2025 New York City SPRING/BREAK Independent Curatorial Application

*Please note: Before starting this application, please refresh this webpage and complete the application all at once so that the application form doesn't time out. There is no time limit to complete the application, but if you leave the form sitting on your browser for a day or more, then it will create an error and not submit. We recommend that you save all of your data in a separate document and copy/paste to the application so you have a back up in case an error occurs. Good luck!

Show Dates: May 6 - 12, 2025 (subject to change)

APPLICATION GUIDELINES + CURATORIAL REQUIREMENTS

DEADLINES

Applications will be accepted by independent curators, galleries and non-profit organizations during the application periods listed below.

Please note there is a separate application for Galleries, Non-Profit Organizations, and Project Spaces, known as the Special Project Application. Please use the following link to access the Special Project Application for Galleries, Non-Profit Organizations, and Project Spaces.

Link to Gallery, Non-Profit and Project Space Application: Click Here

Early Application: Sunday, March 2, 2025 at 11:59pm (your time zone)

Regular Application: Sunday, March 16, 2025 at 11:59pm (your time zone)

Late Application: Sunday,March 23, 2025 at 11:59pm (your time zone)

Last Application: Sunday, March 30, 2025 at 11:59pm (your time zone)

All Applications (Early, Regular, Late, Last) are reviewed with the same consideration.

No applications will be accepted after the last deadline.

No proposals nor applications will be accepted via email.

We recommend that you save your application information in a separate document in the event that you lose some information while completing your form...you know, because robots.

Also, as the deadline approaches and many applicants are using the system, the server can sometimes be overwhelmed, which can slow down the submission process, or unfortunately, at times, some applications receive an error and you may have to start over. Please take that into consideration when applying, save your information elsewhere, as you'll be safe if you get your application in before the final due date.

APPLICATION FEES

There is a non-refundable application fee of $75.00 per Early Application, $100.00 per Regular Application, $150.00 per Late Application, $175.00 per Last Application.

No refunds for the application fee shall be granted for any reason, including force majeure and/or related to the Covid-19 pandemic. Only in the event that your application is accepted for the 2025 New York show, and if the show is impacted due to government emergency measures and protocols, your application fee shall be applied to the next application period, and applications that are not accepted to the upcoming show shall not be considered for the next application period and shall receive no refund for the application fee.

SPRING/BREAK Alumni (CURATORS ONLY) will be offered a discounted non-refundable application fee of $50.00 (Early Application), $75.00 (Regular Application), $125.00 (Late Application), $150.00 (Last Application). Only those alumni curators who were participants in previous SPRING/BREAK Art Show exhibitions shall be permitted to use the discount. Please contact us for the unique Curator Discount Code.

Our mission is to create an unique environment for showcasing independent curators by providing free exhibition space to each selected curator and low cost exhibition space for non-profits and galleries, and therefore, require an application fee to cover our administrative fees for processing the applications.

WHO MAY APPLY

Section 1. INDEPENDENT CURATORS:

Independent Curators (only 3 curators per proposal permitted) may submit an application for the 2025 New York City SPRING/BREAK Art Show, including a curatorial proposal related to the theme of PARADISE LOST + FOUND, sample images of art work, a curatorial statement and additional information necessary to complete the application.

Please note that artists may apply as an Independent Curator only if they are applying with a solo show of another artist's work, a group exhibition of more than 1 artist, or a group exhibition that also includes the applicant's personal artwork in the group show. An artist may not apply as a curator with their own personal art work in a solo show, and must have a curator who applies on behalf of her/him/them.

There is no fee for the exhibition space if you are selected as an Independent Curator and all accepted artists and approved artworks shall be consigned to the Art Show for the duration of the Consignment Term.

Independent Curators should only apply with their individual names and not an entity name. If applying as an entity, please see SPECIAL PROJECTS section below.

If you are affiliated with a gallery, non-profit organization or project space, please see Section 2 below for participation guidelines.

Section 2. GALLERIES, NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS and PROJECT SPACES

Anyone affiliated with a Gallery, Non-Profit Organization, or a Project Space (permanent or pop-up) may submit a curatorial proposal related to the theme PARADISE LOST + FOUND, comprised of artists from the gallery's roster. This curatorial proposal will fall into our SPECIAL PROJECTS section. If you have an affiliation with a gallery, project space or non-profit organization, please define your affiliation/title and include the full roster of artists in the Special Projects Application for our reference.

The Special Project section was initiated in 2015 as a way to invite established, newly launched, and recently closed galleries to participate in the show. We encourage participants in the Special Project section to explore the theme in full and to go beyond what they typically would do in a traditional art fair environment. In 2024, there were 20 Special Projects as part of the New York City program. This section is has a limited number of reserved booths for galleries, non-profit organizations, and project spaces.

