Call for Artists: Public Art Project (NC)

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The City of Charlotte Joint Communication Center (JCC) Public Art Opportunity

REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS 

APPLICATION DEADLINE: April 9, 2015 – 11:59 p.m. EDT

Pre-submittal Meeting:

March 24, 2015 4:00 p.m. EDT (Attendance is optional)

This meeting is an opportunity for potential applicants to ask questions regarding the project site, public art scope and the submission process.

Meeting location

Arts & Science Council Board Room

227 W. Trade Street, Suite 250

Charlotte, NC 28202

 

Background

The Arts & Science Council (ASC) is accepting qualifications from professional Artists or Teams of Artists in response to a significant public art opportunity for the City of Charlotte’s Joint Communications Center (JCC).

The JCC will be built on a campus with other buildings occupying a little over five acres.  The site is currently flanked by multi and single family housing on its West side and a mix of industrial and commercial businesses on its East side.  Located at the intersection of North Graham Street and Statesville Avenue in a distressed area, the property is currently being considered for rezoning from an industrial site to a mixed urban development in hopes of spurring economic growth and investment.

The four-story facility is approximately 82,000 square feet and will provide improved emergency response services by consolidating operator groups who use the same technology to monitor and respond to real-time emergency and non-emergency calls throughout the city of Charlotte.  In addition to the primary day-to-day operational functions, the building will house a public waiting area to accommodate the public, public officials, media and emergency personnel awaiting proper deployment during an emergency activation.

 

Project Description

This is a significant public art opportunity that will impact not only the JCC operators, but also the surrounding neighborhood, businesses, and vehicular traffic. The selected artist or team of artists will be invited to create an engaging experience that is sculptural and interactive. This experience could provide intuitive clues that allude to the hi-tech activity housed inside the facility. The feature will be sited on the exterior of the facility and could trace the perimeter of the property and possibly spill into, activate or engage the entry plaza.

It should be visually engaging during the day and at night. And is further envisioned to invite diverse interpretations while exploring a range of interactive media including, but not limited to: modular, large scale, dynamic, interactive, kinetic, time-based and/or web-based.

The selected artist/artist team(s) must take into consideration specific site conditions including but not limited to security and traffic sight lines. All considered media must be durable, low maintenance, and of a permanent nature.

 

BUDGET

An amount not to exceed $400,000 is allocated to include all artists’ fees, design, fabrication and installation.  Engineering fees and all requirements for code shall be included in this amount.

 

Minimum Eligibility

  • Professional artists who have experience managing, designing and completing public art project commissions over $280,000.00 within the past five (5) years are eligible.
  • Must reside in the United States.
  • Artists, contractors, designers or architects who are currently under contract with the Arts & Science Council of Charlotte-Mecklenburg, the City of Charlotte or Mecklenburg County or who have completed contracts within the past three (3) years with any of the above listed agencies are not eligible to apply. City or County staff, Public Art Commission members, ASC Board members, ASC staff, and their immediate family members are not eligible.
  • Architects interested in applying must have successfully completed at least three (3) public art projects (that are distinguished from infrastructure design) within the last five (5) years to be considered eligible to participate in this opportunity. Eligibility must be demonstrated in the application materials submitted.

 

SUBMISSION MATERIALS

  • Credentials: a Resume or Curriculum Vitae (CV)demonstrating professional history and skills or experience as a professional artist (maximum two pages)
  • Statement of Interest: a brief introductory narrative that also provides insight about your interest in the project
  • Images: up to ten (10) images or three (3) digital video or movie files limited to two minutes each – of recent work completed within the past five (5) years
  • Annotation: titles, date, media and dimensions of artwork
  • References will be requested from the finalists

 

APPLICATION/submission Process

Participants must submit all required materials through SlideRoom. (https://artsandscience.slideroom.com), an online application system

Please be sure to allow adequate time to submit your application as technical difficulties can occur. Applications that are mailed, emailed, faxed, or hand-delivered will not be considered.

Selection Process

This solicitation process is being undertaken to enable the Public Art Commission to identify the most highly qualified artist(s) for this opportunity.  A panel of local and national arts professionals and community stakeholders appointed by the Public Art Commission will review eligible artists’ applications, determine a shortlist of finalists, interview three to five finalists and select one (1) artist or team of artists.  The selected artist or team of artists will be recommended to the ASC Board of Directors to enter into agreement for this project.

Artist(s) selected for this project will be required to coordinate with Artist(s) working on the Statesville Corridor Public Art Opportunity.

Deadline

April 9, 2015 – 11:59 p.m. EDT

LATE AND INCOMPLETE SUBMISSIONS WILL NOT BE REVIEWED.

SlideRoom technical support is available Monday – Saturday by email until 8 p.m. (CDT) at support@slideroom.com.

