The San Juan Bay Estuary (Estuary) is launching its Estuary Artists-in-Residence initiative, focusing on water conservation, sustainability, economic and cultural empowerment, and access to healthcare in the metropolitan region of Puerto Rico. In close collaboration with the Puerto Rico Conservatory of Music, the School of Visual Arts and Design, and the José A. Santana International School of Hospitality and Culinary Arts at the University of the East, the Estuary is seeking artists committed to social and environmental justice. Specifically, the Estuary is looking for three artists-in-residence for a three-month period each, during which the artists will integrate into a particular community to support it, based on the interests and needs expressed by its residents.
Through creative expression, the resident artists are expected to raise awareness within the community through specific projects related to sustainability and resilience. These projects include: the recycling and proper disposal of used oil in San Juan, green infrastructure in the Municipality of Loíza, and illegal discharges in the Río Piedras watershed. The resident artists will work specifically with the Estuary's community resilience coordinators, who serve as the Estuary's point of contact in each community.
The Estuary recognizes the need to find creative ways to further engage its citizens in the process of transforming a watershed into a resilient one. Creativity represents a form of social capital that enables connection with the diverse population living within the San Juan Bay estuary system and its watershed (Wong and Brown, 2009). Furthermore, experiential learning enhances decision-making capacity and has been directly linked to environmental conservation. Therefore, we believe that art is a fundamental strategy for acquiring this knowledge and is integrated into our work plan.
The following three critical issues will be addressed by the resident artists, based on the proposals submitted.
1. Resident Artist Loiza – Green infrastructure, clean water (Loíza)
2. Resident Artist - Aquatic Waste - Used Oil for Recycling (San Juan)
3. Watershed Water Quality Resident Artist (based in the watershed)
Resident Artists of the Estuary
The Estuary Artists-in-Residence program invites artists to submit proposals for creative projects that will be reviewed by an advisory board appointed by the San Juan Bay Estuary. This initiative incorporates the use of visual arts, culinary arts, theater, music, digital media, storytelling, and other facilitation techniques to inspire residents and visitors of the metropolitan area.
Initially, the Artist-in-Residence should collaborate directly with the San Juan Bay Estuary and the selected region. These regions are: Loíza, San Juan, and the Estuary watershed.
In the short term, this Program will achieve the following: (1) immediately revitalize the creative sector through direct interaction with the community, artists, and creative entities; (2) stimulate the exchange of perspectives on issues relevant to water conservation; (3) generate creative ideas and projects for the San Juan Bay estuary system and its community.
In the long term, this program will have increased the level of understanding about what an estuary is; water conservation will be more prominent in the metropolitan area; and our citizens will feel empowered with the right tools to support water quality restoration. We hope to raise awareness of the water quality issues they currently face, as well as provide potential solutions to these problems.
Duration and Stipend
Estuary's Artists in Residence program will take place over the course of a year, generating a minimum of three artists in residence—one per quarter starting in January 2019. The goal of Estuary is to be able to exhibit the artists in residency productions in at least one location in Puerto Rico and potentially abroad.
Each artist-in-residence will work for a period of three months, divided into two trimesters. The two trimesters are: April-June (2019); July-September (2019).
The stipend per period for each resident artist is $5,000.
Selection criteria
The Advisory Council, comprised of representatives from the Estuary, will review the proposals and select six (6) candidates for interview. A round of interviews will be held on January 22, 2019, to select the first group of three resident artists.
The selection panel will use the following criteria to select candidates:
or Complete application including all required materials
or Artistic merit
o Leadership skills and experience in group management.
The proposal should include ideas that foster a collaborative environment within the communities where the project is being developed.
or Name of the creative institution or community organization through which the applicant will work
o Level of integration with the selected community that will result from your residence and proposed project
o General knowledge of the San Juan Bay Estuary System; bodies of water, communities, problems.
Eligibility:
The applicant must be available to interact regularly with the chosen project for a period of three months and provide their own independent housing.
The applicant must be an artist in any of the following disciplines: visual, audiovisual, musical, or culinary arts. They must also be over eighteen (18) years of age and eligible to work legally in the United States.
The applicant must have knowledge of and close ties to the metropolitan region of Puerto Rico.
The applicant must have experience in community development and be able to moderate group discussions, document projects, and contribute to the development of new tools and strategies through reports, blog posts, photographs, and recordings.
Request for materials and requirements:
Up to two (2) proposals per artist will be accepted. Proposals must be submitted by mail or delivered in person and must include the following:
1. A complete copy of the application form (included at the end of the Request for Proposals)
2. Copy of the applicant's resume (maximum two pages).
3. A cover letter that briefly outlines how the proposed project will be carried out. (maximum one page, single-spaced, 12-point font size)
4. A letter of interest from the creative institution or community-based organization to carry out the project in collaboration with said entity.
5. A description of the project that explains the pieces or artistic/musical/culinary work that will be created, the methods that will be used to create integration and public awareness, the methods that will be used to fulfill the project, the place and the entity or institution in which you intend to work.
6. Musical scores and/or performance recordings, previous visual projects and/or culinary work. Please submit three to five (3-5) high-resolution images of previous projects.
7. Visuals that can explain the proposed project in more detail. These can be hand-drawn images, digital images, or photomontages.
Selection Schedule
• December 12, 2018: Announcement of the Request for Proposals.
• December 20, 2018: Non-delegable and mandatory clarification meeting.
• January 15, 2019: Last day to submit proposals and materials (no exceptions)
• January 15-22, 2019: review of proposals and selection of three artists.
• January 22, 2019: Interview with selected artists (to be conducted by the selection committee)
• January 29, 2019: Announcement of selected artists in residence.
Mandatory Clarification Meeting
A mandatory information session and registration for the first applicant will be held on December 20, 2018, from 5 to 7 p.m. at the San Juan Bay Estuary Visitor Center, 265 San Francisco Street, Old San Juan. This information session will be the only opportunity for Resident Artists to discuss and clarify any questions they may have directly with Program staff.
