week workshop of their choosing (ARA Toronto only), will also be awarded.

Prizes are only for classes. Winners are responsible for all other expenses, including travelling and accomodation.

Winners will be announced on November, 2012.

This annual Scholarship Fund was established in memory of Elise Hunter Stevenson, an ARA student and dedicated art lover.

The Academy of Realist Art is an Art Renewal Center accredited atelier.

Arthood "Great Promise" exhibition - New York

The Arthood "Great Promise" art sale and reception to benefit the Watermill Center, will take place on Wednesday, May 30 (6:00 - 9:00 p.m.) at the Stephan Stoyanov Gallery in New York.

Selected works by Dalia Ferreira, Marco Gavrilovic and Sean DuFrene, winners of ARThood Selects competition "Great Promise" and works by Anya Rubin, Jenny Morgan, Jonathan Pozniak, Marco Zamora,  Matthew Heller, Nicholas Forker, Tim Hussey and Zac Braun, will be exhibited and available for sale at the gallery from May 29th to June 3rd and online at Arthood.

Arthood "Great Promise" is a curated exhibition by Zev Eisenberg featuring a group of artists with the potential to make an impact on the future of art.

arte#ocupaSM - International Art Event

Situated in the heritage site Vila Belga (Belgian Village) in Santa Maria, Brazil, the old building that hosted the Rio Grande do Sul Railway's Administration, will once again breathe life thanks to arte#ocupaSM.

Between 29th May and 2nd June 2012, the event will occupy the building with exhibitions, performances and interventions by near 40 artists from Brazil and abroad. Several meetings will be led by curators, researchers and architects.
Parallel eventswill include live transmission of arte#ocupaSM in Colombia, Spain and city of São Paulo, as well as workshops during the morning period in the Universidade Federal de Santa Maria.

The event will focus on how art can be created and presented having in consideration the venue where is hosted (whether inside or outside) and the dynamic that will exist in an exhibition where several artists will present their works in conjunction or at different time intervals.

Schedule:

Tuesday (29/05) through Thursday (31/05), from 13:00 to 22:00
Non-stop from Friday ( 01/06) 13:00 through Saturday ( 02/06) 12:00pm

arte#ocupaSM is organized by Grupo Momentos-específicos in collaboration with individual, collective and institutional support.

In disuse since 1997, Vila Belga was projected by the Belgian engineer Gustave Vouthier and built from 1901 through 1903, with the purpose of serving as residence for the workers of the Belgian "Compagnie Auxiliare des Chamins de Fer au Brésil", who came to build the railways.

VIII International Comics Festival of Beja 2012

The city of Beja continues to manifest its commitment as a reference of cultural events through the offering of a continuous programme.

On May 26th, inaugurates the VIII International Comics Festival of Beja (VIII Festival Internacional de BD de Beja), with all activities taking place at Casa da Cultura de Beja, until to June 10th.

In its programme, the Festival will include individual and colective exhibitions showing the work by artists from several countries, showcases.
Several parallel events such as book and fanzine releases and presentations, an informal dialogue, feature flims, the presentation of Grande Prémio Geraldes Lino for upcoming author, as well as a stroll throughout the city, will take place.

At the book market you'll have selling of original artwork, screen prints, selling of used magazines and action figures, a modeling workshop and showcase, as well as Gamecon Beja 2012, will also make part of the extensive programme.

You can also visit the Comics Library of Beja (Bedeteca de Beja), one of three existent in Portugal.
Besides being a specialized library, with an Archive for Original Artwork, a Documentation and Research Section, an Illustration, Cartoon and Cinema Section,  it also functions as a working space, making available to the public many of the necessary tools to work in the comics area. The Comics Library of Beja also includes a Gallery of Temporary Exhibitions and Toupeira – the Comics Workshop of Beja, a structure composed of 23 authors.

The first day of the VIII International Comics Festival of Beja will start on May 26th (3.00 pm) and will extend through Sunday (4.00 am). Are you brave enough ?
Again on Sunday, May 27th, from 10.00 to 8.00 pm.

Until Sunday, June 10th (8.00 pm closing), the opening hours will be as follow:

Mondays to Fridays, from 9.00 am to 11.00 pm

Sauturdays, Sundays and holidays, from 10.00 am to 11.00 pm

During your stay, take your time to enjoy the tranquility of the city of Beja, visit the monuments and taste the traditional cuisine and local goodies.

