2024 Facing Race: A National Conference

REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL

Indigenous History of St. Louis Art Installation Experience

Deadline for receipt of proposals is Wednesday, May 22nd, 2024 at 11:59PM EST

PURPOSE & SCOPE 

The Facing Race Conference, hosted by Race Forward, is extending an invitation to Indigenous artists to submit proposals for an upcoming art installation in the St. Louis, Missouri Region. The objective of this project is to celebrate Indigenous resilience, history, and excellence. We are in search of original and captivating proposals that will engage, enlighten, and motivate attendees of Facing Race. This is a unique opportunity to amplify Indigenous voices and narratives and uplift the original stewards of the St. Louis region.   

This installation will be featured at the 2024 Facing Race Conference on November 20 - 22, 2024

BACKGROUND

About Facing Race

At Race Forward, we believe a just, multiracial, democratic society is possible, yet it requires that racial justice be a fundamental principle of that society. We must join together in building collective power and strategy to root out systemic racism.

Facing Race merges our narrative, sectoral, and community work actively counteracting oppressive systems into a single space, to collectively strategize and build toward the racially just world that we all deserve. It is the largest intergenerational gathering for organizers, educators, creatives, and other leaders in the movement for racial justice. Over nearly two decades, this national conference has featured more than one hundred workshops, engaging presenters, and keynote speakers that highlight campaigns, projects, and research that promote systemic solutions to racial equity challenges. This year’s event will take place in St Louis, Missouri on November 20th - 22, 2024.

SCOPE OF WORK

Project Timeline

We anticipate for the artist(s) to be selected by mid-June and can begin working on the project in July. The installation is to be completed by the end of October and ready to install on November 19th, 2024. 

Pre-Planning

• Set up regularly scheduled monthly check-ins to go over onboarding, answer any questions and provide progress reports. 
• The artist(s) will report to Castro the Race Forward Conference & Convenings Coordinator and will work in collaboration with the Facing Race & Frizzy By Nature team who are leading the curation of the space where the installation will live. 

Installation Location/Specs

Selected artist(s) will produce an interactive/engaging educational art installation that will live in the Vendor/Exhibition Hall of the Facing Race Conference.   
 

• The Installation will be in Hall 5 of the Convention Center. You can find a floor map here for perspective. 
• The installation should be able to live free standing in a 40ft x 30ft area that will more than likely be against a wall or fill a corner area. 
• This installation can be a culmination of mediums like video, wheat paste, photography, mural work, music, fashion, lighting, the uplifting of already existing art works, cultural items, regalia and more. 

Installation Goal / Theme

• Our goal for this installation is to uplift the Indigenous experience and history of the St. Louis region. 
• We hope that this installation will educate our attendees who are a diverse group of people coming from all over the country, with some folks even traveling overseas to participate too.
• This is an opportunity to share what was erased from the history books; we want to be very intentional that Indigenous people are the ones sharing this history in the ways in which they want this story told. 

      Emphasize ongoing Indigenous presence and history highlighting: 

• The history of Western Expansion, Manifest Destiny and tribal relocation. 
• Celebrating pre-contact indigenous greatness including the Cahokia Mounds and cultural contributions.  
• Uplift solidarity efforts and voices from the region fighting to protect the land and culture. 
• We hope this installation encourages our attendees to bring new found knowledge back to their communities. 
• Our priority is to uplift Indigenous voices from this region and we are open to a variation of theme and goal, welcoming proposals for different narratives.
   

QUALIFICATIONS 

• Open to artists of Native American / People of Indigenous backgrounds/relations to the St. Louis Region. 
• This project can be completed as an individual artist and/or a collaborative effort. 
• Must have experience in previous art installation projects. 
• Must have their own vehicle, tools, and capabilities to transport, install, and uninstall the installation. 
• A deep understanding of racial justice issues and a commitment to representing diverse perspectives authentically and respectfully.
• Creativity and a unique artistic vision for capturing the intersection of race, culture, and identity in St. Louis.
• Ability to work sensitively and collaboratively with community members and organizations to tell their stories.\
   

PROPOSAL GUIDELINES 

• Artist Statement: briefly describe your artistic background, inspiration for the proposed installation, and how it relates to our theme/goals. 
• Proposal Concept: clearly outline your vision for the art installation, including materials, dimensions, and any interactive or participatory elements. Please be as detailed as possible. 
• Visual Documentation: Submit sketches, renderings, or other visual representations of your proposed installation. Please be as detailed as possible.
   

Budget: The selected artist(s) will receive a generous honorarium to cover artist labor and all costs associated with the creation and installation of the project.

Submission Deadline:

All proposals must be submitted by Wednesday, May 22nd, 2024 11:59 PM EST. Late submissions will not be considered.