Questions

randella.foster@artsandscience.org

Artist Resources: Literary Hill BookFest

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SUNDAY, MAY 1, 2016

The mission of the Literary Hill BookFest is to celebrate books and authors on Capitol Hill by:

1. Providing a venue for authors who live on, write about, or have some strong connection to Capitol Hill and who have published work within the preceding five years.
2. Providing a venue for Capitol Hill book sellers, libraries, publishers, and other organizations with a focus on books, readers, or writers.

By promoting local writers and book-related businesses and groups, our ultimate goal is to make Capitol Hill a respected center for literacy and the humanities in the metropolitan D.C. area.

What is the BookFest and Who Runs It?

The Literary Hill BookFest began as away of turning the Literary Hill column that Karen Lyon writies for the Hill Rag into a live event. Karen’s column showcases local writers and, after more than a decade of monthly columns, it was clear that Capitol Hill seems to have an almost limitless supply. What if we could bring together some of these authors who live on or write about Capitol Hill to meet their readers, as well as each other? Thus was born the 2011 Literary Hill BookFest. Everybody liked it so much that they encouraged us to do it again, and now we’re gearing up for Year Four.

Also represented at the BookFest are the Hill’s booksellers, libraries, publishers, and other organizations with a focus on books. Our ultimate goal is to make Capitol Hill a respected center for literacy and the humanities in the metropolitan D.C. area. And we’re well on our way. Our first BookFest attracted more than a thousand visitors; last year, an estimated 1,500 people came to Eastern Market to meet our local writers and learn more about literary services in our area. Please join us this year and make 2014 our best BookFest ever!

The Literary Hill BookFest is run entirely by volunteers. If you’d like to help us out, please visit the Volunteer section of this website or write to us at volunteer@literaryhillbookfest.org.

Board of Directors

Karen Lyon, President

Ed McManus, Treasurer

Carrol Kindel

Sharon Hanley

The BookFest Team
Karen Lyon, Author Coordinator
Ed McManus, Logistics Coordinator
Carrol Kindel, Exhibitor Coordinator
Abby Yochelson, Volunteer Coordinator
Paul Marengo, Public Affairs Director
Sharon Hanley, Public Affairs Assistant

We would also like to acknowledge the inestimable contributions of Maggie Hall, who was a BookFest co-founder and its original publicist, and Stephanie Cavanaugh, our first webmistress.

HOW TO CONTACT US
Phone (202-546-7231)
Email (info@literaryhillbookfest.org

http://www.literaryhillbookfest.org

Call for Artists: Ignite Howard County

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Want to present? Fill out this short proposal.

Ignite is about sharing your passions, inspiring others & sparking discussion on a variety of topics…but make it quick. Each speaker gets 20 slides and 15 seconds per slide. The slides automatically advance. It’s a format that keeps things lively and interesting.

We usually call for speakers about three months before each Ignite event. We ask you to submit a short proposaldescribing your idea. A panel of judges reviews each submission in order to select 12+ speakers. We announce those speakers about a month ahead of time.

Proposal Guidelines

First things first: there arenʼt any rules when it comes to proposing an Ignite talk. We donʼt place any automatic restrictions on subject matter and youʼre free to submit anything you like. Each proposal is judged equally and on its own merits.

View our application to speak.

That said, our goal is to assemble an interesting program that will inspire the audience and get them talking. So in order to help meet that goal, weʼve put together some notes on what we are and arenʼt looking for in hopes that itʼll help you formulate your thoughts.

Keeping the following in mind, then adding liberal doses of individuality and creativity, will significantly improve the odds of your talk getting chosen.

1. Ignite talks are a forum for ideas, not for marketing.

This is as close to a hard-and-fast rule as we have. Anything that looks or feels like a proposal designed to market or promote a business, an individual, or a product will almost certainly not be chosen. Itʼs not that youʼre not allowed to talk about your work or your business, but if you intend to do so it should be in such a way that it informs a larger idea.

Think of it this way: you should never be selling from the stage. A good talk about a good idea (or ideas) will engage and excite people on its own merits. If you donʼt think your proposal fits that criteria then it probably doesnʼt.

2. The goal is to get people thinking and talking.

There are countless ways to do this. For example, you can:

  • Come up with and explain an innovative way to solve a problem
  • Show people a new or unexpected way to look at something familiar
  • Pull back the curtains on a complex process
  • Show how something isnʼt what it seems
  • Show how something is what it seems but maybe shouldnʼt be
  • Challenge or debunk a preconceived notion
  • Illuminate a fascinating but hidden bit of culture
  • Give people a challenge they can act upon (without demanding that they do so)
  • Present a new way to consider an opinion
  • Present an old but forgotten way to consider an opinion

3. Donʼt propose to speak primarily as a representative of an organization.

Obviously every speaker by nature represents her or his activities and work. Sometimes thatʼs a critical component of a good talk. But, again, a strong proposal will show that the idea comes first. Your organization (or business/job/cause/politics) should be secondary to the strength of what youʼre proposing to present.

