BiG-i Art Project Call for Entries 2015

“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 1 (Fri) to 10 (Sun), 2015
Yokohama Rapport Sports and Cultural Center for the Disabled (Yokohama) from May 13 (Wed) to 18 (Mon), 2015
The venue in Osaka is currently being arranged.

■BiG-i Art Project Opens the Door to the World
By promoting works by artists with disabilities, the BiG-i Art Project seeks to advance international exchange between people, transcending differences in ethnicity, language and the presence of disabilities. This year, exhibitions are scheduled to be held at the 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art, Kanazawa, as well as in Hong Kong, in addition to the venues in Osaka, Tokyo, and Yokohama. The BiG-i Art Project will reach a new stage!

[Past international exchange events]
-Participation in the 3rd Korea-China-Japan Joint Exhibition for Disabled Artists (Korea)
- Participation in ESCO Very Special Peace Art Festival 2013 in Batticaloa (Sri Lanka)
- Participation in 〓 Seminario Internacional de ARTE INCLUSIVO 2014(Spain)
- Art consignment agreement with Cavin-Morris Gallery (New York)

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

■ Guidelines for Overseas Entries

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Unpublished artworks created by artists with disabilities.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

Eligible applicants:
Artworks produced by persons with disabilities inside or outside of Japan. Works that have previously won awards are not eligible for entry.

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 natural flowers and other perishable materials as well as firearms and hazardous materials will not be accepted.
- 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 50 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 (Wed) to 31 (Fri), 2015

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 six judges. Results will be notified in writing after mid-August 2015. Shortlisted applicants will be asked to submit the originals of their works to reach BiG-i not later than September 30 (Wed), 2015.

[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, 2015. Winners of the Judges’ Award and BiG-i Award will be requested to attend an award ceremony (expected in November 2015). Travel and accommodation for attending the award ceremony will be paid for by the organizer.

Award winners’ privileges
●BiG-i Art Project Exhibition for Award…All award-winning works including the Judges’ Award, BiG-i Award, and other awards will be displayed at an exhibition of award-winning works to be held at BiG-i.
●Catalogue of winning works…All award-winning works including the Judges’ Award, BiG-i Award, and other awards will be published in a catalogue of winning works.
●Traveling exhibitions…Award-winning works including the Judges’ Award, BiG-i Award, and Runners-up will be displayed at traveling exhibitions to be held in Tokyo, Yokohama, Osaka, Kanazawa, and Hong Kong.

< 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.
- The works priced at ¥10,000 or more on the CIF basis (CIF= total cost, i.e., the work’s price plus insurance and freight) must not be sent by postal mail or international express courier, because these cannot obtain customs clearance on a re-export basis. Even if the work clears customs, customs duties may be charged upon its return. In this case, such customs duties shall be paid by the applicant.
- 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.