Invitation To Submit a Curatorial Proposal

Descanso Gardens invites curators, artists, collectives, cultural producers, and thinkers of all kinds to submit preliminary proposals for exhibitions and programs. Descanso Gardens is committed to giving emerging, mid-career, and established curators and artists the opportunity to expand their portfolios. Applicants must review the requirements below and submit their preliminary proposal by May 16, 2025.

About Descanso Gardens

Descanso Gardens is a unique Southern California landscape distinguished by its specialized botanic collections, historical significance, and rare natural beauty. We are an urban retreat located 20 minutes from downtown Los Angeles, with principal collections including California native plants and oak woodlands; one of the largest collections of camellias in the Western Hemisphere; a rose garden with specimens from all corners of the globe; and significant presentations of lilacs, maple trees, cherry trees, and iris. Descanso Gardens has been designated an International Camellia Garden of Excellence by the International Camellia Society. Accredited by the American Alliance of Museums as a museum of living collections, Descanso Gardens welcomes more than 950,000 visitors annually. The Gardens are operated by the Descanso Gardens Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, in a public-private partnership with Los Angeles County.

At Descanso Gardens, we connect people with nature and one another. Our mission is to practice exemplary stewardship of Descanso’s distinctive character and assets; offer people an experience close to nature; and cultivate an understanding of the natural world and people’s place in it through inspiration, education and example.

Curatorial Proposal Guidelines

Descanso Gardens presents a variety of exhibitions and programs each year including solo, group, traveling, and guest-curated displays. These are intended to broaden the education programs by presenting art, science, and relevant historical material to support the mission of Descanso Gardens “connecting people with nature and one another.” Through our exhibitions and programs, we strive to deepen our impact in our community, strengthen engagement with members and visitors, and create experiences of discovery and connection.

Descanso Gardens seeks curatorial proposals for the 2026-2028 calendar that will address the following requirements and selection criteria:

·       Theme: Water.  We are looking for exhibitions and cultural programs that are inspired by careful study of water history, policy, culture, science, and art. Water is the lifeblood of Descanso Gardens. It is reflected in our future planning, wellness practices, and storytelling. Locally and around the world, water is a symbol of wellness and abundance, but also scarcity and disruption. What is the past, present, and future of water? How can we celebrate water? What can we learn from other cultures, both indigenous and around the world? How does it connect us and protect us, and how do we shape and protect it? What hidden stories can be revealed about water?

·       Curatorial Concept:  The exhibition/ program concept must closely align with the mission of Descanso Gardens to connect people with nature and one another, reflect the latest knowledge on the subject matter, foster innovation, as well as inspire discoveries and creative contributions that respond to Descanso Gardens’ botanic collections. As an organization located in Los Angeles County, Descanso Gardens prioritizes the inclusion of diverse viewpoints, backgrounds, experiences, and community connections.

·       Interdisciplinary Approach: Descanso Gardens seeks proposals that utilize a creative blending of disciplines, media, and diverse points of view;

·       Media: The proposal may use any media type (visual art, digital art, outdoor installations, performances, music, projections, virtual reality, text, etc.). The exhibitions and programs must be appropriate in scale material, form, and content for the cultural and physical environment in which they are to be presented. The proposed works, displays, and programs don’t need to be new and may have been presented before. New commissions are encouraged provided that their cost is within the exhibition’s budget.

·       Scope: The exhibition will utilize the indoor spaces of the Sturt Haaga Gallery and/ or the Boddy House. Outdoor use of the botanical gardens is welcome. 

·       Collaborative partnerships: Proposals that establish partnerships with other cultural organizations, educational and botanical institutions, community members, and Descanso Gardens visitors are preferred.

·       Audience: Descanso’s visitorship has been growing over the past few years and the Gardens attract an audience that is more diverse in race or ethnicity than many other museums and gardens[1].  Many attendees may be first-time visitors to the Sturt Haaga Gallery or the Boddy House, and exhibitions and programs in these spaces should consider ways to engage “first-time visitors” as well as people who are already familiar with the Garden’s gallery spaces and exhibitions.

·       Accessibility and Engagement: Descanso Gardens strives to expand access, engagement, and education opportunities for a broader public. Preference will be given to proposals that prioritize opportunities for visitor participation, hands-on activity or response, as well as engaging diverse programming that reaches out to traditionally underserved groups. At Descanso, there is an opportunity and need to attract more visitors who identify as Hispanic or Latino/Latina/Latinx, Asian or Asian American, African American, and other minority groups, so that visitorship reflects more closely the diversity of surrounding areas and Los Angeles County.

·       Budget: Descanso Gardens rely on a range of budgets typically within $40,000-$60,000. Budgets must include curator fees, artist/ collaborator stipends, collateral design and copy writing, installation and de-installation, framing if needed, equipment rental, shipping, travel, reproduction rights, etc. Please note that insurance, installation, collateral design, and photography services are provided by Descanso Gardens. Curator fees should not exceed 20% of the total exhibition budget. Proposals exceeding $40,000-$60,000 budget range must be discussed in advance. Fundraising for exhibitions is management by Descanso’s development team, however, applicants may suggest potential funding sources, such as grants or sponsorships.

·       Group Applications: Curators are discouraged from submitting or including their own artwork; artistic collectives may be included within curatorial proposals but should not submit their work without a specific curator.

How to Apply

Please submit your preliminary curatorial proposal to Descanso Gardens by May 16, 2025, by including the following information:

–          The completed preliminary curatorial proposal form (available on the website)

–         CVs of curators, artists, and other key collaborators

–          5-10 images with captions (no more than 10 MB)

–          Any other information that may be relevant to your proposal (essays, articles, etc.)

More information

For more information about the Call for Curatorial Proposals and how to apply, please visit Descanso Gardens website.

Contact

If you have any questions about the Descanso Gardens’ Call for Curatorial Proposals, please contact Marina Erfle, Director of Exhibitions, at merfle@descansogardens.org.