Selection Process:

A jury of Race Forward and Facing Race representatives will review all submitted proposals. The top 3 applicants will be invited to interview for the opportunity the week of June 3rd, 2024. The final selected artist(s) will be notified by the week of June 10th, 2024. 

Thank you for your interest in participating in the 2024 Facing Race Art Gallery! 

Call for Art

Facing Race is curating an Art Gallery for the 2024 Facing Race Conference. We are looking to feature pieces of art that uplift local BIPOC artists that reflect the history and culture of the St Louis region in their artwork. 

About Facing Race

At Race Forward, we believe a just, multiracial, democratic society is possible, yet it requires that racial justice be a fundamental principle of that society. We must join together in building collective power and strategy to root out systemic racism.

Facing Race merges our narrative, sectoral, and community work actively counteracting oppressive systems into a single space, to collectively strategize and build toward the racially just world that we all deserve. It is the largest intergenerational gathering for organizers, educators, creatives, and other leaders in the movement for racial justice. Over nearly two decades, this national conference has featured more than one hundred workshops, engaging presenters, and keynote speakers that highlight campaigns, projects, and research that promote systemic solutions to racial equity challenges. This year’s event will take place in St Louis, Missouri on November 20th - 22, 2024.

Gallery Details 

• Art will be featured at the Facing Race Conference from November 20th - 22nd. 
• Art must be delivered and installed by the artist.           
  • We will direct you to your designated area. 
  • Art must be delivered on November 19th, 2024 between 9 am - 4 pm CST

    
   

• Art must be picked up by the artist           
  • No packaging materials will be provided or held by the Facing Race team. It is the artist's responsibility to bring whatever materials they need to transport and install their art. 
  • Art must be picked up by November 22nd, 2024 between 4:30 PM - 6:30 PM CST. 

    
   

• Artists will be provided with a basic easel and or stand to present their artwork. If your artwork is large scale and requires a special easel or stand for presentation please bring that with you or specify in the application.
• Artwork will live in the Vendor Exhibition Hall of our conference which will be in Hall 5 of the St Louis Convention Center. 
• Artwork may also live throughout our reserved areas throughout the St Louis Convention Center. 
• Art can be canvas, sculpture and other mediums as long as they are free standing and/or capable of living on an easel or stand. 

Qualifications

• Open to BIPOC artists of St. Louis and neighboring regions. 
• Art may be an already existing piece and/or a piece made for this event.           
  • If your piece will be created for this event please disclose as much information as possible in addition to a sketch/mockup of your idea in the application. 
  • Your piece must be completed by October 18th in order to be a part of the gallery and receive the honorarium. 
• Art needs to be ready to install on November 19th, 2024. 

Compensation

• Artists will be provided with a honorarium for sharing their artwork at the Facing Race Conference. 

Submission Deadline:

• All art submissions must be entered by Friday June 28th, 2024 5PM PST. Late submissions will not be considered.
• Selected artists will be notified the week of July 8th, 2024. 

Submission Guidelines

• Artist Bio
• Artist Statement: briefly describe your artistic process, influence and intention behind the piece of work you are submitting.
• Art  Concept:           
  • If you already have an existing piece you’d like to submit please upload photos. 
  • If you would like to create a piece for this event please submit sketches, renderings, or other visual representations of your proposed piece. Please be as detailed as possible. 

    
  
  
   

If you have any questions please contact Facingrace@raceforward.org and cc scastro@raceforward.org with the subject line "FR24 Art Gallery”. 

Facing Race is coming to St.Louis, Missouri, November 20-22, 2024! For over 15 years, Facing Race has brought incredible learning and cultural experiences to cities throughout the US. We are excited to bring Facing Race to St. Louis, Missouri, November 20-22, 2024!
 

Do you believe in the power of visual storytelling to spark meaningful conversations and drive social change? We are searching for a talented filmmaker passionate about using their craft to amplify voices and stories that promote racial justice and equality.

We are seeking a talented videographer to provide the following:

Deliverables:

• Produce 2-3 video shorts for promoting this year’s conference using a combination of existing video footage from previous conferences and scenes from St. Louis.
• Produce Welcome to St. Louis video (5 min to show at conference opening session). These items should include the rich history of St. Louis culture and how the city has been shaped by racial moments, shedding light on the lived experiences, challenges, and resilience of the communities of color in this area. Somewhat of a “love letter to St. Louis,” the content should celebrate and uplift diverse Black and brown communities, organizers (including immigrant activists) working on the ground, artists and creatives of color, BIPOC-owned businesses both thriving and struggling in this new economy, and more. It can also tell harrowing stories and focus on the issues and changes that need to happen.                              
  • Preview trailer (2-3 min)
  • Reel (:30 sec) 
• Capture all video footage during Facing Race of major plenaries and 5 breakout sessions (TBD).
• Conduct a minimum of 10 on-the-spot interviews with attendees and produce as testimonials to use in promoting the next conference.
• Sit-down interview with keynote speaker (TBD)
• Produce and upload recap reel at end of each day for promotion during the conference.
• Produce a video of Local Host Committee (focus TBD)

Do you want to know more about Facing Race? View this video!