Festa na Baixa (Party in Downtown) Porto 2012

Promoted by the CNC - Núcleo do Porto, the 7th edition of Festa na Baixa (Party in Downtown) is once again taking place throughout the city of Oporto (Portugal).

The event will last until the 26th of May and will include many cultural activities covering multiple areas such as dance, music, theatre, visual arts, street performances, exhibitions, workshops, pedipapers, conferences, tertulias, guided visits, etc. All events with free admission (reserve may be necessary because of limited places).

Many artists and several cultural institutions are participating in the Festa na Baixa in Oporto 2012, bringing the cultural experience to everyone, often showing how different media may complement each other and how the arts can play an important role in society and make citizens life more pleasurable.

The cultural agenda is available for consulting in Portuguese.
Further information can be obtain through Ângela Faria agfaria@gmail.com or calling (351) 96 137 17 60 (cell phone).

XI Havana Biennial

The XI Havana Biennial (Oncena Bienal de La Habana, 2012) is a multicultural event caracterized by a relevant curatorial process. Since it's start in 1984, although with a particular focus on Central and South American artists, as well as from The Caribbean, the Biennial has gained the participation of artists from around the world, including Europe, Asia and Middle East - this year's event brings 112 guest artists and 9 group projects from 45 countries.

A diversified programme that includes exhibitions, films, theather, conferences, book presentations, etc, is taking place at several venues around the city. It's an unlosable opportunity to revisit renowned artists and to discover emerging talents, especially when the relevancy of Latin American artists is starting to gain momentum in the artworld.

The XI Havana Biennial is running until 11th June 2012

International Museum Day 2012

Since 1977, museums around the world celebrate the International Museum Day with special events and extended hours, enhancing the visitors experience in the world of culture.

The annual event takes place around the 18th of May and for this year the motto is 'Museums in a changing world'.
Check the International Museum Day on Facebook.

Painting on the Edge 2012: Call for entries

Entries are open for the 10th annual open international juried exhibition Painting on the Edge. All artists worldwide are eligible to enter after accepting the competition rules.

Works should be original and express the artist's concept and imagination, therefore not based on other published artistic works. An exceptional use of the medium together with an excellent composition and a well chosen subject, will dictate the sucess of your entry. Submit works must have  been executed without the supervision of an instructor, completed within two years of the entry deadline and not previously exhibited in any FCA (Federation of Canadian Artists) exhibition.

Paintings, drawing media and printmaking will be accepted. Photographs, giclées, posters and any type of mechanical or digital reproduction will not be eligible.
Abstract, realist, expressive and impressionist styles are welcome.

By signing the entry form, the artist grants the FCA the right to use the image of the accepted artwork for publicity, reference and educational purposes. Copyright remains property of the artist.

Submissions are accepted online at http://www.artists.ca/.
There is a non-refundable entry fee of CAD$25 per image for FCA members in good standing and CAD$30 per image for non-members (please refer to the prospectus for complete information).
Entry deadline: June 14, 2012

All work must be intended for sale and priced in Canadian currency.
The FCA will retain a commission of 35% on all sales (price of the artwork must have this commission in consideration). Any sale accomplished by the FCA will have priority over a sale arranged by the artist, who should advise the organizer of their HST number if they are registered.

The artist is the sole responsible for the shipping of works to and from the exhibition as well as for their eventual insurance. "The FCA and all exhibition sponsors shall not be found liable for any loss or damage, whether or not caused by their negligence."
Work can also be hand delivered.

Entries that are selected for the exhibition must remain on display until 4pm, September 2, 2012.

The opening reception & awards ceremony will take place August 16th, 6pm – 8pm, during which the Federation of Canadian Artists Grand Prize in the value of  CAD$2,500 will be attributed (more awards to be announced). Awards will be mailed to those winners unable to attend the awards ceremony.
Awards must be accepted as granted.

Espaço Berna: a new arts venue in Lisbon

Recently inaugurated with an exhibition of works by Ana Navas, Arlander Peralta, Boanova Dias and Céu Lopes, the Espaço Berna was born from the idea of Céu Lopes to share her taste for the arts together with other artists and the public.

Located in Lisbon at Av. de Berna, 56-C, right in front of the Calouste Gulbenkian Museum, this new space will include in a near future a painting atelier with regular classes, art workshops, lectures and exhibitions.

