Printmaking Lives! SGCI Seeks Proposals for 2019 North Texas Conference

Southern Graphics Council International has announced that it is now accepting proposals for its 2019 North Texas conference. Set to run March 6-9, 2019 at a number of supporting institutions across the DFW area, including Brookhaven College, Texas Christian University, the University of Dallas, the University of North Texas, and the University of Texas at Arlington, the conference will discuss contemporary issues, trends, and concerns surrounding the art of printmaking. Exhibition spaces participating in the conference include TCU’s Moudy Gallery,  Brookhaven College’s Studio Gallery, Voertman’s Gallery, UNT’s Elm Fork Education Center, Eagle Exhibition Hall and its Union Art Gallery, the Greater Denton Arts Council’s Festival Hall, and UTA’s Gallery 295 and courtyard space.

Recently, Southern Graphics Council International (SGC) put out a call for proposals for demos, exhibitions, events, panels, portfolio exchanges, and other happenings surrounding its 2019 conference. Proposals will be accepted in two stages, the first of which has a deadline of July 20, with preference given to projects that address the conference theme: Texchange. Via SGC:

“Texchange engages the capacity of printmaking to act as an agent of transformation in its practices within the field, contributions to other art media, and larger cultural roles. Prints are celebrated for the ways in which they spread images, information, ideas, and political views. Through shared spaces and collaborations, printmakers influence other artists, innovators, and disciplines. With printmaking, we create change together.”

Past conferences have taken place all over the U.S., including this year’s gathering in Las Vegas, 2017’s conference in Atlanta, and 2016’s in Portland. The conference has come to Texas before, but it’s been a while: Austin hosted a U.S.-Mexico border-themed conference in 2001, and 1994, 1998 and 1985’s conferences came to Fort Worth, Austin, and Houston, respectively.

For information on how to submit your ideas for the 2019 conference, go here. The first round of proposals is due on July 20. More information about proposal selection is below.

Selection Criteria 

1. Artistic or Academic Merit (20%)
Proposals will be evaluated on their artistic, pedagogical, intellectual, and entrepreneurial value. High-scoring panels will be artistically meritorious and intellectually significant, with a roster of talented artists or accomplished experts on the topic.

2. Importance to Members (20%)
How important is it to attendees that our conference offer this topic? Proposals will be evaluated in terms of whether they will be new and important to a significant number of our attendees. These constituencies include but are not limited to students, emerging professionals, academics, program directors, publishers, print shops, and individual practitioners. Whether a similar activity been offered in recent programming will be considered.

3. Diversity (20%)
Proposals will be evaluated on their potential to bring artistic, intellectual, regional, political, ethnic, and cultural diversity to the conference, and how they address the needs of all communities working in printmaking.

4. Proposal Integrity (20%)
Is the necessary information (event description, statement of merit, biographical notes) complete and useful? Are the moderator and/or presenters reliable professionals? The goals of the proposal and the ability of the presenters to fulfill them will be evaluated.

5. Feasibility (20%)
Is the proposed activity realistic and achievable? Are facilities and resources available to support it?