CREATE opportunities for visual artists at all career stages
INVITE risk taking and experimentation
ACTIVATE conversations around new art and ideas
ADVOCATE for artists and creative practices
INSPIRE the next generation of artists
VALUES
As an artist-centric nonprofit, we believe art and artists are essential and honor and respect the critical role artists play in our society. We value creativity, trust, courage, diversity, acceptance, and the open exchange of ideas and worldviews.
Locust Projects does not tolerate hate or discrimination of any kind against race, color, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity or disability.
Diversity, equity, accessibility, and inclusion are integral to fulfilling our artist-centered mission to support the creation and exchange of new art and ideas and fostering an environment where all individuals are respected, valued, and included, regardless of their background, identity, or abilities.
Founded by artists for artists in 1998, Locust Projects is Miami’s longest running nonprofit alternative art space. We produce, present, and nurture ambitious and experimental new art and the exchange of ideas through commissioned exhibitions and projects, artist residencies, summer art intensives for teens, and public programs on contemporary art and curatorial practice. As a leading incubator of new art and ideas, Locust Projects emphasizes boundary-pushing creative endeavors, risk-taking and experimentation by local, national and international artists. We invest in South Florida’s arts community by providing artists with project grants and empower creative careers by supporting the administrative work of being an artist through an onsite artist resource hub and access to pro bono legal services.
The only organization in Miami focused on commissioning experimental large-scale exhibitions, Locust Projects gives artists the freedom and expansive space to realize ambitious ideas that no one else is willing to produce that lead to vital career breakthroughs and opportunities.
With our move in 2023, we have doubled in size from our previous Design District location. Our 8,000+ square foot industrial warehouse in Little River/Little Haiti is a laboratory for artists to dream big and introduce the public to new art and ideas relevant to Miami and to the times we live through their exhibitions and related performances, programs, and events.
LEARN MORE ABOUT THE THREE CORE AREAS OF OUR MISSION...
COMMISSIONED EXHIBITIONS / RESIDENCIES / PUBLIC PROGRAMS
Since 1998, local, national, and international artists at all career stages have been invited to embrace risk and experiment to envision and realize ambitious site-specific new work. Artists are supported with residencies, budgets, and resources to create ambitious site-specific installations in various project spaces and collaboratively develop related public programs in addition to Talks with leading curators.
NEXT GENERATION
RESOURCES FOR ARTISTS
Founded in 1998 by a trio of Miami-based artists: Elizabeth Withstandley, Westen Charles, and COOPER, the organization was among the first to open in a converted warehouse in Miami's once depressed Wynwood neighborhood. In 2001, Locust Projects became incorporated and organized its first Board of Directors. Locust Projects was officially recognized as a 501 (c) (3) not for profit institution in 2002. A grant award from The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts in 2006 allowed the organization to hire its first full-time Executive Director and subsequently supported the relocation of Locust Projects to Miami's Design District in May 2009. Additional major grants from The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, as well as the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, the National Endowment for the Arts, and Miami-Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs have supported and sustained the organization's growth.
Locust Projects is a W.A.G.E. (Working Artists and the Greater Economy) certified organization.
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ABOUT OUR COMMISSIONED EXHIBITIONS The only organization in Miami focused on commissioning experimental large-scale exhibitions, Locust Projects gives artists the freedom and expansive space to realize ambitious ideas that no one else is willing to produce that lead to vital career breakthroughs and opportunities. We create opportunities for visual artists at all career stages by commissioning local, national and international artists to create new work through an open call process juried by a rotating panel of past exhibiting artists and local curators. With our move in 2023, we doubled in size. Our new 8,000+ square foot industrial warehouse in Little River/Little Haiti is a laboratory for artists to dream big and introduce the public to new art and ideas relevant to Miami and to the times we live in through their exhibitions and related performances, programs, and events. The open call process is coordinated by artist Elizabeth Withstandley, co-founder of Locust Projects, with the final 4-6 projects out of hundreds are drawn from the panel's recommendations by the Executive Director and scheduled based on overall programmatic balance and diversity and scheduling availability. Approximately 75% of annual exhibitions are selected through the open call process, 25% are a "Curator's Pick" selected by the Executive Director who serves as chief curator of programming. |
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As Miami's leading alternative nonprofit art space, we rely on the support of donors to help make art happen. Thank you for considering a tax-deductible donation today. GIVE NOW.