Wanted: Artist submissions for this year’s temporary art exhibition at San Diego International Airport with the theme “A Necessary Departure,” using the concept of progression from COVID as a framework.

The goal: Create a conversation acknowledging the worldwide pandemic as a societal anomaly, while highlighting the resulting ways that artists and creative thinkers have contributed to positive change influencing the future.

Each year, SAN’s Arts Program identifies an exhibition theme relevant to San Diego and the airport. Exhibitors are then invited to submit proposals related to that topic.

From those submissions, arts program staff, collaborating with an outside panel of artists, curators, and arts administrators, identify 10 to 15 exhibitors based on their creativity, unique use of media, and relevance to the proposed theme.

“Arts programs in airports are very common now and really started after 9/11 when it became more stressful to travel,” said Christopher Chalupsky, senior manager, arts program customer experience and innovation for SAN.

Chalupsky said the airport art program operates on the 235 rule. “There are two focus areas that we’re always thinking about – the customer and the community,” he said adding, “The three is our core program components: public art, performing arts, and the temporary exhibition program.”

Chalupsky talked about the five guiding principles of airport art. “One of those is calming, giving people something to do that would calm them, but also give them something to experience while they’re at the airport for the hours that they have to be here,” he said. “And art really does that, whether it is visual or performing art.”

Public airport art can be unconventional, like actual spaces or rooms designed by artists. “You can walk in and envelope yourself in a space that might be calming, like our reflection room in Terminal 2,” said Chalupsky adding another of the five guiding principles of airport art is communicating a story of the region. “Art can do that in all the right ways through local artists and our exhibition program, communicating the story of our region and acting as a gateway to San Diego, which is what the airport is,” he said.

Enriching and entertaining through art is also integral to the airport art temporary exhibition program, as is introducing the element of surprise, which Chalupsky noted is “one of our favorite things to do. That’s part of what we think about branding this airport. People are going to come here and see something unique from the realm of the arts.”

Wayfinding is also an important element of the airport art mix, which presents some spatial challenges. “How do you place visual or performing arts throughout the airport campus?” asked Chalupsky. “How do you site them so that they help people know how to navigate the airport intuitively without seeing a sign that says, ‘Go this way?’”

Pointing out the pandemic caused the existing airport temporary exhibition to be extended another year, Chalupsky said, “Now we’ve got an opportunity to get back to our annual cycles, and this year’s theme ‘A Necessary Departure,’ we’re excited about seeing how artists, and arts organizations locally, are able to share work that was created during this 2 1/2-year period.

“Generally, these calls (for art submissions) are open-ended so that you can create new work in response to the theme. But because this year’s theme is so specific to what has happened these last 2 ½ years, we wanted to know how artists responded and innovated during that time period. So we’ve said, ‘Share with us what you’ve created during this time period.’ That’s what we think is going to really tell a compelling story.”

Artists have until Friday, Aug. 5 to submit their proposals for this year’s temporary airport art exhibition via email at  arts@san.org. Selected artwork and collections representing the theme of “A Necessary Departure” will be displayed throughout the airport for up to one year beginning in October.

Up to 15 participating artists and/or organizations will be chosen for the exhibition. Submissions must be existing work that was created within the past 2 ½ years. San Diego-based artists are strongly encouraged to apply and priority will be given to interactive work.

AIRPORT ARTS MASTER PLAN

The Master Plan outlines recommendations for the three core components of the Airport Arts Program:  Performing Arts, Public Art, and Temporary Exhibitions. The Arts Master Plan was developed through ongoing consultation with the Airport’s Arts Advisory Committee and many Airport Authority and stakeholder groups.

The Arts Master Plan emphasizes the role the Arts Program plays in:

• Enhancing airport ambiance by creating experiences that are accessible, entertaining and enriching, memorable, and that people seek out and enjoy.
• Supporting place-making at the airport by creating a sense of welcome and serving as a gateway to the San Diego region and its culture.
• Upholding the civic and community impact of SAN with a focus that extends beyond the fence line.
• Maintaining artistic excellence as a primary goal.