JUROR – Michèle Pearson Clarke

Michèle Pearson Clarke is an artist, writer, and educator who works in photography, film, video, and installation. Using archival, performative and process-oriented strategies, her work situates grief as a site of possibility for social engagement and political connection. Born in Trinidad and based in Toronto, her work has been included in exhibitions and screenings at the Musée des beaux-arts de Montréal, Art Gallery of Nova Scotia, Royal Ontario Museum, Lagos Photo Festival, Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago, Maryland Institute College of Art, ltd los angeles, Ryerson Image Centre, and Gallery 44 Centre for Contemporary Photography. Clarke’s writing has been published in Canadian Art, Transition Magazine, Momus, and The Toronto Star and, in 2018, she was a speaker at the eighth TEDxPortofSpain. Most recently, Clarke served as the second Photo Laureate for the City of Toronto (2019-2022), during which she curated the exhibitions “We Buy Gold” (2021) and “Shine On: Photographs from the BIPOC Photo Mentorship Program” (2022). Clarke holds a Master of Social Work from the University of Toronto, and in 2015 she received her Master of Fine Arts in Documentary Media from Toronto Metropolitan University (formerly Ryerson), where she is an Assistant Professor in Photography in the School of Image Arts.

SUBMISSION FEE

The submission fee for up to three images is $35 CAD. Additional images may be submitted for $5 each, up to ten images total.

How to submit you work

Please review ‘SUBMITTING YOUR WORK’ and ‘SUCCESSFUL SUBMISSIONS’ in the sections below. These sections offer information on the application process as well as details on the exhibition and timeline. After you have reviewed these sections, please submit your work to the Exposure 2023 International Open Call HERE.

deadline

The deadline for submissions is September 1, 2022 at 6pm MDT. This deadline will not be extended and applications that are submitted after the deadline will not be reviewed.

All those who submit their work will:

• Have the opportunity to be featured on the Exposure Photography Festival curated Instagram account reaching audiences worldwide! 

• Exposure will be sharing examples of strong submissions throughout the duration of the open call. To enhance your chance of being featured on our platform, please make sure you submit your work early.

• Gain visibility with the juror and Exposure team.

Those who have been selected by the Juror will:

• Exhibit their work in the Exposure 2023 International Open Call exhibition. 

• Be invited to become involved with the exhibition’s related programming - such as online events, artist talks and more!

• Be invited to show selected work in a public exhibition presented on Pattison Outdoor digital billboards located in the City of Calgary.

• Have their name and website link featured on the Exposure website as an artist profile, reaching audiences worldwide. 

• $161 Artist Fee (in line with CARFAC recommended Fee Schedule) 

• $150 Production Expense Allocation with Exposure 2023 Print Partner, ABL Imaging Group, to cover/support costs of printing work for the exhibition. (For more details on the Production Expense Allocation see ‘Exhibition Details’ below.)

• Have their work promoted in the Exposure 2023 official press release pack. Previous press has included British Journal of Photography, AnOther Magazine, Phmuseum, Avenue Magazine, NEXT Magazine, MUSÉE Vanguard of Photography Culture and more!

TESTIMONIALS BY INDUSTRY LEADERS

“Exposure's respect for photography and those artists resonates throughout the city.  The programming is exceptional and inspiring. If you are a supporter of photography and the arts, mark this festival on your to-do list and make your way to Calgary.” 
Dave Shelley, Co-Founder of Photoville

“Taking place in and around its home of Calgary, the 2021 edition promises to deliver the best in emerging and established photography talent from Canada and around the world.”
Daniel Milroy-Maher, British Journal of Photography

“Visiting Exposure Festival for the first time in 2020 I was impressed by their multifaceted approach to photography and diverse programme. Observing the amount of care and passion that goes into their festival made me sure I was in good hands.”
Amelie Schüle, Curator and head of public practice at FOAM, previously Curator of UNSEEN

COMMENTS BY EXHIBITING ARTISTS

“Loved being part of this (Exposure 2021)! I’ve never been so supported by a festival!”
Rachael McArthur

“I have been so honoured to be part of Exposure 2021 - loved the billboard-exhibition! I really appreciated the personal care you invested in each artist. I felt very welcomed.”
Mirja Maria Thiel

“Best exhibition experience I have had. Just a really well-run event that I wish every experience I have would duplicate.” 
Exposure 2022 Exhibiting Artist (anonymous Artist Feedback)

“The space was awesome and the show looked incredible. Honestly feel very honoured to be in that show. Thank you.” 
Exposure 2022 Exhibiting Artist (anonymous Artist Feedback)

BEFORE YOU SUBMIT YOUR WORK

• Please read ‘The Fine Print’ and review the sections titled ‘ELIGIBILITY’ and ‘SUCCESSFUL SUBMISSIONS’ to familiarize yourself with the terms and conditions of the call for submissions. 

• Select a series of photographs that best represents your practice and prepare a written statement about your work. Your submitted pieces should show a thematically connected photographic series. We strongly recommend that you submit one project-based body of work per submission. You may enter more than one body of work, however, if you choose to do so, you must separately pay the submission fee for each series you submit.

• Images can be shot in any format, using any camera, on film or digital. We welcome diverse submissions from photographers and visual artists who incorporate, celebrate or challenge the photographic medium within their practice, including photo collage and experimental photography. If you are unsure if your work is eligible for this open call please email Exposure’s Coordinator, Bethany Kane, at Beth@ExposurePhotoFest.com.

ELIGIBILITY 

• All photographers, visual artists and creatives working with the medium of photography worldwide are eligible to submit their work.

• Exposure is committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion. We encourage submissions from members of underrepresented groups, and we welcome submissions from gender and sexually diverse individuals, racialized persons/persons of colour, women, Indigenous/Aboriginal People of North America, persons with disabilities.

• Exposure is committed to supporting individuals who face barriers in applying for this or other Exposure opportunities.  If you require assistance, please email Exposure’s Coordinator Beth Kane via Beth@exposurephotofest.com.

PREVIOUS EXHIBITING PHOTOGRAPHERS & ARTISTS

To see previous selected submissions visit the Exposure 2022 Online International Open Call Exhibition

Exhibition details

• Prints can be displayed in a variety of ways including mounted, pinned, hung with magnets, or framed. Within your submission details please tell us how you prefer your work to be displayed and its preferred size.

• Typically one work from an Artist’s submissions is selected for exhibition. 

• Selected Artists will receive a $150 Production Expense Allocation with Exposure 2023 Print Partner, ABL Imaging Group based in Calgary. Please note that as part of our partnership ABL offers our artists a 20% reduction on production costs associated with the exhibition. To see what is achievable within this budget please see the following International Open Call: Production Estimates. With this discount, the Production Expense Allocation covers a range of options. Exposure does not expect artists to spend more than $150 on their production, however if artists wish to do so, the additional cost will be at the artist’s own expense. If artists do not wish to print with ABL, the cost of printing images will be entirely assumed by the artist.

covid 19

Please note that if COVID-19 affects the 2023 festival the International Open Call exhibition will be presented during the festival month of February both online and in the public via the Exposure website and digital billboards presented in the City of Calgary.

TIMELINE

Call for Submissions goes live: June, 2022
Open Call Deadline: September 1, 2022
Notification of Results: End of September, 2022
Meeting with Exposure Coordinator: October, 2022
Print Deadline: December 1, 2022
Exhibition Installation: January, 2023
Exhibition Opens: February, 2023