APAture 2024

Call for Submission FAQ

You have questions. We have answers.

If by chance our tome below doesn’t address your questions, please email us at apature@kearnystreet.org, and we’ll get back to you as soon as we can!

Eligibility

What kind of art are you looking for? 

We generally feature the following kinds of work:

  • Visual Arts: Painting, photography, sculpture, installation, multimedia, illustration, etc.

  • Literary Arts: Writing, poetry, spoken word, etc.

  • Music: All genres, including electronic, turntable, sound, noise, etc.

  • Film: Animation, documentary, experimental, music video, slideshow, etc.

  • Performing Arts: Theater, dance, movement, puppetry, comedy, performance art, etc.

  • Comics, Zines, and Illustration

What do you mean by “emerging artist”?

We’re looking to feature new artists with fresh points of view. For example, any of the following might describe you:

  • You do your art on the side, frequent open mics, and work on collaborative projects. For your efforts, you’re compensated modestly, if at all.

  • You’re an art student and just starting to build your portfolio and expand your skill set.

  • You take classes, workshops, and other events that help you hone your craft.

  • You’re looking for more places and opportunities to showcase your stuff and to meet other artists who could help you make more with what you’ve got!

And while KSW is grateful for our collaborations with established artists, APAture doesn’t focus on artists who can be described as follows:

  • You work on your art full-time, make a pretty penny, and show your work frequently both in and outside the Bay Area.

  • Your resume is page is long and may include a long list of publishing credentials, getting press in major publications, and/or winning multiple awards (although a few of those accomplishments would be okay!).

  • Your reputation in the arts community precedes you!

  • We’ve shown your stuff at multiple APAture events in the past, (though if you have established yourself in one discipline (including past featured artists), and consider yourself emerging in a different discipline (i.e. published poet who is starting to establish themselves as a visual artist), then we’re happy to consider you for the festival

What do you mean when you say Asian/Pacific Islander or Asian Pacific American artists”?

By that we mean artists whose ancestry is from one or more of the following regions: East Asia, Central Asia, Southeast Asia, South Asia, West Asia, and Oceania. We include multi-ethnic and multi-racial artists with Asian and/or Pacific Islander heritage in our definition. Though we understand terms like API or APA have been a source of contention in our communities and we acknowledge that the PI identity is often underrepresented and erased under the API or APA umbrella along with many Southeast Asian, South Asian, and SWANA communities, our usage in this festival is not to presume a singular identity but to center the rich and varied art coming from all the communities in this region who are living in the Bay Area.

Are we still eligible to apply if I’m of Asian and/or Pacific Islander descent but other folks in my group aren’t?

While we value diversity, community building, and collaboration across ethnic and racial lines, the group member of Asian or Pacific Islander descent must have a prominent or at least equal role in the group’s work and presentation.

I’ve applied to APAture before. Can I apply, again?

If you still consider yourself an emerging artist, yes!

Do I have to live and work in the San Francisco Bay Area?

Yes. Only those who live and/or work in the Bay Area are eligible for the festival. In rare cases, we’ll consider artists who maintain strong ties to the area or live just outside of the region.

Why is your target age range 21+?

APAture focuses on adult artists and we sometimes hold events in venues that are not appropriate for youth. We have discussed youth focused programming at APAture, but it is important for us to make sure we do so thoughtfully and responsibly and we have the resources and the support to do so before proceeding.

The Application Process

How do I apply and submit my work?

By heading to our submissions page, filling out the appropriate form, and including your work and submission fee in the process (the application will tell you how!). We prefer online submissions, but if absolutely necessary, you can print out the application and mail it to us, along with your work (please do not send originals, only copies!) and submission fee, to:

  • Kearny Street Workshop

  • Attn: Jason Bayani, Co- Director

  • P.O. Box 14545

  • San Francisco, CA 94114

Can I submit more than one application?

Yes, but please note that each unit submission will require its own application and submission fee. To read more on what counts as a unit of art, scroll to the Submitted Work section.

When are submissions due?

Midnight, June 16, 2024.

