Open Call: Perform for Portland in 2019!

Update: Open Call for 2019 Season Closed January 31, 2019!

Great thanks to everyone who submitted an event idea for the 2019 In the Square season! The Open Call submission period ended January 31, 2019. Our team will review the entries and be in touch with folks who expressed interest in February 2019.

We’ll share details about the coming season by April 2019. To be the first to know, sign up for our mailing list!

If you have questions or would like to host an event of your own in Congress Square Park, please get in touch with our Executive Director, Dela Murphy, at dela (at) congresssquarepark.org.

For details on how the 2019 Open Call process worked, see our post below.

Bring your idea to life in Congress Square Park in 2019!

You’ve got passion and skill. We’ve got the perfect venue.

Each year, Friends of Congress Square Park hosts around two hundred events that highlight our very creative neighbors- folks just like you! To program these events, we host an Open Call every January. (Yep – this Open Call right here!)

A team of community members then comb through submissions lovingly and create a calendar of events that feature an array of different types of events (like music, puppetry, theater, circus arts, civic education, gardening, dance, film, and so much more!). These events are produced by artists, teachers and organizations that represent lots of different backgrounds and experience levels. In 2019, that In the Square calendar will look something like this:

Fridays from May through September: Square Block Parties! – Party nights! Featuring things like music, dance, circus arts, food, theater performances, comedy, puppetry, story-telling, etc. The more interactive the better!

Wednesdays from June through August: Open City Nights! – Unpredictable, jolly and distinct events about community life. We’ll cover questions like “How does that thing work?” “Who are my neighbors?” “Are we engaged in the decision making processes?” “Do we have the power and information we need to affect change?” “Are our needs and hopes being met?” and “Well, what do we all want, anyway?!”

Weekends from May through September: Festivals and Films! – We often feature longer events on weekends like festivals that highlight food, dance and music, art-making and crafts, social justice, etc. And films are our favorites for Sunday nights.

Weekdays from May through September: Community Series! – These community-building events often happen weekly or monthly. In the past, these looked like wellness classes, clubs like chess or knitting, art instruction, gardening, and other fun stuff.

So you want to submit an idea? Yes!

Here’s how it works:

We will accept submissions until midnight EST on Thursday, January 31, 2019.
Complete the form below to apply. Be prepared to provide a high-quality image for promotional use, a bio and event description. Your idea could fit into any of the “themes” noted above – – or not fit at all! We’re really interested in what you’re interested in. 🙂
You’ll hear from us in February. Our team will review the submissions, select the line-up of presenters and get in touch with everyone who submitted. Should you be selected, we’ll confirm timing, stipend details, marketing, and logistical needs.
Performances start in Spring! In the Square programming will be hosted in the park from May through October 2018.

Representation matters.

It’s very important to us that the folks offering events in the Square are reflective of all of our neighbors. Congress Square Park is a public space that belongs to all of us – and that everybody includes you!

Questions?

Here are our top answers:

Congress Square Park is an outdoor venue and performances in the park are always free and open to the public.
If you’re selected, you become eligible to receive a stipend, be part of FoCSP’s event promotions, and be covered under FoCSP’s event permit at no cost. FoCSP has liability insurance, but we recommend you have your own, too. (It’s just good practice!)
Should your event require amplified sound or other AV, note that FoCSP provides a technician. We also offer a sound system, projector, and screen at no fee to selected performers.
Sometimes we need to say no. If you’re not selected, we’ll let you know. It simply means we received a ton of awesome applications and don’t have the budget for everyone. And! You can still host your own event in the Square – you’re always welcome to apply for a permit directly from the City of Portland Event office at TVM@portlandmaine.gov.

Submit by January 31, 2019!

This open call lasts from January 1 through 31, 2019. Get those ideas in fast!