What kind of art are you looking for?

We generally feature the following kinds of work:

• Visual Arts: Painting, photography, sculpture, installation, multimedia, illustration, etc.
• Literary Arts: Writing, poetry, spoken word, etc.
• Performing Arts: Theater, dance, movement, puppetry, comedy, etc.
• Film: Animation, documentary, experimental, features, etc.

What do you mean by “emerging artist”?
We’re looking to feature new artists with fresh points of view. For example, any of the following might describe you:

• You do your art on the side, frequent open mics, and work on collaborative projects. For your efforts, you’re compensated modestly, if at all.
• You’re an art student and just starting to build your portfolio and expand your skill set.
• You take classes, workshops, and other events that help you hone your craft.
• You’re looking for more places and opportunities to showcase your stuff and to meet other artists who could help you make more with what you’ve got!

Are we still eligible to apply if I’m of Hmong-American descent but other folks in my group aren’t?

While we value diversity, community building, and collaboration across ethnic and racial lines, the group member of Hmong or Asian Pacific American descent must have a prominent or at least equal role in the group’s work and presentation.

Do I have to live and work in California?

No. We’re looking to highlight Hmong creators from all over the world, but if your work is selected to participate in the art & media festival, we cannot offer travel a stipend at this time.

Why is your target age range 18+?
While artists of all ages are welcome to apply, we’re particularly interested in the Millennial and Gen-X perspectives and want to amplify these voices.

How do I apply and submit my work?
By heading to our submissions page, filling out the appropriate form, and including your work and submission fee in the process (the application will tell you how!). We prefer online submissions, but if absolutely necessary, you can print out the application and mail it to us, along with your work (please do not send originals, only copies!) and submission fee, to:

Tiger Byte Studios
Attn: Renee Ya
P.O. Box 2074
San Mateo, CA 94401

Can I submit more than one application?
Yes, but please note that each unit submission will require its own application.

When are submissions due?
September 30, 2019.

What’s a featured artist, and how do I apply to be one?
Featured artists are spotlights during the festival. In return for an honorarium, we ask these artists to create work specifically for Celebrate Hmong. Our general planning committee will reach out to you if we think you’d make a great featured artist. You won’t be able to nominate yourself to be a featured artist, but we welcome you to apply as a general artist.

When will I find out whether or not I’ve been accepted?
We’ll get back to you with a decision in October if you applied to be a general artist, and let you know about the other fun that’s in store if you’re accepted.

What are my chances of getting accepted into the festival?
We anticipate receiving anywhere between 150 and 250 applications. Of this number, we anticipate on selecting between 60 and 80 applicants.

What if I’m not selected?
If you are not selected to showcase in Celebrate Hmong 2019, we encourage you to keep an eye out for other opportunities from Tiger Byte Studios. We hope you will consider participating as an audience member or volunteer. It’s a great way to experience local art and strengthen your application for next year.

If you have questions about our selection process, please do not hesitate to contact us at celebratehmong@tigerbytestudios.com. We’re happy to offer our feedback.

Why do you only accept recent works?
We’re looking to feature both new artists and new work, so we require all submissions to have been created within the past three years.

What do you consider a unit of work in each discipline?
We define a unit as:

• Film: A short film or video within 30 minutes
• Literary Arts: A piece of writing that can be read within 10 minutes
• Performing Arts: A piece that can be performed within 20 minutes
• Visual Arts: A single gallery piece or a series of related works

We welcome submissions of multiple units, but please note that each unit will require its own application and submission fee.

Can I make changes to the work I submit?
We’re not able to accommodate changes to work, but we do accept works in progress. If that’s the case, please email us at celebratehmong@tigerbytestudios.com and we’ll discuss specifics in more detail.

How do I get my work back after the festival?
We’ll email visual artists to coordinate pick-up during the de-installation process. Other artists who would like to pick up copies of the art they submitted can pick do so at The Fresno Center office by emailing us at celebratehmong@tigerbytestudios.com.

Note: We will keep all work until January 31, 2020, and discard anything unclaimed afterward.

Will I be paid if my work is shown?
Features receive an honorarium in return for specific work and other duties we request from them and there will be a small stipend for all selected showcase artists. For more information about how we select feature artists, scroll to The Application Process and Submitted Work sections of the FAQ.

If my work is shown, will you cover the cost of my transportation to festival events and shipping costs for my work?
No. Artists are responsible for these costs, but we will provide space and certain equipment so that you can present your work during the festival.