If we’re accepted what kind of showcases are we participating in?

If your application is accepted in:

Visual Arts you will be part of a four week exhibition that runs during the course of the festival.
Literary Arts you will participate in a one night reading headlined by our featured artist.
Comics, Zines, & Illustrations you will participate in a mini-faire (typically 3-4 hours) and will be assigned a booth to showcase your work and can sell prints and other merch you may have. This event may also involve panels and demos.
Music you will participate in a one-night music showcase headlined by our featured artist
Performing Arts you will participate in a one-night performing arts showcase headlined by our featured artist
Film you will participate in a short film showcase headlined by our featured artist

What’s a featured artist?

Featured artists are more established artists we spotlight during the festival.

When will I find out whether or not I’ve been accepted?

We’ll get back to you with a decision in late July if you applied to be a general artist, and let you know about the other fun that’s in store if you’re accepted.

What are my chances of getting accepted into the festival?

We anticipate receiving anywhere between 150 and 200 applications. Of this number, we anticipate on selecting between 40 to 50 applicants.

What if I'm not selected?

If you are not selected to showcase in APAture 2024, we encourage you to keep an eye out for other opportunities from Kearny Street Workshop. We have a robust calendar year of presentations and workshops. We hope you will consider participating as an audience member or volunteer. It's a great way to experience local art and strengthen your application for next year.

If you have questions about our selection process, please do not hesitate to contact us at apature@kearnystreet.org. We're happy to offer our feedback.

Submitted Work

Why do you only accept recent works?

We’re looking to feature both new artists and new work, so we require all submissions to have been created within the past three years.

Does my work need to be relevant to the theme?

Not necessarily. We’re more interested in curating work that we can get excited about and understand there is a wide range of styles and aesthetics within all of our communities as well as multitude of subjects you’re all interested in and we want to see all of it. Our themes are intended to be broad and open to interpretation so consider the theme as an invitation to explore how your work relates to it.

What do you consider a unit of work in each discipline?

We define a unit as:

  • Film: A short film or video within 15 minutes

  • Literary Arts: A piece of writing that can be read within 10 minutes

  • Music: One or more pieces that can be performed within 10-12 minutes (three song set)

  • Performing Arts: A piece that can be performed within 10-15 minutes

  • Visual Arts: A single gallery piece or a series of related works. We accept installations but we do have limited space. Please feel free to reach out to us at apature@kearnystreet.org if you’d like to make sure your submitted work would fit in the gallery. Also for multimedia installations you will likely need to provide your own equipment.

We welcome submissions of multiple units, but please note that each unit will require its own application and submission fee.

Can I make changes to the work I submit?

We request that you bring the work you submitted to APAture. If you do feel the need to change or alter your work please communicate with your APAture subcommittee contact so we can make sure the work fits within the time or physical dimensions that the showcase allows and within the intended curated framework. We do accept works in progress, please use the “description of your work” section to explain what the finish product may look like and include as much as you are able to submit for the work sample. Feel free to email us at apature@kearnystreet.org and we’ll discuss specifics in more detail.

How do I get my work back after the festival?

We’ll email visual artists to coordinate pick-up during the de-installation process. Other artists who would like to pick up copies of the art they submitted can pick do so at the KSW office by emailing us at apature@kearnystreet.org.

Note: We will keep all work until December 31, 2024, and discard anything unclaimed afterward.

Money Questions

Why do I have to pay a submission fee?

The submission fee is a standard processing fee that helps cover administrative costs. We will happily provide waivers to anybody who requests them. No questions asked.

How do I pay the submission fee?

The application includes instructions and options on how to pay.

Will I be paid if my work is shown?

Features receive an honorarium in return for specific work and other duties we request from them and there will be a small stipend for all selected showcase artists. For more information about how we select feature artists, scroll to The Application Process and Submitted Work sections of the FAQ.

If my work is shown, will you cover the cost of my transportation to festival events and shipping costs for my work?

No. Artists are responsible for these costs, but we will provide space and certain equipment so that you can present your work during the festival.