Call for Proposals

Overview

The Arts Alive SDSU Discovery Series is an annual selection of university produced art exhibits, performances, and film screenings that explore critical issues through the transformative lens of the creative arts. Designed to intersect with contemporary studies in the humanities and sciences, the Discovery Series promotes the arts as an inclusive and impactful research practice that is integral to a comprehensive education. Arts Alive SDSU supports six Discovery Series projects per academic year (three to four per semester) in the maximum amount of $2500 each. The funds must be used in part to provide stipends for panel discussion participants, including a visiting guest artist. Any additional funds may be used for such expenses as venue rental, production materials, community programming, etc. In addition to the funds, Arts Alive SDSU will provide Discovery Series events with a robust marketing and public relations campaign, including the custom design of an original graphics package with printed and/or digital collateral, feature articles to be published in PSFA Stories and promoted to local periodicals, professional photographic and video documentation, and prominent representation on Arts Alive SDSU social media.

Eligibility 

To be considered for selection in the Arts Alive SDSU Discovery Series, the proposed event must meet the following qualifications:

• The event must be led by a faculty member of any rank within a designated arts area, including those with tenured, tenure-track, lecturer, or hourly appointments in the School of Art and Design, the School of Music and Dance, or the School of Theatre, Television, and Film.
• The event must be based in the university curriculum and include enrolled students whose participation earns them credit in an academic program of study.
• The event must address a sociopolitical or cultural theme relevant to a critical dialogue taking place at regional, national, or global levels (e.g., racial and class conflict, gender identity, immigration and border politics, environmental issues, public health and wellness, etc.).
• The exhibit, performance, or screening must be open to the public and must be complemented by an interdisciplinary panel discussion or open forum that may take place either during the event or in a classroom, studio, or laboratory setting before or after the event.
• The faculty lead must collaborate with a colleague from a department in the humanities and/or sciences to situate the arts event into a broader spectrum of the curriculum and campus life.

Apply for the 2024-25 Season

Application - Deadline Extended - Apply by April 12, 2024

Applications, which are limited to one per faculty member, must include the following components:

• Name, School or Department, and contact information of faculty lead
• Course numbers, titles, and official catalog descriptions of all related curriculum
• Tentative date(s) and location of event, which must be confirmed upon selection
• Project overview (not to exceed 500 words):
  • Title and genre of event
  • Summary of event, including sociopolitical or cultural issues to be addressed
  • Potential themes and participants for interdisciplinary panel discussion, including colleagues or Departments in the Humanities and/or Sciences
  • Description of student activities and projected learning outcomes
  • Anticipated value and impact
• Name of possible guest artist
• Budget outline (maximum $2500)