Friday, December 29, 2006

The Salon in Austin

This is the place to be if you want to join a dynamic group of people interested in creating a platform for discussing and presenting the works of Austin-based artists of color. Join us at The Salon. Talk about yourself and get talked about.

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The Salon was created by writer Ana Lara as an informal space to present and critique the works of Austin-based visual, literary and performance artists of color.

As artists, writers and performers, it is imperative that our work be grounded in an artistic, historical and social context. As artists in community, it is important to develop a language with which to discuss our own and each others’ work. Our work must be made public, it must be written about and it must live and interact with our contemporary environment.

This space was conceptualized as both a “sit-down” and a “salon”, meaning: a space where artists of color could come together to get to know each other in an intimate context, which would serve as a point of departure for the discussion of artists’ work.

An integral part of The Salon is the monthly newsletter, published on this page, which features the month’s presenting artists’ works, bios and critiques written by Salon attendees, as well as a monthly feature on impressions: an opportunity for attending artists to discuss their experience.

It is Ana Lara’s vision to eventually expand The Salon to include opportunities for the development of craft, and to invite local and regional curators, publishers and editors and producers to engage with artists on a professional level.

Because The Salon is based completely on community participation, each session offers an opportunity for the development of a new dynamic, new language, and new insights.

If you are a writer, visual or performance artist of color and would like to attend and/or present your work, please read below. If you are a curator, publisher, or producer and would like to attend a Salon session, please contact Ana Lara directly at austin_salon@yahoo.com, subject line: The Salon, Guest. To contact artists featured on The Salon, please see contact information at the end of the artist’s bio.

What You Need To Know

When and Where does The Salon meet?

For 2007 the Salon will meet on the following dates, beginning at 2pm:

Saturday, February 17

Saturday, March 17

Saturday, June 2

Saturday, August 11

Saturday, October 7

How can I present my work at The Salon?

Presentation is by invitation only. Please contact Ana Lara if you are interested in presenting at austin_salon@yahoo.com.

What actually happens once I get there?

For presenting artists: Once you arrive, you will have time to hang out and talk with other folks. You will then be asked to present your work in its original format. The host will introduce you; you will have 20 minutes for your presentation. The floor will then be open for discussion. Each presenting artist will be given up to 90 minutes.

What happens after The Salon?

A brief bio, artist statement and work sample and write up will be added to the Salon page each month following our gathering. All artists will be added to the guest list and receive monthly announcements about upcoming salons and professional opportunities and workshops.

If I’m not presenting, is there anything I should bring?

If you are not a presenting artist, feel free to bring anything you may need to function within a creative critique space. The featured artists will be announced prior to the Salon, so if there’s anything (books, articles, etc) you think might contribute to the discussion, by all means bring it. Flyers, announcements and resources are encouraged.

Important: the host provides food. All guests are asked to bring drinks or dessert to share.

Do I have to dish out any money for anything?

No. Just bring drinks or desserts to share.

What about children or childcare?

The Salon cannot provide child care. Children ages 12 and up are welcome to attend if the parent believes they would benefit from this space.