Each Special Project contributes an exhibitor fee to participate, which helps to cover the production costs of the event. There is no consignment required for participating Special Projects. Please contact us for details on the participation terms and fees.

Link to Gallery, Non-Profit and Project Space Application: Click Here

SELECTED CURATORIAL APPLICATIONS

Submission of an application does not guarantee participation. We will review applications in March and notify selected curators by early April, if not before. If we have any questions about your proposal, we will contact the primary curator listed on the application.

Each curatorial proposal will be given one (1) room/booth for exhibiting artworks. Special Projects will be given priority placement of room/booth and a larger sized exhibition area, if available. Placements are determined by the show's Directors and based on their overall curatorial vision.

All selected independent curators will receive a consignment agreement to review and complete. All artworks included in the show must be included in and subject to the terms of the consignment agreement. Artworks that are not listed on the consignment agreement will not be permitted on the show premises. If you have any questions about the consignment terms, please contact us for details.

For any questions about the application, please contact us at apply@springbreakartshow.com

Please save apply@springbreakartshow.com in your contacts so that you receive notifications about your application.

For more information on applying at an Independent Curator, Special Project or a Non-Profit Organization, please visit our website for more details:

https://www.springbreakartshow.com/2025-application-theme/

Before beginning your application, please refresh this page in a new browser window and complete the application all at once. This may prevent any timing out issues and submission errors.

LINK TO GALLERY/NON-PROFIT/PROJECT SPACE APPLICATION

To which section are you applying?*

Independent CuratorGallery (If you are a gallery, please do not complete this application. See Link above)Non Profit Organization/Project Space (If you are a non-profit, please do not complete this application. See Link above)

Primary Curator Name*

First NameLast Name

#2 Curator Name (if applicable)

First NameLast Name

#3 Curator Name (if applicable)

First NameLast Name

Primary Curator Phone*

Country CodeArea CodePhone Number

Primary Curator Email*

example@example.com

Gallery/Non Profit Organization Name (if applicable)

Gallery/Non Profit Organization Artist Roster (if applicable)

Website

Media Category

Other Media

Curatorial Title of Exhibition *

Limited to 70 characters

CURATORIAL STATEMENT

Please provide a curatorial statement (maximum 800 words) describing your exhibition concept and a description of each artist's work and how it responds to the theme, PARADISE LOST + FOUND.

Curatorial Statement*

800 words maximum

CURATORIAL TAGLINE

Please provide a curatorial tagline (maximum 60 words) for your proposal. This should be one sentence that describes your selection of artist(s) and your curatorial concept.

This tagline will be used in press and marketing materials.

Curatorial Tagline*

60 words maximum

CURATOR + ARTIST BIOGRAPHIES

Please provide curator(s) and artists bio(s) (maximum 500 words) for your proposal.

Curator Biography*

500 words maximum

Artists Biographies*

500 words maximum

EXHIBITION LAYOUT

Please upload a sketch, rendering or diagram of your ideal exhibition layout.

Layout should be based on approximately 10 x 10 sq feet (independent curators) and 12 x 12 sq feet (Special Projects). Rooms and dimensions vary from location to location and this is just an approximation of our average sized exhibition spaces.

This is for our reference only and although you are not bound to execute this, we do require that the final exhibition installation be as close to your application proposal as possible, if your proposal is accepted. Please submit PDF format document only.

Your PDF file should be no larger than 3Mb and the filename should end with suffix .pdf

Exhibition Layout*

.pdf up to 3Mb

ARTWORK IMAGES

Please provide images for each artist's work that you would like for us to consider and that relates to the theme selected from PARADISE LOST + FOUND. These may be sample images of art works that represent new or unfinished art works that will actually be shown during the exhibition.

If accepted to participate, Curator must submit final art work images that will be the actual artworks for exhibition, which will be reviewed by our team for approval at least 4 weeks prior to show opening day (let your artists know now so that they can complete their new art works or finish works in progress).

Images should be JPG format and no larger than 1Mb.

Image filename should be: PRIMARYCURATORNAME_TITLE_MEDIUM_DIMENSIONS_YEAR_ARTIST NAME.jpg (if the filenames are not labeled properly, the application may be considered incomplete).

If you have video links or performance art documentation, please copy and paste the link in the video link section below.

Please upload at least THREE IMAGES and at most TEN IMAGES of sample art work for our consideration. Each can be sample images of artworks that are similar to the final artworks and should be the best representation of the artwork to give the jury a proper understanding of the artworks proposed to be shown.

By submitting these images, the curator agrees that they have full permission to use the images by the artist, the artist's gallery, or the photographer, and SPRING/BREAK Art Show has the right and permission to use these images for marketing purposes.

Please note that all works submitted shall be vetted by our team and individually selected based on relevancy to the overall theme.

#1 Artwork Sample*