Season 2: City Making Series // Call for Proposals Q&A

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Photo by Matthew Millman
We've had a few questions regarding our Season 2 Call for Proposals. Here they are along with our responses.

Q: I missed the open houses. Is there another opportunity to see the StoreFrontLab space?

 A: Yes. Stop by on Wednesday, March 12, between 4:00PM to 6:30PM, to see the space and ask questions.  
Q: What exactly do you mean by "city making"? Are you focusing on architecture and urban design or are you thinking more broadly?

 A: We are open to a broad range of ideas that explore the physical, social and experiential dimensions of cities. Our plan is to take a look at all of the proposals and work with our advisory committee to make selections. If it makes sense, we may organize the season around one or more topics or themes.
Q: Who is the advisory committee?

 A: We'll announce this very soon. Stay tuned!
Q: When will Season 2 start and how long will it run?

 A: Our plan is to kick-off Season 2 this summer and run programs for a year.
Q: Can we request specific dates for our proposal?

 A: Yes. We'll make every effort to accommodate schedule requests.
Q: Should proposals attempt to program the entire storefront or will two or more proposals run concurrently?

 A: Our focus on storefronts as community activators favors proposals that take full advantage of the space. That said, we wouldn't rule out the possibility of running complementary proposals concurrently.
Q: How many $888 Micro Mission 888 Grant do you plan to award?

 A: We've revised the call for proposals section covering these grants as follows: "We will award up to eight $888 Micro Mission 888 Grants to support the development and implementation of selected proposals." 


 Q: Does StoreFrontLab have regular open hours?

 A: No, StoreFrontLab's hours vary depending on the program. While we will provide support during events, proposers are responsible for staffing general open hours.
We welcome more questions; just send them to:
hello@storefrontlab.org





[Revised] SEASON 2 // CALL FOR PROPOSALS!

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Field of Dreams: Rising Tides City Making Salon at StoreFrontLab



[We revised the section on the Micro Mission 888 Grants on March 9, 2014. See our FAQ post for additional information.]

 We are pleased to announce our call for proposals for Season 2 at StoreFrontLab, continuing our exploration of storefronts as places of community, creativity and local industry. With Season 2 we are investigating city making and seeking to broaden our collective thinking about San Francisco’s future.

True to our tradition here at StoreFrontLab, we’ll take a very broad view of city making. Cities are made of many parts — from individual acts to major reconstructions — and are shaped by a wide range of social, cultural and political influences. We’re interested in it all.

Salons, installations, workshops, pop-ups, poetry, music and other experiments lasting one day to one month are all up for consideration. (We’ll announce our selection panel soon.)

More Micro Mission 888 Grants!
We will award up to eight $888 Micro Mission 888 Grants to support the development and implementation of selected proposals.
Selected proposers will receive Micro Mission 888 Grant of up to $888 to support the development and implementation of their experiments. 

Other Details
We’ll provide the space (view plan and elevation here), promotions, some logistical support, and an opening celebration.

Proposers are responsible for the development, production and installation of their proposals, along with leaving the space ready for the next project.

We are open to commercial ventures provided they are clever, provocative or otherwise enlightening. We won’t tax any proceeds, but it’s up to you to settle up with the state.

We welcome proposals from far flung places as long as the proposers demonstrate the wherewithal to make it happen here on Shotwell Street.

Pre-proposal Open Houses
We’ve scheduled two open houses for those who would like to see the space and ask questions. We’ll have the Field of Dreams: Rising Tides exhibit on view and some special treats honoring some of our Season 1 hits.

// Friday, February 7, 5PM-8PM
   A Not a Bar/Not Your House night inspired by Torreya
   Cummings and Heather Smith’s Obsolete Californias.

// Saturday, February 15, 1:00PM-5:00PM
   We’ll serve up St. Frank coffee and listen to some 
   ragtime from Brandon Loper's Unwieldy Beast.

Open houses are free, but please register as space is limited.


How to Apply
Proposals including the following information and materials are due by April 1, 2014:

// Contact Information (one page)
   . Name
   . Organization, if applicable
   . Address
   . Phone
   . Email
   . Names and roles of collaborators, if any
   . A brief, one-paragraph summary of your proposal 
     describing the format (e.g. exhibit, salon, performance) 
     and intent
   . Duration of proposed project (in days, from 1 to 31)

// Project Proposal (one page)
   . Description of project intent and approach
   . Any unusual requirements or considerations

// Brief Portfolio (up to 10 pages)
   . Related work
   . Other experience that illustrates your ability 
     to successfully realize your proposal
   . You may include links to online archives

// Bio and Resume Highlights (one page per person)

Please submit proposals as a PDF (one file, 10MB maximum file size) via Hightail, Dropbox or other file-sharing service to hello@storefrontlab.org. 