4. Original is good.

People come to Ignite to see things they havenʼt seen anywhere else. Thereʼs nothing wrong with giving a talk that youʼve given before but we encourage you to think beyond that. If you are proposing a talk that youʼve given before, consider adapting it and making it fresh and new.

5. Mind the format.

Anyone who has ever given an Ignite talk can tell you that they are tough. The format is weird and challenging. So, keep that in mind as you think about your proposal and try to develop something that will work well within the 20 slides, 5 minutes,15 seconds each restriction. Better to build that into your thinking from the beginning – itʼll come through in the way you write up your proposal and, ultimately, make for a better talk if youʼre chosen.

6. Be creative, and have fun.

The best talks weʼve had have been the ones that were fueled by true passion. If you start there, it will come through in your proposal and that means weʼre much more likely to notice your idea and include it in the program.

7. Take the proposal seriously and treat it as a dry run for the talk itself.

Itʼs always easy for us to tell which proposals have been thought through and which were cobbled together. Itʼs also generally pretty easy for us to tell which proposals were truly created with the Ignite format and audience in mind. The ones that get both of these things right always have a better chance of getting picked than the ones that donʼt.

8. Prepare something that wonʼt require you to read from a paper.

If your talk is selected, we will ask that you not read it from notes when youʼre on the stage. Doing so greatly diminishes the impact. So, when considering your proposal, put together something that youʼll be able to rehearse and then deliver in a way that allows you to fully engage the audience.

9. Watch past talks on the Ignite homepage.

Some of the most interesting talks from past editions of Ignite are featured on our homepage at ignitebaltimore.com. We strongly encourage starting there and getting familiar with what has worked well in the past.

Still have questions? Feel free to drop us a line at info@ignitehowardcounty.com
and weʼll be happy to try to help. Please keep in mind, though, that this is a volunteer effort and while we reply as quickly as we can, patience is appreciated.

Most of all, thanks for your interest. Weʼre looking forward to hearing what you have to say!

Speaker Guidelines

Please provide 20 slides. We will show the slides for 15 seconds before automatically advancing them.

We do not allow animation. You may be able to incorporate music or short video elements if you coordinate with us far in advance.

It’s best not to be literal with your slides – imagery will be much more effective than text in this format, so try to have at most a few words per slide (no words = just fine, too).

Do not include a slide with your name or presentation title; we provide that for you and this slide doesn’t count towards your 20 slide limit.

This format is very unique and you should plan to rehearse extensively, even if you are an experienced speaker.

You can create your presentation in PowerPoint or Keynote. However, we’d like you to export your slideshow to a 1024×768 Adobe Acrobat PDF before sending it to us.

Read more guidance from Preston Lee.

Call for Artists: Linea de Costa Artist in Residence Program

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Call For Visual Artists: Autumn & Winter 2015, Apply Now!

Deadline: 06/04/2015

Application period open for creative residencies in a coastal urban context

LINEA DE COSTA:
The Linea de Costa Artist in Residence Program is a initiative organised by Linea de Costa, a private non-profit organisation based in the coastal city of Cádiz (Spain). The artist in residence program aims to stimulate creativity through interaction with the local environment, artists and cultural institutions, and seeks to foster cross-cultural relations between participants and the local artistic community in Cádiz.

STUDIOS:
The Linea de Costa AIR Studios are housed in ECCO Cádiz (Espacio de Creación Contemporánea), located in the city’s 18th century artillery barracks.

The shared studios are equipped with the following:
– Wireless Internet Connection.
– Separate working area for each artist with a large worktable, stools, power sockets and shelving.
– Reference material (with study area).
– Common area for breaks (microwave oven, kettle, fridge).
– Large roof terrace (165 m2) with sea views.
– Materials and equipment: projector, screen, scanner, MIDI keyboard, DVD players, stationery equipment (craft knives, self-healing cutting mat, staplers, rulers, felt tip pens etc.), jigsaw, drill, Dremmel multi-tool, tool set (hammers, screwdrivers, hacksaws etc.), extension cables, electric stapler, two portable halogen lamps (500 watts), airbrush compressor, potter’s wheel, option of firing small ceramic pieces (the kiln is located off site), plastic buckets and utensils, glue gun, two easels, whiteboard…

ACCOMODATION:
Artists will be accommodated in private rooms in our fully equipped, attractive and comfortable shared apartment, conveniently located in the town, very close to the studios and the city’s cultural and commercial centre.

WHO CAN APPLY:
– Artists from any discipline and nationality. Applications are not open to artists born or resident in Cadiz and its province.

