exhibits

Propose an Exhibition

Are you an artist or curator interested in sharing your idea? On this page, you’ll find information about submitting an exhibition proposal to our team.

You can learn more about the Jewish Museum of Maryland, including our history, mission, vision, and values by clicking below.

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curators

Curatorial Proposal Considerations

 

Content
      • How does this project align with JMM’s mission, vision, and values?
      • How is it Jewish? How is it Maryland-ish? These are two questions we always consider when considering an exhibition topic. It’s not absolutely mandatory that an exhibit have ironclad answers for both, but we particularly appreciate a proposal that can speak to both. Some of our exhibits will skew towards one or the other, and we have presented exhibits before that fulfilled only one (eg. Jewish but not really “Maryland-ish”) because we still felt they would resonate with our local audience, so if you feel your proposal could fit that bill, feel free to submit.
      • Who is the intended audience?

 

Logistics
      • Which space do you propose using?
      • What particular resources, relationships, assistance, etc., will be important for you to carry out this project?

 

Submission

All submissions should be emailed to Exhibits Manager Katie Andril, kandril@jewishmuseummd.org, and should include the following:

      • Letter of Intent addressing the following:
        • An overview of the proposed exhibition
        • Your interest in working with the JMM – why is this the right location for your exhibit?
        • Your intended approach to developing the exhibit
        • What support would you need
      • Resume/CV
      • Your website/portfolio with examples of past work
      • Optional: 1-2 professional references who can speak to your work and qualifications

 

 

artists

Artist Proposal Considerations

 

Content
      • How does this project align with JMM’s mission, vision, and values?
      • How is it Jewish? How is it Maryland-ish? These are two questions we always consider when considering an exhibition topic. It’s not absolutely mandatory that an exhibit have ironclad answers for both, but we particularly appreciate a proposal that can speak to both. Some of our exhibits will skew towards one or the other, and we have presented exhibits before that fulfilled only one (eg. Jewish but not really “Maryland-ish”) because we still felt they would resonate with our local audience, so if you feel your proposal could fit that bill, feel free to submit.
      • Who is the intended audience?

 

Logistics
      • Does the body of work/installation already exist?
        • If no:
          • How long would it take to prepare?
          • What assistance would you need from the Museum to carry out the project?
        • If yes:
          • Does it need to be adapted for our space in any way?
          • If the same work has previously been exhibited, where and when was it shown? (Not applicable if just a small subset have been shown as part of a group show or as part of a different grouping of your work)
      • Approximately how much will it cost? We can account for some standard costs (painting, lighting)— this estimate should include costs specific to this exhibit such as presentation materials (framing, mounts), any special tech needed, artist(s) travel for installation (if needed; artists are not required to be present for installation, depending on the type of work) and opening, and other variable/add-on elements.
      • Are you proposing this for a particular gallery or space in the museum?

 

Submission

All submissions should be emailed to Exhibits Manager Katie Andril, kandril@jewishmuseummd.org, and should include the following:

      • Letter of Intent addressing the following:
        • An overview of the proposed exhibition
        • Your interest in working with the JMM – why is this the right location for your work?
        • Your intended approach to developing the exhibit
        • What support would you need (monetary, logistical, etc.)
      • Resume/CV
      • Images of the work proposed for exhibit, or your website/portfolio with examples of past work (if the proposed work is yet to be created)
      • Optional: 1-2 professional references who can speak to your work and qualifications

 

what's next

Proposal Review

Proposals will be reviewed with the questions below in mind. Some of these will dig into the merits of the proposal itself, while others consider how the proposed exhibit fits in with our existing, planned, and past offerings. It’s possible that we will have to pass on a strong proposal simply because we’ve recently covered (or plan to cover) the topic in question, or because some other logistical element (time, space, budget, etc.) would not allow us to do justice to the proposed exhibit.

      • Does this align with the Museum’s vision and values?
      • How is it Jewish? How is it Maryland-ish?
      • Who is the target audience for this exhibit, and how will it engage our constituents?
      • Does this fill a gap in our programming? Does it cover a new topic or raise up an under-represented segment of our constituents?
      • Have we had a similar exhibit in recent history, or do we already have one planned?
      • Do we have the capacity to present this well?
      • How does this fit into our schedule of exhibits?
      • What is the likelihood of success / interest to our constituents?

 

Communication + Responses

Our exhibits department is small, and the selection of exhibits is made by select members of the Museum’s management team. Submissions via email are strongly preferred. We do our best to respond to each proposal, but at times, the volume of submissions may make it impossible to do so. We are working to streamline our proposal process. Any questions or suggestions about the process are welcome.

All turned down exhibit proposals are saved in case they become a better fit due to changes in schedules or genre/topic prioritization. In the event that your proposal is not a strong fit now, we will keep it on hand and will be in touch if something changes in the future.

Still have questions? Reach out to Exhibits Manager Katie Andril at kandril@jewishmuseummd.org.

 

Note on qualifications: No one person or proposal will be perfect. The skills and experience needed to be successful in this opportunity exist on a spectrum. Frequently cited statistics show that candidates with disabilities, BIPOC candidates, women, and members of marginalized and/or systematically excluded groups apply to opportunities only if they meet 100% of the qualifications. The Jewish Museum of Maryland is eager to leave that statistic in the past. If you are interested in participating, please apply.

 

Learn more

What you need to know

JMM wants to create a polyvocal museum experience by inviting guest curators with a range of backgrounds, viewpoints, and expertise. Bringing in external curators allows us to present topics far outside the usual scope of our relatively small staff. It also allows for a range of experience: in addition to allowing us to work with a variety of seasoned curators, the guest curator model allows us to also form relationships with emerging curators and with experts who aren’t curators at all, but who can offer a fascinating window into their particular field.

Our constituents range from observant Jews and long-time members to new visitors who may have never seen a synagogue before, so we aim to create content that has something for all knowledge levels. You are certainly not limited to vocabulary that is universally familiar, but we recommend factoring in a brief explanation when bringing up more specialized words and ideas— do not assume all visitors will understand.

 

Two spaces are reserved for guest curation:

Cohen-Weinberg Gallery: 1710 square feet, track lighting, height: 16’ 11” 

Multimedia Gallery: 460 square feet, lighting grid, height: 9’7” to lighting grid (8’10” to ventilation along entry wall); Tech specs: Epson L250W projector, 8 overhead speakers, access to AV control room

 

JMM has an existing collection of cases, pedestals, vitrines, archival mounts, speakers, media players, audio outputs (speakers, headphones, sound sticks, sound tubes), and monitors in a variety of sizes (including some touchscreens and a few with webcams). If the availability of this equipment factors into your proposal, please feel free to reach out to the Exhibits Manager for more information.

Logistically, guest curators are primarily assisted by the Exhibits Manager, who manages exhibit budgets, scheduling, procurement, etc. Other in-house support comes from the Collections, Marketing, and Public Programs Departments as needed. Exhibit design is contracted externally, and we have a preferred fabrication/installation contractor.