Schedule
February 3: Call for proposals issued
February 7: Open house, 5:00PM to 8:00PM
February 15: Open house, 1:00PM to 5:00PM
April 1: Proposals due! Extended to April 12!
May 1: Participants notified

Questions?
Just ask! We’ll respond as soon as we can.
hello@storefrontlab.org





FIELD OF DREAMS: RISING TIDES // City Making Salon

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We're happy to kick-off the new year at StoreFrontLab with a City Making Salon on Thursday, January 20, from 6:00pm to 8:00pm. Here's the scoop:

With waterfront height limits back in the local headlines, Field of Dreams: Rising Tides offers a timely springboard for discussion about bay front development strategies in San Francisco. 

A fall 2013 U.C. Berkeley College of Environmental Design graduate studio led by Roddy Creedon of Allied Architecture + Design and David Baker of David Baker Architects (DBA), Field of Dreams: Rising Tides tackled Mission Rock, a 27-acre site along the San Francisco waterfront and one of the largest development parcels available in the city.

The significant site provided students with a platform for unhindered speculation about the future of coastal cities. At the same time, the design proposals were informed by the Mission Rock master plan, currently in environmental review, which served as case study illustrating real-world constraints, ecological challenges and design strategies.

We're moving the academic investigation out of the classroom and into StorefrontLab — a Mission District cultural space supporting experiments of community interest — and adding food, drinks and conviviality. Our moderator, DBA's Amit Price Patel, promises to keep us on our toes.

We hope you will stop by and join in the conversation!

FIELD OF DREAMS: RISING TIDES
City Making Salon

Thursday, January 30, 2014
6:00pm - 8:00pm

 StorefrontLab
337 Shotwell Street
San Francisco

City Making Salons are free, but please register at https://field-of-dreams.eventbrite.com

For more information on the Field of Dreams: Rising Tides studio visit www.dbarchitect.com/FieldofDreams

StoreFrontLab welcomes Curiosity Atlas!

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After a quiet summer we are pleased to reopen StoreFrontLab with an intriguing series of workshops curated by Curiosity Atlas. The "How to Survive" collection brings together an eclectic series of survival-themed workshops covering a range of essential skills, from disaster preparedness to making a utility belt. 

 The fall series takes place at venues throughout the city. Workshops at StoreFrontLab begin this Thursday and run through November 14. 

 Curiosity Atlas is dedicated to sparking curiosity through unique, hands-on experiences. They curate and produce a diverse range of hands-on workshops and events in partnership with local experts, artists and artisans. To learn more or sign up for a workshop check out the links below or visit curiosityatlas.com. You also can download the complete fall schedule to post and share.

Curiosity Atlas @ StoreFrontLab

Thursday, October 24, 2013
6:30pm – 8:30pm

Unlock the mystery of locks with Michael Fitzhugh. In a hands-on session Michael will teach the importance of locks in everyday use, the fundamentals of how locks work, and why (and how) many locks can be picked. You'll get your own lockpicking toolkit and a chance to test your skills. $50

Saturday, November 2, 2013
3:00pm – 5:00pm

Get ready for the annual Dia de los Muertos procession with Samantha Joslyn. Samantha will teach you how to paint your face in the iconic “elegant skull” style as depicted in Posada’s 1913 zinc etching. $50

Thursday, November 7, 2013
6:30pm – 8:30pm

Jennifer Laursen will share the basic techniques of leather craft including leather preparation, stamping, dyeing, and assembly. You will learn the tools of the trade and leave with your perfect belt. $100

Monday, November 11, 2013
6:30pm – 8:30pm

Produce your own handmade herbal apothecary with Riyana Rebecca Sang. This workshop will cover the core types of herbal medicines (tinctures, teas, decoctions, infusions, syrups), their benefits and applications, and how to use them. With this new knowledge you will prepare a tincture, a syrup, and a hand-blended tea to take home. $65

Thursday, November 14, 2013
6:30pm – 8:30pm

Get the basics of becoming self-sufficient during a major disaster from the woman who knows best: SFFD's Neighborhood Emergency Response Team (NERT) Project coordinator, Lt. Erica Arteseros. You will draft a personal disaster plan as well as put together a kit of supplies you’ll need to survive several days on your own. $20

February 7-23 // Homing: An Art Installation

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"Migrating Houses" by Todd Laby
In February, we will welcome visual artists Todd Laby, Audrey Heller and Pamela Merory Dernham, whose provocative installation and exhibit will conclude our inaugural season at StoreFrontLab.

Homing, which opens on February 7, comprises three works in dialogue exploring our unsettled notions of origin, memory, and finding one’s bearings. 

Laby’s “Migrating Houses,” sculpted wooden houses teetering on tall spindly legs, roam the storefront. Merory Dernham’s sculptural works in wire delve into complex questions surrounding human connectedness and the varied reality of where home is. Finally, Laby and Heller’s collaboration “Moving Boxes” invites viewers to peer into an array of miniature worlds of domestic emotions and memories.

You can learn more by reading their artists' statement, but as with Laby's wandering herd of houses, we think there is something to be said for embracing the mysteriousness.

Exhibit Hours
// February 7–February 23, 2013
// Wednesdays, 11:30AM-1:30PM
// Thurdays-Saturdays, 3PM-7PM

Opening Reception
// Thursday, February 7, 7PM-9PM  RSVP

Closing Reception
// Saturday, February 23, 7PM-9PM  RSVP