Requirements:

• Proficiency in videography techniques, including shooting, editing, and post-production, ensuring all final production pieces meet accessibility standards
• A deep understanding of racial justice issues and a commitment to representing diverse perspectives authentically and respectfully.
• Creativity and a unique artistic vision for capturing the intersection of race, culture, and identity in St. Louis.
• Ability to work sensitively and collaboratively with community members and organizations to tell their stories.
• Experience with documentary-style filmmaking and storytelling.
   

The excellent candidate should be able to: 

• Collaborate with community leaders, activists, and organizations to identify key stories and themes related to racial justice in St. Louis.
• Capture authentic and compelling footage that reflects the experiences and perspectives of communities of color.
• Edit and produce high-quality videos that engage, educate, and inspire viewers to take action for racial justice.
• Ensure that the voices and stories of marginalized communities are center stage throughout the filmmaking process.

2024 Guidelines 

• Create a proposal that serves as a visual treatment for this project. Include your approach to producing this project, your objective(s), the proposed timeline for each project, and other necessary details. We would love to hear how you might incorporate interviews, voiceover, etcetera, and/or intend to follow specific people or groups from the city. What kind of sounds are you going to incorporate? Will you use poetry? Will you create a piece that is entirely about the music or some other key factor of the city?
• Complete your proposal and submit it in .PDF, .DOCX or .PNG format by the deadline.
• If you are selected, we will talk through what the contract and scope of work will look like in the weeks that follow.
• The 'Welcome to St.Louis' film will be screened during the opening ceremony at Facing Race 2024 and shared widely on all our social media platforms along with all promotional videos.
• This is a compensated project. 💰

If you're passionate about using your videography skills to contribute to the fight for racial justice and equality, we want to hear from you!

Interested in a Scholarship to Attend The Facing Race Conference?!
Here’s How It Works
 

• Scholarships are awarded based on need and individual and/or organizational commitment to racial justice.
• There is no fee to apply for a scholarship. However, if your application is accepted, there is a $50 processing fee that must be paid at the time of your acceptance of an awarded scholarship. This nominal processing fee helps Race Forward to provide meals and conference materials to scholarship recipients.
• Please note: if a scholarship is awarded, confirmation to attend and application processing fee must be made within two weeks of being awarded the scholarship. If we do not receive these within 2 weeks, we will offer the scholarship to applicants on the waiting list. Failure to adhere to the guidelines will impact your eligibility to qualify for future Facing Race National Conference scholarships.
• Resources are limited, so we recommend applying as soon as possible. You will receive a confirmation once your request is received and scholarship decisions will be made on a rolling basis. Because we have limited funding, we cannot guarantee that all requests can be granted.
• If you are part of a nonprofit organization, we encourage you to contact one of your funders to see if they provide support for grantees to attend conferences like this one. For some grassroots fundraising tips, visit Grassroots Fundraising Journal
• Scholarship recipients are required to do the following upon acceptance of a full or partial conference registration scholarship:
• Write a brief thank you note at the Conference to the donor(s). Sharing a reflection on how attending the conference with impact your work in your community, organization or school.
• Assist Race Forward with promoting the conference through social media and other outlets.
• Facing Race will take place November 20th-22nd 2024.

What’s Covered?
  We offer partial and full registration scholarships. Due to limited resources and in the interest of providing financial assistance to as many people as possible, we cannot cover any travel or lodging costs at this time.
 

Eligibility:
 

• Demonstrated commitment to Racial Justice and Equity.
• Low-income people, people of color, immigrants, limited mobilities (physical or otherwise), trans-identified and people with diverse gender identities, and young adults are encouraged to apply.

Application and Confirmation
  The Facing Race Team will confirm your participation as a scholar via email. Once you receive confirmation from the Facing Race Team, scholars must register on Cvent and pay the $50 processing fee to formally accept the offer.

  If paying by check, it must be received within 15 days of submitting this form. Scholarships are limited. We encourage applicants to submit their application as soon as possible.
 

Applications are open on a rolling basis until funds are no longer available. 

For any questions, please reach out to facingrace@raceforward.org

We are excited to invite vendors to submit their applications to participate in the Facing Race conference, taking place in St. Louis, MO, from November 20th to 22nd, 2024.

As always, our commitment remains centered on businesses and organizations led by people of color. This year, we are reaffirming our dedication by partnering specifically with vendors whose entities are owned, operated, or serve Black, Indigenous, people of color, and individuals who are trans-identified and/or non-binary.

