The Alternator Centre for Contemporary Art is an artist-run centre located in Kelowna, BC Canada.
The Alternator presents year-round exhibitions in all media by emerging and mid-career Canadian and international artists, as well as artist talks, exchanges, panel discussions, fundraising events, publications, workshops and other events that promote an awareness of contemporary art practices.
Exhibitions and programs are selected in line with our mandate, which is available here.
Main Gallery
The Alternator Centre for Contemporary Art is currently accepting programming submissions for our MAIN GALLERY.
Application deadline: March 18, 2024 (Midnight)
Works will be selected by our Programming Committee based on the following criteria:
Compatibility with the Alternator's mandate.
Quality of the artwork (with an emphasis on experimental approach.)
Clarity of the written proposal.
Production cost and availability.
Further, the Programming Committee seeks diversity of perspective, medium and theme when establishing our annual exhibition calendar.
We are committed to fostering artists' professional autonomy and are proud to pay successful applicants CAR/FAC fees.
The Main Gallery is well suited to:
early-career artists seeking professional exhibition opportunities.
more established artists’ experimental works that mark a departure from their established practice.
Submission Requirements:
All items must be included in one PDF document titled LAST NAME_FIRST NAME.pdf submitted through our online submission form.
Please be sure to include your name, contact details and page numbers in your PDF and organize it in the following order:
Overview of your artistic practice. Include information about your artistic vision, concepts and ideas that motivate your artistic practice. (Maximum 500 words.)
Overview of the project you are proposing to exhibit. Include information about the context for your project, how it supports your broader creative practice, and your vision for the space once the work is installed. Please consider how it aligns to the Alternator mandate and/or why this work is relevant to our place and time —socially, politically, regionally or otherwise. (Maximum 500 words.)
CV summarizing your professional history and achievements. If more than one artist is included in your proposal, include CVs of all involved artists. Maximum three pages per artist ( ie: two artists = six pages.)
Image list for your portfolio. Include: artist (if applicable), title of work, medium, date of creation and dimensions. Links and passwords to video support material should also be included in this section, as required.
Portfolio images in support of your application. Image(s) should correspond with those listed on the image list. One image per page. Images may be oriented vertically or horizontally. Maximum 20 images.
If your work is focused on video, sound or other media, please utilize a sharing platform to store your work and provide links and passwords to appropriate files in your image list.Budget (optional) In exceptional cases, the Alternator may provide additional assistance with production expenses. Examples of applicable production expenses that may be considered include: customization to the gallery space essential to the installation (such as building temporary walls), rental of electronics (such as projectors, monitors or media players), or items that may need to be maintained or changed throughout the duration of the exhibition (such as flowers). Items that will not be considered as production expenses include: framing or expenses related to the creation of work, research or project development.
If you require assistance with production expenses, please include a detailed description and budget of production expenses as part of your programming submission as well as expected installation schedule/timeline. Please indicate if production funds are ‘required’ or ‘preferred’.
Submissions for the 2025 Main Gallery exhibition schedule should be received by March 18 2024 (midnight). Applications received after this deadline will be considered for the following year.
Applicants included in this intake can expect to hear final results of their submission by September 30, 2024.
DIVERSITY AND EQUITY
We welcome submissions from under-represented artists of all backgrounds including, but not limited to, Indigenous, Black, and racialized persons; refugee, newcomer and immigrant persons; two-spirit, LGBTQ+ and gender non-binary persons, persons with diverse abilities, and those on low-incomes or living in poverty. We are committed to ensuring equitable access to our submissions process. Please contact us if you require any accommodations to participate.
WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT FROM US
Artists selected for exhibition in the Main Gallery will be supported in the following ways:
● Exhibition royalties in accordance with the current CAR/FAC Fee Schedule (Category 1.)
● Staff assistance with exhibition installation.
● Production of an Exhibition Essay.
● Photo documentation of your exhibition in our space.
● Community outreach opportunities, with additional CAR/FAC fees as appropriate.
● Supplementary financial support for travel, accommodation, one-way shipping or childcare.
● Letters of Support to supplement artist’s applications to funding bodies for travel and production assistance.
Project Gallery
The Alternator Centre for Contemporary Art is currently accepting programming submissions for our PROJECT GALLERY.
The Project Gallery is considered a ‘Single Work’ exhibition site and is well suited to very early-career artists seeking a first professional exhibition opportunity. Works may include media, small projects, installations or work in progress.
Application deadline: March 18, 2024 (Midnight)
Works will be selected by our Programming Committee based on the following criteria:
Compatibility with the Alternator's mandate.