HOW TO APPLY:
Please email:

Personal information
– Full name / date of birth / gender
– Passport photo
– Language(s) spoken
– City/Country
– E-mail
– Website
– Cell Phone number
– Skype

Project information
– Sample of Previous work (PDF, website, link to Dropbox or similar)
– Your CV (max one A4) and Artists Statement explaining the general motivation of your artistic research (max one A4)
– Brief Motivation Letter with the theme: “Why am I going to Cadiz to work in a diverse, multidisciplinary context”? (max one A4)
– Project description: the artist must submit a specific project for this residency – successful applications will ideally include a workshop or other activity involving the local community (max one A4)
– Preferred time of residency (chosen month-s) & duration (from 1 month to 3 months)

SELECTION PROCEDURE:
Residents will be selected by the Linea de Costa Team based on the quality of their work, commitment to their practice, and ability to interact positively with the community at large. If your application is selected, Linea de Costa will send you an email within 10 days.

DUES:
ONGOING SUPPORT & ADVICE + LODGING + WORKING SPACE + EVENT

600€ ARTIST / MONTH

Note: Once your application has been approved, your place will be secured on receipt of full payment of your residency dues.

 

Please send your application to: apply@lineadecosta.net

Hoop Dreams

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Last month, BOPA teamed up with the Baltimore Office of Sustainability to bring together farmers, artists, and community residents for a charette designed to help us shape our latest public art initiative. Together, we’re developing an unprecedented program that will provide microgrants for temporary public art works on and around hoop houses sited on city-owned vacant property.

Overall, we’re excited about the positive response we got and are grateful for the enthusiastic participants who contributed to our charette. We’re taking all the feedback we received and using it to generate an RFP (Request for Proposals) which we will release later this year.

Here’s a quick recap of the charette in case you missed it:

We started off with a tour of Gather Baltimore‘s hoop house in Oliver. Growing Green Coordinator, Jenny Guillaume, led the group into the plastic tunnel Gather’s farmers use to extend their growing season. It was warm inside despite the freezing temperatures outside the hoop house doors.

Like most hoop houses, Gather’s is made of polythylene film and bent steel sturdy enough for one of the farmers in attendance to show off his pull ups. The sidewalls are removable and the poly can be rolled up to lower the inside temperature and improve airflow during the hot summer months. In addition to wall modifications, shadecloths can also be draped over the structure to lower temperatures, and “cooling paint” can be applied directly to the poly. This particular hoop house was fully sprinklered and, though it had a streetlight nearby, it had no electricity.

After our quick tour, we went back inside for a group discussion, which we broke up into two sections – “Hoop Dreams” and “Hoop Realities”.

HOOP DREAMS –
We asked: What do you want to see? 

  • Solar-powered lighting, ambient lighting, and in-frame lighting
  • Seasonal decorations / installations
  • Community involvement!
  • Painted-screen style shadecloths
  • Frame painting
  • Colored poly
  • Artistic water gathering/recycling features
  • Other functional artistic features such as: bird houses, trellis, materials that encourage habitats for bees
  • Designed space for farmers to interface with residents
  • Designed space for farmers to process
  • Activating the hoop house during the off season (December-February)

HOOP REALITIES –
We asked: What kind of design constraints do you foresee?

  • Hoop houses are largely unmonitored when they aren’t being worked in so any equipment (eg. expensive lights or projectors) would not necessarily be secured
  • Some community residents don’t find hoop houses attractive, especially in the winter months, and would prefer that they be set back in lots rather than on main thoroughfares
  • March-November are the busy farming months. December-February are dormant.
  • Planting beds should not be tread on
  • Hoop houses rarely have power sources
  • Water control is often needed to prevent flooding
  • Communities want the food grown inside local hoophouses to be made available to the community

After our discussion, we broke out into groups. Equipped with colored pencils, we all began to draw out our concepts. Some hoop houses turned into caterpillars.  Some turned into castles and living rooms. Others still were retrofitted with wire sculptures, puppets, and sculptural vegetation on designed trellis.

I think it’s safe to say that the possibilities are pretty much endless when it comes to what you can do to infuse artwork into local hoop houses. Stay tuned for the release of our micro-granting program later this spring!

Call for Artists: ArtSites

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Call for Artists for ARTsites 2015
Deadline for entry is March 17, 2015

The Howard County Arts Council is looking for artists with large-scale sculpture that is fit for year-long outdoor display to participate in ARTsites 2015, a year-long public art exhibit. ARTsites 2015 will take place at up to 13 sites throughout Howard County, Maryland from August 2015-July 2016. Sites and artwork will be selected from submissions by a panel of arts and public art professionals.

Artists with public art experience may submit up to six existing works for consideration, or propose new work with proper concept drawings and/or models. Selected artists will receive a grant of $2,500 for the temporary loan of the work, insurance, installation and de-installation. There is no fee to enter.

Visit http://hocoarts.org/exhibits.php to download an RFP.