Test Kitchen
The Test Kitchen Project Space is a new initiative to foster visual arts experimentation for our IUSB campus and South Bend communities. It is a reimagining of EA 1000 — a former coffee shop — by opening it up to artists for short term installations.
Current students, faculty, alumni, and regional artists can reserve Test Kitchen for creative, site-specific installations, small group exhibitions or even performances. The large windows allow artists to utilize Test Kitchen as a room that can be entered or alternatively as a large-scale diorama to be viewed from the outside.
The space is not a traditional contemporary gallery and maintains vestiges of what it once was, including cabinets, sinks, etc. Artists should take this into account when planning their installations. Consider how your artwork might interact with these permanent features. How can you creatively incorporate your artwork into a former commercial space?
How will you experiment in the Test Kitchen? Will you create a site-specific installation? Curate an exhibition? Create a large-scale diorama? Stage a performance? We can’t wait to see what you do!
Important notes about the space
- Hours vary by installation.
- Artists are responsible for installation and deinstallation. If you don’t have experience installing artwork, the Gallery Director can teach you.
- Artists are responsible for any labels/didactics they may want.
- Generally, artists have about a week to install and a week to return the space to its original state for the next artist.
- Typical installations are on view for about 2–3 weeks. Longer or shorter installations are possible, too, depending on your needs.
- Basic materials can be borrowed from the Art Gallery (white wall paint, nails, wall patch, etc.)
- Artists are required to return the space to its original state for the next installation. For example, you need to paint the walls back to white if you painted them a different color.
- The door can be left open for visitors to enter the space or shut and locked (treating Test Kitchen like a room-sized display case).
- During hours that the Art Gallery is open, the Gallery’s attendant will periodically check the Test Kitchen. However, there is no Gallery attendant specifically assigned to the Test Kitchen and artworks are exhibited at the artist’s own risk. This should be taken under consideration for your proposal.
- Cabinets and other permanent fixtures cannot be altered in any way.
- If you are a current student or faculty, you are welcome to check out a key to the Test Kitchen for the duration of your installation (a fee will be charged if you lose the key).
- Pedestals, shelves, TV mounts, etc. can be borrowed from the Art Gallery.
- Pictures of the space with measurements:
Ready to Reserve a Time Slot?
Excellent! Please email Gallery Director, Mark Rospenda (mrospen@iu.edu), with the following:
- 50–100-word proposal (what will your installation be?)
- Any artwork or reference images that might help contextualize your proposal (previously created artworks, in process images, sketches, etc.)
- Your contact information
- Whether you are a current student, alumnus, faculty, professional artist, etc.
- Is there particular event or time of year that you want to have your installation?
- Do you need to borrow anything from the Art Gallery (pedestals, shelves, TVs, etc.)?
- Any questions you may have
Mark will respond with necessary paperwork.