Call for Asian and Pacific Islander Writers and Artists!

Families, Reimagined
Deadline: Monday, February 25, 2019, 12:00pm | Apply here

Who do you care for, and who cares for you?

We are looking for Asian and Pacific Islander writers and visual artists to create original artwork responding to changing definitions of home, family, and community. This theme elevates one of APANO's top priorities this legislative session, Paid Family and Medical Leave, a bill that aims to put into policy an inclusive definition of family. We seek to commission five (5) artists to write pieces between approximately 250 and 500 words each and one (1) visual artist to create one original visual artwork in response to this theme and five smaller sketches to accompany each of the written pieces. These works will be publicly unveiled in celebration of Asian Pacific American Heritage Month in May 2019 and address the following prompt:

Chosen, multigenerational, multinational, biological, and more: our families and communities of care take on a vast spectrum of forms. Who do you care for, and who cares for you? How is your family visible and invisible? How is your family supported and unsupported?

We welcome literary and visual artists who work in multiple formats and styles. Written pieces may include fiction and non-fiction essays, stories, poetry, reflective pieces, and more. Visual pieces may include any form of 2D dry media, wet media, digital design, and collage that may be captured and shared digitally. The works will be shared on APANO’s social media and web platforms, with potential to be distributed in a printed zine or chapbook.

Participating artists will:

• Receive $200 for each written piece and $300 for visual artwork
• Co-own the pieces with APANO and receive recognition in all instances of their appearance
• Have the opportunity to share their literary and visual artwork at APANO’s Day of Action on April 8th, 2019 at the Oregon State Capitol

APANO will:

• Use the pieces in printed and digital communications, publications, and promotion leading up to and during Asian Pacific American Heritage Month, and beyond
• Provide consultation and feedback throughout the creative process

Project Timeline

Monday, February 25, 2019 -- Applications due by 12:00pm
Friday, March 1, 2019 -- Applicants notified of selection decisions
March 1-31, 2019 -- Content creation and revisions
Monday, April 1, 2019 -- Artwork completed
Monday, April 8, 2019 -- Opportunity to present work at APANO Day of Action
Friday, April 19, 2019 -- Sketches to accompany the five written pieces completed (visual artist only)

Who should apply?

This project is seeking applications from writers and artists who identify as Asian and Pacific Islander and who reside in Oregon (including the greater Portland metro area and Vancouver, WA). We welcome submissions from emerging artists, as well as those with more experience. Feel free to email candace@apano.org with questions.

How do I apply?

Please apply by filling out this Google Form by Monday, February 25, 2019 at 12:00pm. The form will ask you to share your connection to the Asian Pacific Islander and/or APANO community, your initial ideas in response to the prompt, and examples of your previous work. Artists will be selected by staff from APANO’s Cultural Work and Policy Advocacy teams.

If you would like to prepare your responses in advance of filling out the Google Form, questions from the application are as follows:

• For all applicants: Why would you like to participate in this project, and what is your connection to the Asian Pacific Islander and/or APANO community?
• For writers: What do you want to write about? Please write 2-3 sentences about how you plan to address the prompt and what kind of storie(s) you'd like to tell. We know that your ideas may evolve over time, and we welcome that! This simply allows us to get a sense of ideas you have in mind for your piece and what form they may take.
• For visual artists: What kind of artwork do you want to make? Please write 2-3 sentences on your concept for your original art piece in response to the prompt and how you might approach your sketches for the five written pieces. For your original art piece in response to the prompt, what stories do you want to tell, and what medium(s) might you use? For the five smaller sketches to accompany the written pieces, what medium(s) might you use? We know that your ideas may evolve over time, and we welcome that! This simply allows us to get a sense of some ideas you have in mind, your strengths as a visual artist, and what form(s) your artwork may take.
• For all applicants: Please submit between 3 to 6 examples of your previous work. Examples may be submitted in any written or visual form. Please submit them as Word or PDF documents (for written work) or JPEGS (for visual artwork).

Why should I apply?

Each year, Asian Pacific American Heritage Month provides a special focus on the challenges, accomplishments, and dreams of Asians and Pacific Islanders. Your artwork will reflect the depth of our experiences, tell stories that may not be seen within mainstream media, and inspire others to share their stories. By illustrating these stories through a shared language of artwork, we inspire each other, powerfully articulate our visions for the future, and bring ourselves closer to achieving them.

From the justice movements of the 1960s to Black Lives Matter, creativity has been the right hand of movement-building and has helped shift tides that appeared insurmountable. This project is part of APANO’s cultural work strategy, which seeks to center the voices and experiences of Asian and Pacific Islanders, shift harmful narratives, and envision alternatives. It was strongly inspired by Strong Families’ Mama’s Day and Trans Day of Resilience projects, which we encourage you to explore. Learn more about our cultural work here and read about Asian Pacific American Heritage Month here.

Featured image above is from our "Voices of Change" portrait series by Alex Chiu (2018).

Looking for other ways to support APANO? Donate to support our work in 2019 and beyond.