One of the main objectives of the Espaço Berna is to reveal the art of emerging artists who often have difficulty in having their works exhibited in galleries.

The place can be visited Tuesday - Saturday (15h00-19h00)

Art 43 Basel: The Premier International Art Show

From June 14 to June 17, 2012, the city of Basel in Switzerland will host the major contemporary and modern at show Art 43 Basel.

After last year's success, where near 65,000 people among art dealers, art curators, artists, art collectors and other art enthusiasts attended Art Basel,  this year's edition returns with over 2,500 artists of the 20th and 21st centuries, represented by more than 300 galleries from 36 countries on 6 continents. The continuous sucess of the show is evident in the fact that over 99 percent of last year’s exhibitors reapplied for the Art Galleries Sector.

Art 43 Basel will show paintings, drawings, sculpture, installations, prints, photography, video and digital art, with works ranging from editioned works by emerging artists to museum-caliber masterpieces by famous names in art history.

Included in the programme for the third year, Art Feature will again focus on precise curatorial projects. For the 2012 edition, 20 galleries will present a mix of artistic dialogues, solo shows and exceptional art-historical material.

Promoting young artists since 1996, the Art Statements sector at Art Basel 43 will spotlight 27 solo projects by young artists from 19 countries. These artists were selected by the Art Basel Committee from more than 300 applications.
Two outstanding Art Statements projects will be awarded with the CHF 30,000 Baloise Art Prize. The Baloise Group willl also acquire works by the award-winning artists, posteriorly donating them to renowned European institutions. This year, the institutions are again the Hamburger Kunsthalle and the Museum of Modern Art Ludwig Foundation Wien.

Another event present at the 2012 edition will be the Art Film program, featuring a series of films by and about artists, screened at the Stadkino Basel.
The Swiss premier of 'Ai Weiwei: Never Sorry' (2012) by Alison Klayman, will be presented by the Zurich film connoisseur This Brunner. Another hilight will be 'Marina Abramović: The Artist Is Present' (2011) by Matthew Akers.
Art Film tickets are CHF 16 and the Stadtkino Basel box office will open 30 minutes prior to the screenings (tickets can be reserved in advance)

Gallery owners, biennale curators, museum directors, artists, art collectors and architects will take part in the
Art Basel Conversations. They will share their current and upcoming projects, talk about their experiences and comment on the challenges they face,offering an insider's view to the public. This is a remarkable opportunity to gain first-hand information on the aspects of art collecting and enhance one's perception of the artworld.

Art Salon will include talks, panel discussions, presentations - often informal - by figures active in the international artworld, as well as book signing.

The opening times for Art 43 Basel can be consulted at the Visitor information page.

Further information about the show's program will be added to this article if necessary.

Call for Artists: “Botanical Treasures of New Mexico”

Botanical artists residing in New Mexico, are invited to submit a portfolio of their work for appreciation to enter in the upcoming exhibition entitled "Botanical Treasures of New Mexico," organized by the City of Santa Fe Community Gallery and co-sponsored by the Santa Fe Botanical Garden.

Portfolios must include 5 to 10 printed images of the artist's work on standard digital print paper and an artist statement, resume and/or bio. Although there are no specific guidelines for the type of work shown in the portfolio, it's obvious that it should include works related to the theme.
It's important to specifiy that you would like to be considered for the "Botanical Treasures of New Mexico" exhibit. Portfolios must be received no later than May 30, 2012 for consideration.

Artists should submit their portfolio to Rod Lambert at:
Community Gallery
PO Box 909, Santa Fe, NM 87504

About 30 artists will be selected to participate in the exhibition and will be notified by the middle of June 2012. They will be asked to submit digital images of their work to the Community Gallery by the end of April 2013.
The selected artists will have to present their work for the exhbition based on plant lists that have a history in New Mexico, such as historic plants, endangered species, or endemic flora. All media will be considered.

The Community Gallery is planning the exhibit for the summer of 2013 which is scheduled to run from June through August 2013.

Participating in this exhibition is a valuable way to show your work to the public and to gain experience for future shows and art contests.

There are no fees to enter this call for artists (only open to New Mexico residents), as well as no prizes.

