Neon Museum seeks artist in residence

The Neon Museum’s collection of signs, marquees and Las Vegas history routinely inspires visitors.

For the fifth year, the museum is calling for entries for one artist to draw inspiration from the collection as an artist-in-residence.

The Neon Museum National Residency offers a U.S.-based contemporary artist the opportunity to explore and interpret the facility’s historic collection within a broader cultural context.

“Hosting this annual program enables us to introduce the community to a diverse array of artists who draw inspiration from The Neon Museum’s collection,” Rob McCoy, museum president and CEO said in a news release. “It’s gratifying to be able to provide a platform for new creative output and cultural dialogue.”

Last year’s artist-in-residence, Julie Henson, created art that reflected the signs around her studio in the museum’s Ne10 warehouse — a collection of large-scale fabric marquees that referenced Las Vegas casinos.

The 2020 artist will be selected based on demonstrated artistic excellence, quality and clarity of the submission, quality and benefit of the proposed public program and demonstrated ability to complete the project within the allotted schedule. The museum requests the artist contribute a mutually agreedupon artwork to the museum’s collection.

Eligible artists must be older than 18 and work in visual arts, performance or sound. Applications are due by 5 p.m. Feb. 7. Details are at bit.ly/2tFN239.

During the eight-week residency, the museum will provide:

■ $3,000 stipend plus a modest budget for materials, if required.

■ $800 travel allowance.

■ Living accommodations for eight weeks in downtown Las Vegas.

■ A 1,000-square-foot studio space inside the museum’s 10,000-square-foot Ne10 Studio; this space is climate-controlled (essential during Las Vegas summers) and has a ceiling height of 19 feet.

■ Access to the museum’s sign collection and archives, marketing and publicity support, photographic documentation and staffing to assist with administering the public portion of the program.