AMP: Artists' Meeting Place and Resource Collective

Open Call for Puppetry Acts

The Skirball Cultural Center, Los Angeles, seeks 8-10 puppetry performances for a one-day Family Puppet Festival on Sunday, April 13, 2014. The Festival will feature a wide range of puppetry, from small to large scale, utilizing diverse media, and drawing on a variety of cultural traditions.

About the Skirball:
For the Skirball Cultural Center, founded in 1996, the arts serve as a vehicle to explore and forge connections among individuals, cultures, and communities. Rooted in Jewish culture and the values of community, diversity, and caring for the world around us, the Skirball strives to be a dynamic gathering place within the Los Angeles community. The Skirball realizes its mission through museum exhibitions, performances, lectures, films, the interactive Noah's Ark children's and family destination, and educational offerings for people of different ages and backgrounds. With the opening in 2007 of Noah’s Ark, an award-winning exhibition that contains 386 life-size animals including 30+ puppets made from repurposed materials—the Skirball established itself as a major venue for family audiences to experience the arts and celebrate community.

What we're looking for:
· Acts that represent diverse styles of puppetry in terms of cultural derivation and performance
· Stories told through puppetry that connect to the Skirball's mission (see above)
· Acts that tell original stories or, like the Noah's Ark exhibition, provide a new take on classic tales, folklore, or Jewish-themed stories
· Family-friendly acts that engage audiences across generations
· Acts that can be performed in traditional and non-traditional performance spaces like outdoor patios, museum galleries, or public spaces (special consideration will be given to these acts and those that can be performed without technical support)
· 10-45 minutes shows that have been previously performed for family audiences.
· Pageant/strolling puppets and acts.

What we're not looking for:
· Non-narrative work that would prove challenging to a mixed-aged audience
· Performances more geared toward adults (which include sex, depictions of violence, contain storylines and situations that might be too sophisticated for young children)
· Performances with significant technical needs, requiring elaborate sets, lighting, or sound.

Stipend
· The Skirball will offer a stipend to each performance group for their participation.

How to apply:

Send an email introducing yourself and include the name of the piece you'd like to present along with a brief description of the performance, links to video clips and / or high definition images of the performance, the technical requirements and number of performers, your contact info, and any other work samples you'd like to share. Please also attach your resume and a list of at least two references as well in the email. Send your message to:

familyprograms@skirball.org.
Write the word PUPPET in the subject line.

Deadline for submissions:
Friday, January 17, 2014

We will contact you after receiving your materials if we are interested in setting up an in-person interview/audition.

from LA Culture Net