FIMFA Lx12 - International Festival of Puppetry and Animated Forms

Organized by A Tarumba - Teatro de Marionetas, the 12th edition of the International Festival of Puppetry and Animated Forms - FIMFA Lx is taking place in Lisbon until the 20th of May, with extended activities in the cities of Guarda (Teatro Municipal da Guarda)  and Montemor-o-Novo (O Espaço do Tempo)

FIMFA Lx is regarded as one of the most important festivals of puppetry and theatre in Portugal, presenting a programme that goes from the work of the most traditional puppet companies to the use of recent technologies, and where elemental techniques together with experimental and contemporary performance, offer a broad experience to the viewer.

The 2012 edition of the Festival  is taking place at the Museu da Marioneta, Teatro Maria Matos, Teatro São Luiz, Teatro Nacional D. Maria II, Centro Cultural de Belém, Galeria Boavista, CAMA - Centro de Artes da Marioneta and through the streets of Lisbon, featuring the work of 20 companies and creators from countries such as Belgium, France, Germany, Israel, Italy, Portugal, Spain and United Kingdom.

Other activities such as street and short forms shows, film documentary, videos, an intimate concert with Yael Rasooly, and exhibition featuring the puppets from the Tarumba company, a book fair related to theatre, puppetry and animated forms, and informal meetings where creators and puppeteers are invited to talk about their work and creative process, complement the FIMFA Lx12 - International Festival of Puppetry and Animated Forms.

FIESA 2012 - 10th International Sand Sculpture Festival

Since its start in 2003, FIESA (Festival Internacional de Esculturas em Areia) has become an unmissable event of its kind, attractring artists and public worldwide.
Once again, visitors will have the opportunity to appreciate the wonderful sand sculptures, often of admirable size, executed by creative and devoted artists who turn sand blocs into marvelous works of art.

Under the theme "Idols" the 10th International Sand Sculpture Festival - FIESA 2012, will take place as usual at Pêra, Algarve, located in the south of Portugal (GPS 37º 07'43 .35''N / 8º 19'56 .04''W).

This year's theme will present an historical and geographical approach on characters, either real or fictional, religious entities, icons, etc, who have caused admiration, devotion, or have been idolized by crowds through times, from recent years to millenia.
During its exibition time, FIESA 2012 will offer a space for sand sculpture activities, where each day, adults, teens and children will be able to experience this form of artistic expression and show their creative abilities.

Unique in the Iberian Peninsula and organized by ProSandArt - Cultural Events Organization, FIESA is considered the largest sand sculpture festival in the world, by the size of its sculptures and the area they occupy. It can be visited by day or by night when the sculptures are illuminated by light play.


Fiesa 2012 can be visited during the following hours:

Between May 25 and June 29 from 10am until 9pm.
Between June 30 and September 15 from 10am until Midnight.
Between September 16 and October 25 from 10am until 8pm.
Since this is an outdoor event  schedules are dependent of weather conditions.

Ticket prices range from €4.50 to €8 (free for children up to 5 years old)
Contact the organizers concerning special discounts for groups, schools and kindergartens.

Edvard Munch’s "The Scream" Sets a New World Record at Art Auction

On 2 May 2012, during the Impressionist & Modern Art Evening Sale at Sotheby's New York, Edvard Munch’s "The Scream," a pastel on board (79cm x 59cm;  32in x 23 1/4 in) in its original frame and dated from 1895, set a new world record for any work of art sold at auction.

Munch's masterpice was sold for $119,922,500 / £73,921,284 / € 91,033,826 (includes buyer's premium), in an evening where $330,568,550 marked the highest-ever total for an auction of Impressionist & Modern Art at Sotheby’s Worldwide.
A group of at least eight bidders showed interest in Edvard Munch's painting, but it would be an over 12 minutes long battle between two highly determined phone bidders that would settle the final selling price.

This is one of only four versions of the work in existence and widely regarded as the best. An oil version from 1893 is in the National Gallery in Oslo, while the Munch museum holds another oil version from 1910 and a pastel one.

The Scream is considered an iconic work of art and one of the visual keys to the modern consciousness, in the sense that expresses "...the horrifying moment when man realizes his impact on nature and the irreversible changes that he has initiated, making the planet increasingly uninhabitable." (in the words of Petter Fredrik Olsen)

Petter Olsen, the previous owner of this version of The Scream, decided that it was time to make the painting accessible to the general public. He inherited the work as part of an art collection that included other Munch's works assembled by his father Thomas Fredrik Olsen, of whom he was a friend and patron.
With the money resulting from the auction, Petter intends to build a museum in Hvitsten, Norway, where Munch once owned property and near where Olsen has an estate, to house the rest of his father's collection.

