The Focus on Book Arts (FOBA) conference is seeking instructors for the fifteenth biennial Conference. Conference dates are Wednesday through Sunday June 19-23, 2024 with a check-in day of June 18, 2024. This event will be held at Western Oregon University in Monmouth, OR (SW of Salem, OR). (Note that the FOBA conference has moved from our prior location in Forest Grove, OR).
While we are looking for beginning, intermediate, and advanced level workshops, we would also like to consider master-level workshops that may involve critical problem solving or more advanced hands-on work.
We encourage creative, one-of-a-kind workshops. Priority will be given to new-to-you workshops that will premiere at FOBA and to workshops that help participants advance their book arts skills, perhaps moving from beginner to intermediate, or intermediate to advanced.
Additionally, we encourage instructors to consider offering a progressive series, either on their own or in collaboration with other instructors. For example, on days one and two, participants might work on surface design of some kind, creating page backgrounds for a book; on day three, participants could develop written or collage content for that book, and days 4 and 5 could be for binding the book and creating a slipcover. If offering a progressive series, please structure the classes so that each workshop can stand alone for students who are not taking the whole series; establishing prerequisites is acceptable.
The format of the conference is in classes of one, two, or three days. Instructors may submit proposals for the length of days they think appropriate for their class and may submit a combination of workshops that cover the entire five days of the conference. FOBA may suggest alternative lengths or schedules to better coordinate with other offerings. Each day will be six contact hours, 9:00 AM until 4:30 PM, with a 1½ hour lunch break. In addition to the individual workshops, the Conference will host evening activities, a trade show, an opportunity for sales (The Artists’ Fair), and a Faculty/Staff exhibit.
Instructor compensation and benefits are as follows:
- Instructors will be paid $500.00 per teaching day. Instructors will determine their own materials fee per student; this should include an estimate of cost for any student materials that the instructor may need to ship to the conference site. This fee will be collected with student registration. All funds will be sent to the instructor within two weeks of the end of the conference.
- Instructors traveling by land transportation to and from the Conference site will receive the IRS mileage standard at the time of the conference up to a total of $400.00. Travel by airplane will be compensated with a travel stipend not to exceed $750.00. This amount includes the most economical round trip airfare, land transportation to and from the airport, and any baggage fees.
- Instructors are required to submit at least one and up to two works for the Faculty/Staff Show. Details about the show location will be provided as they become available.
- Instructors are invited to sell their work in the Artists’ Fair (open in the evenings) by purchasing table space (tables may be shared). Each participant in the Artists’ Fair must provide staff for their own table/shared table. No additional fees or commissions will be charged by FOBA.
- Instructors will receive room and board on campus the night before and the day of their class. Any additional meals or rooms can be added on at the instructor’s own expense as space allows.
- Instructors are welcome to be participants and register for classes at a 20% discount on registration fees; material fees are not discounted.
The workshop proposal form must be filed electronically along with photos of the proposed product.
Photos: The photos must be in .jpg format and at least 300 dpi. FOBA reserves the right to resize photos as needed. You may send up to 3 photos for each proposal. Please label them as directed on the proposal form. Good photos make it easier for the selection committee and workshop participants to understand what you are proposing.
All proposals must be received by July 30, 2023
Acceptance letters will be sent by September 15, 2023.