THE LAND | SSA AT THE DICK INSTITUTE, KILMARNOCK
The SSA is pleased to be collaborating with the East Ayrshire Leisure and The Dick Institute, Kilmarnock to provide an opportunity for our Members to submit work for an exhibition titled ‘The Land’.
We invite SSA Members (Artist, Student, Graduate and Professional Members) to submit work responding to the theme of ‘The Land’. Selected works from the open call will be exhibited alongside works from invited SSA Artist Member Calum Wallis.
The exhibition will take place at The Dick Institute from Saturday 15 March – 7 June 2025
This SSA exhibition: ‘The Land’, will explore how contemporary artists respond to the concept of “land”, how they identify with their environment, and their experience of living within a space.
As the world continues to change around us through climate breakdown and escalating world conflicts, we are constantly reminded of the importance of “land”, to our societies, to our identity, and to our existence.
The exhibition will showcase work by current SSA members that explores the theme of “land”. We anticipate diverse interpretations of the theme, displaying a range of creative mediums, giving a platform for our artists to share their experience of what “land” means to them.
This exhibition theme was inspired by the United Nations’ seventeen Sustainable Development Goals, with particular focus on goal number fifteen: ‘Life on Land’, which looks to protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems and reverse land degradation. The motif of “land” has many connotations that feel very relevant to the current climate of today. How do we identify with the concept of land? How do we use the land, who owns the land we inhabit, and can the land really be owned?
Achieving sustainable and greener practices within the creative arts is one of our Society’s main objectives. The theme of this exhibition was also a consideration of these targets and how the SSA can raise awareness of sustainable practices.
We look forward to your submissions!
About The Dick Institute
Opened in 1901, the Dick Institute is a 4 star attraction, attracting over 120,000 visitors each year. It houses the largest museum and gallery spaces in Ayrshire and East Ayrshire’s central library. A recent refurbishment and the addition of a cafe has breathed new life into this stunning building ensuring it will continue to be enjoyed by a new generation of visitors. Featuring a programme of nationally important exhibitions, permanent displays of the museum’s diverse collections and innovative work by contemporary artists, film makers and young people from the area, the Dick Institute is well worth a visit.
It has been described by the Glasgow Herald as ‘Scotland’s finest municipal gallery’ through hosting an ambitious range of temporary exhibitions and is regularly the only Scottish venue for significant shows. Previous major exhibitions at the Dick Institute have included Quentin Blake, Wallace and Gromit, Bill Viola, Michael Morpurgo: A Lifetime in Stories, Robert Colquhoun, Abram Games, Pop Art in Print and Gerhard Richter, often in partnership with national institutions including the V&A, National Galleries Scotland and TATE Modern. Many of Scotland’s leading contemporary artists including Christine Borland, Dalziel and Scullion, Nathan Coley, Rachel MacLean and Graham Fagan have been shown through creative commissioning programmes that support artistic talent by linking with major national initiatives.
HOW TO APPLY
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- All entries must be made through Zealous HERE by the stated deadline.
- Submissions are open to all SSA Members including Professional Members, Artist Members, Student Members and Graduate Members. If you are not a member you can join here by the stated deadline.
- Work submitted may be in most media including but not limited to painting, drawing, original prints, photography, artist books, textiles, sculpture, video and installation.
- All 2D works must be framed with mirror plates attached. 3D works must be displayed on a plinth supplied by the artist.
- The exhibition excludes work requiring floor fixings or suspension from overhead hanging points.
- There are no restrictions on size of artworks for submission, however, please bear in mind dimensions of access routes into the building and gallery (max 80cm x 230cm doorway), and the limitations of space within the gallery.
- All artwork selected for exhibition must be retained for the duration of the exhibition and cannot be returned at any time during the exhibition period.
- All submitted work must be for sale (where applicable). A commission of 35% will be deducted from all sales. Please take this into account when pricing your artwork.
- Unless part of a diptych/triptych, each artwork must have it’s own submission.
- Please ensure all artwork details are correct as these will be used for labels.
- Image files should be JPG or PNG and no more than 3MB large. If you are having problems uploading your images please use image-editing software to resize your image to approximately 1600 pixels wide and then save as a new file.
- Save your image files with the title of your artwork as the file name, eg Untitled1.jpg. Do not include invalid characters such as ‘ ” & % * ( ) < > / ~ # + =
ARTWORK DELIVERY & COLLECTION
SSA will arrange a central drop-off location for group transport. Selected artists are also invited to deliver their works directly to The Dick Institute on selected dates. Further details and timings will be communicated upon selection.
Delivery: Week beginning 3 March 2025
Collection of unsold work: Week beginning 9 June 2025
The Dick Institute, Elmbank Avenue, Kilmarnock, KA1 3BU View Map
KEY DATES
Online Submissions open: Wednesday 11 September, 12 noon
Online Submissions close: Monday 28 October, 12 noon
Selection notification: by Friday 20 December 2024
Artwork Delivery: See above
Exhibition Dates: 15 March – 7 June 2025
Private View: Saturday 15 March
ENTRY FEES
Artist, Student, Graduate & Professional Members
Maximum no. of submissions: 2
£FREE
APPLY HERE >>
Image: Place to Scramble, Calum Wallis. Courtesy the artist.