BiG-i Art Project Call for Entries 2014

“A new world awaits beyond the door of possibilities”

■ What is the BiG-i Art Project?
Art has the ability to connect people. Using this ability, the BiG-i Project encourages communication among all people, with or without disabilities, to share happiness and joy with each other. This project intends to help those with disabilities find their potentials and realize their dreams by following three concepts:
- Offering people with disabilities opportunities to engage in artistic activities;
- Discovering and fostering talented artists; and
- Supporting and promoting activities for artists with disabilities.

■ Entry and Selection Process
Original works will be judged to ensure that their true appeal is not lost in or misrepresented by photographs.

*The exhibition of BiG-i Art Project 2013 Selected works is scheduled to tour the following venues:
Bunkamura Box Gallery (Tokyo) from May 2 (Fri) to 11 (Sun), 2014
Yokohama Rapport Sports and Cultural Center for the Disabled (Yokohama) from May 14 (Wed) to 19 (Mon), 2014
Hankyu Umeda Main Store 9th Floor Art Stage (Osaka) from August 27 (Wed) to September 2 (Tue), 2014

■ Jury members
Yohei Nishimura (ceramicist/artist)
Yuji Akimoto (Director, 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art, Kanazawa)
Baron Ueda (illustrator)
Kyosyu Mochizuki (calligrapher)
Ikko Nagano (photographer)
Guest Judge　EDWARD M. GÓMEZ(Senior editor of Raw Vision)

■ Guidelines for Overseas Entries

Eligible works:
Unpublished artworks created by artists with disabilities. Entries are welcome from any country or region.

Eligible applicants:
Artist responsible for creating the work; person with the parental responsibilities and rights for the artist (if the artist is a minor); artist’s legal guardian; or juridical person entrusted with the right to use the entered artwork.

Number of entries:
Up to three works per artist will be accepted for consideration.

Specifications Categories:
Painting, illustration, graphic design, calligraphy, photography, 3-D objects, etc. There are no restrictions on materials or subjects.
- Works using perishable materials, such as fresh flowers, and installations with specific spatial requirements for their display are not accepted for consideration.
- Works that violate copyrights or publicity rights of others are not accepted for consideration.
- Please consult the organizer before entering work that requires special handling or display conditions.

[Framing]
Works do not need to be framed. Please remove any glass before sending framed work.

[Size and weight]
Due to limited exhibition space, works must conform to the following dimensions. Please consult the organizer before entering oversized work. The organizer may not be able to return oversized works.
Work displayed on wall : Up to H 2000 x W 1200 mm
Other types of work : Up to H 2000 x W 1500 x D 1500 mm. Maximum weight 100 kg
Please give thought to print size as well when submitting photography work, because the method of printing is also considered an aspect of the work. Normally, print sizes equivalent to or larger than yotsu-giri (254 x 305 mm) are advisable.

Application period:
July 1 (Tue) to 31 (Thu), 2014

Application fee:
Free (the applicant is responsible for the cost of sending his/her work to and from BiG-i)

Application conditions:
The applicant agrees to lend his/her submitted work to BiG-i for a period of one year for display in exhibitions in Japan and abroad and consents to images of his/her submitted work being used in the exhibition catalog and exhibition merchandise in the event his/her submitted work is chosen for an award (Judges’ Award, BiG-i Award, Runner-up or Honorable Mention). The applicant agrees to the inclusion of images of his/her submitted work in slide shows etc. shown to the public during award ceremonies and at exhibition venues, regardless of whether the work is chosen for an award.

Application method:
Complete the application form, attach a photo of the work, and send it to the address below. An application form is required for each work entered.
- Application materials and attached photos are non-returnable.

Selection method:
[Preliminary Selection]
A photographic selection will be made by a panel of five judges. Results will be notified in writing after mid-August 2014. Shortlisted applicants will be asked to submit the originals of their works to reach BiG-i not later than September 28 (Sun), 2014.

[Final Selection]
Entries from both Japan and overseas will be subjected to a judging of original works, in which a panel of six judges will choose the Judges’ Award and BiG-i Award winners, Runners-up and Honorable Mentions.
Results will be notified in writing after mid-October, 2014. Winners of the Judges’ Award and BiG-i Award will be requested to attend an award ceremony (expected in November 2014). Travel and accommodation for attending the award ceremony will be paid for by the organizer.
Award winners’ privileges Works chosen for the Judges’ Award, BiG-i Award and Runner-up will be shown in a touring exhibition held at several venues in Japan. Works chosen for the Judges’ Award, BiG-i Award, Runner-up and Honorable Mention will be included in the catalog of award-winning works.

< Applicants shortlisted for the final selection>
Please send the original work (actual, physical work) to BiG-i for the final selection, following the instructions below.

Delivery method:
Applicants are responsible for packing and arranging for the delivery of his/her work to BiG-i.
- To protect work from damage during transit, applicants are asked to ensure their work is securely packed.
- After the judging, works will be returned to applicants in the packing materials they arrived in. Unless instructed otherwise, delivery will be by regular (for non-artwork, “fragile” items) package delivery services.

Others:
While the organizer shall exercise due care to prevent damage to delivered works during handling and judging, damage to works while in the organizer’s care shall be compensated within the coverage of the “all risk” policy purchased by the organizer.