Cal Poly Humboldt Department of Art + Film

Reese Bullen Gallery Submissions

The Reese Bullen Gallery at Cal Poly Humboldt is currently accepting exhibition proposals for the 2026-27 and 2027-28 academic years. The Reese Bullen Gallery seeks proposals from both nationally-recognized and emerging artists and curators. Proposals will be considered for solo, two-person, and small group exhibitions. In addition to the open call for proposals, the committee is also looking for visual artists whose studio practice aligns with the interdisciplinary and/or community-based aspects of the university’s purpose and vision.

The Exhibition Committee will evaluate exhibition proposals from artists, groups of artists, and curators based on the following criteria:

• The proposal makes innovative use of concepts, materials, themes, and space.
• The artist(s) CV/resume reflects exhibitions and other art activities on a regional, national, or international level.
• Special consideration will be given to proposals that promote community engagement through interactive or educational activities associated with the exhibition. Examples include: a public lecture, studio visits, demonstrations, workshops, exploratory walks, or other forms of interaction tailored to the artist’s medium, interest, or experience.
• Humboldt serves students from a broad range of cultural heritages, socioeconomic backgrounds, genders, ability, and orientations. Therefore, we prioritize artists who demonstrate they understand the benefits diverse perspectives bring to a professional educational community. 

Reese Bullen Gallery Provides:

1. Gallery: A 1200 sq ft gallery space and staffing during installation and the exhibition.

2. Shipping: Financial assistance for shipping to/from the gallery

3. Honorarium: A stipend is provided to support travel and campus engagement (dependent on budget)

4. Installation and Promotion: The exhibition space is a learning lab for students in the museum and gallery practices program and will be installed and promoted by students overseen by gallery staff.

5. An opening reception: Usually held on a Wednesday or Thursday evening

6. Insurance: Wall-to-wall fine arts insurance for all art in the exhibition.

7. Sales: The gallery does not take a commission on work, but will help to connect the  artist & buyer.

Gallery Floor Plan and Virtual Tour of Space
 

Your exhibition proposal should include:

• 10 images or 10 minutes of time-based media representing the nature of the work intended for exhibition.
• Artist statement
• A written one-page narrative describing the proposed exhibition and suggested community engagement activities. Please include any specific installation or equipment requirements.
• CV or resume
• Links to personal/professional websites
   

Please direct any questions to:

Brittany Britton, Gallery Director

rbg@humboldt.edu

707-826-3629
 

About the Residency 

The John S. and Lona B. Edwards Artists-in-Residence Program (AiR) program is a collaboration between the Cal Poly Humboldt College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Science and the Department of Art + Film. Visual artists whose studio practice aligns with the interdisciplinary and/or community-based aspects of the university’s purpose and vision are invited to apply for the Edwards AiR program. The four-week residency occurs during the spring semester and provides an opportunity for an emerging or mid-career artist to develop new work while engaging with the campus and local community. Residencies may be offered to well-established artists by invitation as well.
 

During the four-week residency, artists are provided:
 

●  A comfortable, furnished apartment within walking distance of the campus, the Arcata Community Forest, and downtown Arcata 

●  A private studio space or work area with 24-hour access 

●  An honorarium of $2500. 

The residency program is open to artists working in a variety of media areas including, but not limited to: ceramics, small metals/jewelry, photography (darkroom + digital), digital media, experimental filmmaking, printmaking, painting, drawing, illustration, and sculpture. Artists are responsible for their own transportation, art supplies, and meals during the residency. Residents will automatically be considered for a funded exhibition within 2 years of the completion of their residency (shipping/travel included) at one of the two on-campus galleries (Reese Bullen and the Goudi’ni Native American Arts Gallery) or at the Morris Graves Museum of Art in Eureka, CA. 

Expectations

 
Artists will be required to give a public lecture (45 minutes plus Q&A) at the beginning of their residency. Additionally, artists are required to engage with students 2-3 hours per week through studio visits, demonstrations, workshops, exploratory walks, or other forms of interaction tailored to the artist’s medium, interest, or experience. Cal Poly Humboldt requests permission to publish images of artwork created while in residence in news and promotional materials related to the arts program at the university.
 

How to Apply

Applications for the Spring 2026 residency are due by April 13, 2025. Required submission materials include:
 

●  20 images of work completed in the last five years
 

●  One-page summary of the proposed project during the residency (including
   studio requirements) 

●  2-page resume
 

●  Names/contacts of 3 professional references
 

●  Brief outline of ideas for weekly student engagement activities
 

●  Applicants should indicate in their proposal the four-week period they wish to perform their residency between February - April. 

 About Cal Poly Humboldt

 
Founded in 1913, Cal Poly Humboldt is one of the premier public institutions in the Western United States; it is a rural and residential campus of approximately 6,000 students. The main campus is located in Arcata, California, in the northwestern part of the state along the coast, and is situated among redwood trees in an area that offers unmatched scenic beauty, moderate climate, and opportunities for outdoor activities.

To learn more about the Cal Poly Humboldt Department of Art + Film, please see: https://artfilm.humboldt.edu/

 
 Program Eligibility 

Successful candidates are professionals whose CV/resume reflects exhibitions and other professional activities on a regional, national, or international level. 

Successful applicants will also display a readiness to engage with the public and work in an open studio environment. 

At the time of application, all artist-in-residence applicants:
 

●  Must be at least twenty-one years old
 

●  Must be a US citizen or legal resident of the US with a valid SSN or EIN
 

●  Cannot be enrolled in a full-time degree-granting program or its equivalent