This year the Facing Race Vendor/Exhibition Hall will be curated in partnership with St. Louis nonprofit Frizzy By Nature. This local business hosts Frizz Fest, a natural beauty festival aimed to encourage self-love and inspire confidence among women. 

Join us in fostering an inclusive and empowering space at Facing Race. We look forward to receiving your applications!  

Offerings: 

Booths: $1550 

• Three (3) tables - 30x30 area

Single Table: $550 

• One (1) table - 10 x10 area

Half Table: $250 (Limited availability. First come, first served.)

• Half (½) of a table, is to be shared with another vendor. 

Bag Insert: $300 - Share your work with all Conference attendees! 

• Grassroot/Artist Rate: $200

Includes:

• Two (2) Conference registrations for the three-day event                    
  • Grants the vendor and one (1) additional support person access to the Facing Race Vendor/Exhibition Hall.   
• Two (2) chairs per table 
• Technical support for setup and troubleshooting support throughout the Conference
• Additional conference registration at a 15% discount (optional)

Timeline:

• Set-up Day: Tuesday, November 19th from 9am to 12pm
• Optional Vendor Day: Wednesday, November 20th from 12pm to 4pm
• Vendor Day: Thursday, November 21st from 8am to 6pm
• Vendor Day: Friday, November 22nd from 8am to 4pm (with option to vend until 6pm)

Requirements:

• Bring additional helpers for assistance
• Supply a substantial amount of products/material 
• One business per Vendor Booth (unless purchasing a half table)
• Product pricing must be on display at vendor booth
• Credit/Debit Card payment must be accepted
   

Please Note:

• Vendor Fee will not be refunded for any cancellations or no shows.
• Facing Race will take place rain or shine, no refunds will be issued due to weather.
• Facing Race, Frizzy By Nature, LLC and/or any member of the organizations staff are not responsible for any lost, stolen, or damaged items.

RESERVATION DEADLINE:

The reservation deadline is August 1, 2024. 

A Facing Race team member will contact you in August with confirmation on participation and full details for payment and additional event details.

CONTACT:

exhibitions@raceforward.org

Use Subject: Facing Race 2024 VENDORS

Vendors who are selected will be contacted directly by the Exhibits Team. 

If you are interested in conference bag inserts, please email the Facing Race team at Facingrace@raceforward.org with the subject line: “FR24 Bag Insert”. 

Thank you for your interest in volunteering with us!
Race Forward is currently seeking volunteers for Facing Race, the largest multiracial, intergenerational gathering for organizers, educators, creatives, and other leaders.
 

The Facing Race Conference 2024 will be hosted IN PERSON in St. Louis, Missouri, November 20-22, 2024.
 

Volunteers are needed for the following:

• Pre-conference preparation: Bag stuffing, assisting with transporting materials and equipment at the convention center, phone calls, registration outreach – especially at universities and community organizations.
• Registration/Information: Event greeters, assisting with general registration and materials distribution to participants and sponsors/exhibitors, staffing information desk, assisting with press registration table.
• Special events support: Assisting with talent and audience control, greeters, ushers, stage handlers.
• Workshop support: Workshop monitors (help set up, attend sessions, explain and collect evaluations, assist presenters as needed), interpreting for conference participants or presenters.
• Multi-media support: Assisting with video-taping/tape recording of sessions and interviews as assigned, stage assistance (please note:  individuals for multi-media volunteer positions must have prior experience).
• Overall conference support: Supporting staff show office, runners between various areas (including the exhibit hall, registration area and workshop rooms), tracking equipment, copying, PPE Distribution, Mask Checkers, Contact Tracing, etc.
• Fundraising support: Assisting with setup for fundraising asks (envelope distribution, table tents, etc.) and collecting donation envelopes as assigned.

Volunteers Benefits:

• Participate in one of the largest conferences dedicated to racial justice in the world
• Form networks with individuals from across the U.S. interested in racial justice
• Meet and work with the Race Forward staff and Board
• Receive a letter of confirmation for your participation

Volunteer Requirements and Commitment:

1. Must be 18 or over and can provide Race Forward with volunteer services from November 20th, 2024, to Saturday, November 22nd, 2024, in exchange for admission to the Conference and special events. You must be on time and have worked the agreed-upon hours to receive your discount.
2. Once accepted, volunteers must register on Cvent and pay a $50.00 processing fee. A Facing Race registration is valued at over $650 per person. While this registration fee is waived for volunteers, volunteers are asked to pay a $50.00 processing fee. This nominal processing fee helps Race Forward provide meals and conference materials to volunteers.
3. Volunteers must complete at least one full conference day of service (12 hours, which can be divided throughout the preparation days and conference days) to avail of the free conference registration (valued at $650), not including the $50.00 processing fee.

Volunteers are required to attend an orientation session prior to the event. Date and time are to be determined. An orientation is also required prior to the start of the conference.
 

Applications are now open, and we're selecting volunteers on a rolling basis.