Quality of the artwork (with an emphasis on experimental approach.)
Clarity of the written proposal.
Production cost and availability.
Further, the Programming Committee seeks diversity of perspective, medium and theme when establishing our annual exhibition calendar.
We are committed to fostering artists' professional autonomy and are proud to pay successful applicants CAR/FAC fees.
Submission Requirements:
All items must be included in one PDF document titled LAST NAME_FIRST NAME.pdf submitted through our online submission form.
Please be sure to include your name, contact details and page numbers in your PDF and organize it in the following order:
Overview of your artistic practice. Include information about your artistic vision, concepts and ideas that motivate your artistic practice. (Maximum 500 words.)
Overview of the project you are proposing to exhibit. Include information about the context for your project, how it supports your broader creative practice, and your vision for the space once the work is installed. Please consider how it aligns to the Alternator mandate and/or why this work is relevant to our place and time —socially, politically, regionally or otherwise. (Maximum 300 words.)
CV summarizing your professional history and achievements. If more than one artist is included in your proposal, include CVs of all involved artists. Maximum three pages per artist ( ie: two artists = six pages.)
Image list for your portfolio. Include: artist (if applicable), title of work, medium, date of creation and dimensions. Links and passwords to video support material should also be included in this section, as required.
Portfolio images in support of your application. Image(s) should correspond with those listed on the image list. One image per page. Images may be oriented vertically or horizontally. Maximum 20 images.
If your work is focused on video, sound or other media, please utilize a sharing platform to store your work and provide links and passwords to appropriate files in your image list.Budget (optional) In exceptional cases, the Alternator may provide additional assistance with production expenses. Examples of applicable production expenses that may be considered include: customization to the gallery space essential to the installation (such as building temporary walls), rental of electronics (such as projectors, monitors or media players), or items that may need to be maintained or changed throughout the duration of the exhibition (such as flowers). Items that will not be considered as production expenses include: framing or expenses related to the creation of work, research or project development.
If you require assistance with production expenses, please include a detailed description and budget of production expenses as part of your programming submission as well as expected installation schedule/timeline. Please indicate if production funds are ‘required’ or ‘preferred’.
Submissions for the 2025 Project Gallery exhibition schedule should be received by March 18 2024 (midnight). Applications received after this deadline will be considered for the following year.
Applicants included in this intake can expect to hear final results of their submission by September 30, 2024.
DIVERSITY AND EQUITY
We welcome submissions from under-represented artists of all backgrounds including, but not limited to, Indigenous, Black, and racialized persons; refugee, newcomer and immigrant persons; two-spirit, LGBTQ+ and gender non-binary persons, persons with diverse abilities, and those on low-incomes or living in poverty. We are committed to ensuring equitable access to our submissions process. Please contact us if you require any accommodations to participate.
WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT FROM US
Artists selected for exhibition in the Project Gallery will be supported in the following ways:
● Exhibition royalties in accordance with the current CAR/FAC Fee Schedule (Category 1.)
● Staff assistance with exhibition installation.
● Photo documentation of your exhibition in our space.
● Letters of Support to supplement artist’s applications to funding bodies for travel and production assistance.
FAQs
Does the Alternator consider offsite exhibitions?
Yes, the Alternator will consider submissions for offsite gallery exhibitions. Artists submitting offsite exhibitions are strongly encouraged to have researched and confirmed letters of support from participating locations attached as part of the submission package.
What kind of equipment does the Alternator have?
In addition to a variety of tools and supplies used for installation, the Alternator also has a small selection of plinths, TVs, media players, a projector, and a moveable wall (8’x2’, 7’ 8” H) that can be used as part of exhibitions. In addition to our own supplies, the Alternator benefits from a number of community partners who kindly loan equipment on occasion.
If your exhibition requires any special equipment, please be sure to detail your requirements in your proposal. While we are unable to guarantee access to specific equipment at the submission stage, we welcome advance knowledge of your proposed installation requirements. If you have any questions do not hesitate to reach out to us
Do you have a gallery floor plan?
Yes. Here it is:
Gallery Floor Plan (PDF).
Individual gallery space floor plans (PDF):
Main Gallery.
Project Gallery.
To see images of the Main and Project Gallery spaces while empty see here.
What support can you offer to artists who are parents/guardians interested in exhibiting at the Alternator?
Artists who are parents/guardians are welcome to submit to the Alternator professional programming. If you are looking for childcare options while working in Kelowna, please contact us for drop-in childcare referrals.
I still have more questions, who can I contact?
Any questions about the gallery or submission process can be sent to info@alternatorcentre.com.