Austin Studio Tour 2024
Video Art Open Call

Big Medium invites video artists from all backgrounds to submit new or existing work for a special screening centered around the theme of Metamorphosis. Exhibiting during the Austin Studio Tour Official Kick Off event, this open call seeks to explore the transformative processes that define the human experience, nature, identity, culture, and beyond. 

We encourage artists to interpret metamorphosis in its broadest sense—whether personal, societal, environmental, or abstract. Consider how moments of change, transition, or evolution shape the world around us. From the microcosmic transformations within the natural world to the personal growth of individuals, or the upheavals of societal shifts—how does the act of becoming, changing, or evolving impact your creative process? 

Works can range from documentary-style video to experimental narratives, animations, or performance-based art. Submissions that explore interdisciplinary connections, push the boundaries of video art, or offer fresh perspectives on change are highly encouraged. 

Selected works will be screened at the Boyd Vance Theater at the George Washington Carver Museum during Big Medium’s Austin Studio Tour Kick-Off event. Selected artists will receive two complimentary tickets to the Austin Studio Tour Kick-Off event.


SUBMISSION GUIDELINES

Medium: Single channel video art

Duration: Up to 10 minutes

Format: .mp4 or .mov (minimum resolution 1080p)

Open Call Dates: October 24 - 29, 2024

Submission Deadline: October 29, 4 PM CST

Submission Fee: Free to apply

Specifications: 

  • Artists can submit up to 3 works for consideration

  • Include a brief artist bio (max 150 words) that can be used for promotional purposes.

  • Include a brief artist statement (max 250 words) describing how the submission relates to the theme of Metamorphosis.

  • For each artwork submitted include title, year, and medium.

SELECTION PROCESS

Entries will be reviewed and selected by Claudia E. Zapata. Zapata is an art historian and curator with a Ph.D. from Southern Methodist University, focusing on Chicanx art and curatorial politics. They earned their BA and MA in art history from the University of Texas at Austin, specializing in Maya art. Zapata’s curatorial work includes exhibitions at the Mexic-Arte Museum and the Smithsonian American Art Museum, where they worked on the award-winning show, ¡Printing the Revolution! The Rise and Impact of Chicano Graphics, 1965-Now. Their research interests include curatorial methodologies of identity-based exhibitions, Chicanx and Latinx art, digital humanities, BIPOC zines, and designer toys. Zapata co-founded the Puro Chingón Collective, creating zines, prints, apparel, designs, and art toys featured in major collections like The Met and MoMA. In 2023, they became the Blanton Museum’s inaugural Associate Curator of Latino Art, with their current exhibition De moda: Fashion, Ceremony, and Symbols of Resilience on display. Zapata has also published extensively, contributing essays on Chicanx digital art and feminist art practices.

Read their full bio here.