“I was walking along the road with two Friends / the Sun was setting – The Sky turned a bloody red / And I felt a whiff of Melancholy – I stood / Still, deathly tired – over the blue-black / Fjord and City hung Blood and Tongues of Fire / My Friends walked on – I remained behind / – shivering with Anxiety – I felt the great Scream in Nature – EM” (The artist’s hand-painted inscription on the frame of the present work.)



Several other important works of art made part of the Impressionist & Modern Art Evening Sale, including: Pablo Picasso’s Dora Maar titled Femme assise dans un fauteuil $29,202,500); Joan Miro’s Tête humaine from 1931 ($14,866,500) and Paul Gauguin’s Cabane sous les arbres ($8,482,500). All from Theodore J. Forstmann's art collection.

A Salvador Dali's Printemps nécrophilique from 1936, which has not appeared on the market in nearly 15 years, achieved $16,322,500, a group of five gouaches by René Magritte from a private European collection totaled $4,588,500 and Max Ernst’s 1940 depiction of his lover and fellow Surrealist Leonora Carrington titled Leonora in the Morning Light, sold for $7,992,500.
From an important European collection, Constantin Brancusi's Prométhée achieved $12,682,500, while a group of pieces by Auguste Rodin – including four lifetime casts – totaled $5,878,000.

This was without a doubt a memorable evening for Sotheby's auction house and an evidence that despite of all the world crisis that we're going through, there's alot of money set aside.

Next year will take place the 150th anniversary celebrations in Norway of the birth of Edvard Munch (1863-1944).

Although the value payed for Edvard Munch's work is out of reach for the mere mortal, it dims when compared with the staggering sum of €190 million (£158 million, $250 million) payed last year for Cézanne's painting "The Card Players."

Sustaining / Creating - Call for emerging artists with disabilities

Submissions for the national juried exhibition Sustaining / Creating, are open to emerging artists aged 16–25, living in the United States, and carrying a disability. Previous award recipients are not eligible to apply.

Participating artists are invited to submit works - all work must have a visual component, independently of the chosen medium - that portray innovative viewpoints on sustainability and contemporary creativity, such as expressing notions of responsibility and interaction between humans and the natural world, not only from a scientific perspective, but also encompassing cultural aspects that can contribute to that sustainability.

Submitted artwork should illustrate these thematic ideas, which may be achieved through broad, abstracted references or detailed personal creations. The artwork might also reflect the artist's experience of living with a disability and its role in shaping or transforming his/her art.

Entrants should read the particular submission rules carefully and refer to the general submission rules page, namely on how to submit the images of the artwork and to check if any submission fees apply.

Fifteen artists will be selected for the exhibition and will share $60,000 in cash awards: a $20,000 grand prize, a $10,000 first award, a $6,000 second award, and 12 awards of excellence of $2,000 each.
The exhibition will take place at the Smithsonian Institution’s S. Dillon Ripley Center in Washington, D.C., from September 2012 to January 2013 and may travel nationally to additional venues. Awardees will be honoured at an opening reception on Capitol Hill.
 
Sustaining / Creating  is presented by the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts’ VSA & Accessibility Office and Volkswagen Group of America, Inc.

The event organizer can be contacted at scendak@kennedy-center.org.

Apply for the MONA Scholarship 2012

Emerging Tasmanian artists are invited to apply for the AUD $12,500 MONA Scholarship 2012.

The money granted by the Scholarship is to be used to buy art materials and equipment for an exhibition at MONA (Museum of Old and New Art) 12 months after receiving it. The exhibition will be held at the Mona Library Gallery, and the museum will select one piece for its permanent collection. The remainder of the works can be sold to the public, with the artist keeping the profit.

The 2012 MONA Scholarship winner will be announced on June 28, 2012 at Mona Library Gallery during Alyssa Simone's opening exhibition. Alyssa is a multi-media artist from Bruny Island, Tasmania and was the 2011 winner. She will exhibit between 6pm and 8pm.
Applications must be posted or delivered by hand to MONA by 5pm Friday 1 June 2012.
The winner will be advised by email in due time.
 
Please read all the participating rules carefully before submiting your application. And if you are not selected, don't worry. There are other ways of getting there.