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MUSTER POINT

Muster Point is a brand new multi-installative, artist project centered on creating immersive, thought-provoking, and temporary installations. Conceived as part of BUMP Festival’s growing commitment to creating transformative art experiences, Muster Point invites artists to explore themes of gathering, urgency, escape, and connection. This multi-installative residency is designed to spark creativity and provoke thought, all while redefining the role of public art in our communities.

At its core, Muster Point is more than just an art project—it’s a response to the times we live in. It reflects on the metaphors and realities of assembly and emergency, asking: What does it mean to gather in turbulent times? What forces push and pull us into fight or flight? And where does our imagination take us when we reframe the act of gathering, exploring its boundaries, possibilities, and contradictions? These questions form the heart of the project, offering artists and audiences alike a platform for deep reflection and bold experimentation.

Muster Point will feature three distinct temporary installations, each created by a different artist or artist team. These installations will run sequentially from March to April 2025, occupying a publicly accessible space designed to serve as a metaphorical “muster point”—a place of safety, regrouping, or transition during times of uncertainty.

Each installation will occupy the same 750-square-foot venue, a versatile rectangular space featuring two expansive windows facing a bustling main street and a long countertop at the back. This unique setting provides artists with an adaptable canvas for creative exploration, encouraging diverse interpretations of the Muster Point theme. The project’s immersive and interactive nature invites audiences to engage with the art in meaningful ways, transforming the space into a dynamic hub for reflection, dialogue, and connection. To deepen the public’s engagement, the project will also include two community gatherings in February 2025, where audiences can explore the project’s themes through interactive discussions and activities.

When conceptualizing Muster Point, the BUMP Festival team aimed to create a new kind of public art project—one that not only beautifies a space but also challenges, inspires, and connects. Key goals of the project include:

Encouraging Experimentation: Muster Point invites artists to take risks, embracing unconventional and whimsical interpretations of the theme. The project seeks to push creative boundaries and encourage artists to explore new mediums and methodologies.

Fostering Community Engagement: By focusing on the concept of gathering, Muster Point aims to bring people together in conversation and collaboration. The public gatherings and accessible nature of the installations are designed to create a shared experience that resonates with diverse audiences.

Highlighting Urgency and Connection: In a world often marked by division and crises, Muster Point serves as a reminder of the power of assembly and imagination. It provides a space to reflect on our shared experiences and explore creative responses to the challenges of our time.

Showcasing Emerging Talent: As a new initiative under the BUMP Festival umbrella, Muster Point is committed to highlighting the work of innovative artists and collectives. By providing a platform for bold ideas, the project seeks to elevate voices that may not yet have been heard in the public art sphere.

Applications Now Open

Muster Point is currently accepting proposals from artists and artist teams across all disciplines, all information can be found at https://yycbump.ca/muster-point-rfp/. We are looking for submissions that creatively address the project’s themes while embracing its spirit of experimentation. The submission deadline is January 5, 2025. Successful applicants will be contacted by January 17, 2025.

A downloadable PDF version of the Muster Point RFP is available here.

Timeline

  • December 16, 2024: Applications Open
  • January 5, 2025: Applications Close
  • January 17, 2025: Successful Applicants Notified
  • February 2025: Muster Point Artists Announced & Public Gatherings
  • March to April 2025: Installations 
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