Call for Proposals
2024 Temporary Public Art Installation
Waterville, Maine

Overview

Waterville Creates invites proposals from individuals or groups for temporary outdoor public art installations for display in Downtown Waterville between June 1 and October 31, 2024 (this is the minimum timeframe; dates may be extended upon mutual agreement by the artist, Waterville Creates, and the property owner). Proposals may be submitted by individual artists, artist collaboratives, and/or arts organizations. The minimum award is $25,000; maximum award is $50,000. The application deadline is December 31, 2023.

In its 2021 Strategic Plan and in anticipation of the opening of the Paul J. Schupf Art Center on Main Street in December 2022, Waterville Creates established a goal to “make strolling downtown a delight with art ever-present.” The intent of this call is to identify and fund one or two significant, highly visible public art installations designed to inspire joy and curiosity and invite engagement by visitors of all ages.

Media + Scope

Proposed installations may include a variety of media and formats, including sound, projection, light, sculpture, etc. While one-time performances and events are not eligible for funding, activities related to or occurring within or around the installation may be included as part of the overall project. Proposals may include one site or multiple sites (i.e., a series of related installations along Main Street).

Proposed work must be suitable for all ages and must remain on display for the full exhibition period (June-October 2024). Applicants are encouraged to include interactive elements that invite the community to engage with the work.

Siting

Projects must be installed within the downtown district. Priority will be given to the following locations: Castonguay Square, Levine’s Park, Main Street sidewalks, and The Concourse parking area. While applicants are encouraged to propose specific sites for their installations, proposals may alternatively include general site requirements (greenspace vs. hardscape, square footage requirements, etc.).

Waterville Creates staff will be available to assist successful applicants in securing necessary permissions to use the public property spaces listed above and potential downtown sites not listed.

Funding

Stipends will range from a minimum of $25,000 to a maximum of $50,000 per approved project. Should Waterville Creates or the City of Waterville choose to purchase a piece for permanent display, the stipend shall serve as a deposit toward the total purchase price. Any private purchase will be independent of this process and arranged directly between the purchaser and the artist. Awards are inclusive of all project expenses. No additional funds will be provided for travel or installation expenses, which should be incorporated into the overall project budget.

Installation

Artists are responsible for transporting, installing, and removing the artwork after the exhibition. Exterior artwork should be durable, weatherproof, and require minimal maintenance during the exhibition period. Waterville Creates will work with the City of Waterville to provide site specific installation assistance as required. Attention to public safety issues and resistance to vandalism are also important considerations. Approval of artwork will be contingent on satisfactorily addressing liability issues and assuring structural integrity.

Review Criteria + Process

Proposals will be reviewed by a selection committee comprising representatives from Waterville Creates, the City of Waterville, and other community arts partners. Proposals will be scored based on:
• Overall quality of the proposal
• Project feasibility within provided budget, timeline, and site.
• Artistic excellence
• Visibility / visual impact
• Appropriateness / availability of the site (if one has been identified)
• Evidence of durability / public safety

The selected Artist(s) will be encouraged but not required to participate in at least one associated program and/or artist talk during the period of June 2024 through October 2024.

Waterville Creates will notify applicants of funding decisions by February 1, 2024. Staff will work with successful applicants to schedule, place, and/or refine projects as needed to ensure successful implementation.

Timeline

• October 16, 2023 Call for Proposals opens
• December 31, 2023 Proposals are due
• February 1, 2024 Applicants notified of selection
• May 2024 Installation of work
• June – October, 2024 Exhibition period
• After October 31, 2024 Removal of artwork

Application Requirements

Interested applicants should provide the following:
• Letter of interest. No longer than 2 pages, including the following:
o Identification of lead applicant and any partners to be involved;
o Brief summary of proposed project, including timing and desired location or location requirements.
o Explanation of why you’re interested in this opportunity.
o Explanation of how the community will be invited to interact with the piece.
o Experience with similar temporary public art projects, if applicable.
• Proposed budget. Please provide a budget for the proposed project and clearly state the amount of your request. The minimum request is $25,000, and the maximum is $50,000. Please include all project related expenses, including travel and installation.
• Current resume of any proposed artist(s), and links to artist’s website if applicable. Include information about previous work, commissions, public art installations, and/or exhibitions.
• Support Materials. Digital images (high-res jpgs preferred), videos (not to exceed 3 minutes), website links that will help to illustrate your proposal. Please submit no more than 5 total files. Each image and video should be considered one file. Please include title of work, date of work, dimensions of the work, and materials used.
• Accessibility. To request an accommodation or to receive CFP materials in an alternate format, please contact [email protected] at least two weeks prior to the CFP deadline.

All materials must be emailed to [email protected] by 11:59 p.m. on December 31, 2023.

About Waterville Creates

Through its three divisions, the Maine Film Center, Waterville Opera House, and Ticonic Gallery + Studios, Waterville Creates offers high quality, year-round film, visual, and performing arts programming for people of all ages from its new home in the Paul J. Schupf Art Center, which opened to the public in December 2022.

MISSION
Arts experiences for all

VISION
A community where all people enjoy transformative experiences in the arts

VALUES

Community
We are building a thriving, connected, and equitable community through shared experiences in the arts. By presenting arts programming by, with, and for our community, we promote growth and well-being.

Creativity
We recognize the vital role creative expression plays in a fulfilled life and a vibrant community, nurture individual artistic endeavors at all levels, and encourage all creative outlets.

Collaboration
We connect and work with creatives, arts and cultural organizations, and other strategic partners to energize and enrich our community through the arts.

Diversity, Equity + Inclusion
We support, encourage, and honor diverse stories and perspectives. We provide relevant, accessible programming while making space for community conversations that deepen understanding and foster discourse around critical issues of our time.

Rising Star Fellowship is a fellowship program run by Etcheve to support upcoming artists. Rising artists can use NFT technology to connect better with their fans and build stronger ties with the community.

Our goal is to work with 100 upcoming artists to help them gain more exposure and create a new passive income for them through NFT. We encourage creators from various mediums and regions to apply.

As a fellow, you will receive the following highlighted but not limited benefits:

- Product credits for creating and marketing NFT
- Exhibition possibilities (online and offline)
- Connect with other creators.
- Exclusive educational resources (webinar and bootcamp)

CERF+’s emergency relief grants will focus on materials-based craft and folk/traditional artists that incurred significant medical expenses related to treatment and recovery from COVID-19 AND/OR experienced a recent, career-threatening emergency, such as an illness, accident, fire or climate-related disaster.

DEADLINE IS ONGOING

Calling all women-identifing artists, activists and creatives to take part in a virtual exhibition and publication on the effects of forced and voluntary migration!

The Starving Artist invites women-identifying artists to share their work on the impact of migration. This exhibit aims to depict the internal displacement and lived-in experiences behind migration through a gendered lens.

We believe in free and inclusive access for all artists! Global submissions are welcomed.

In accordance with Hawai‘i Revised Statute 103-8.5, the State Foundation on Culture and the Arts (SFCA), Art in Public Places Program is requesting qualifications from individual artists for artwork to be featured in the Our Sea of Islands art exhibition hosted at Capitol Modern: The Hawai'i State Art Museum. Through this RFQ we intend to establish a qualified pool of professional artists for consideration.

A phrase coined by scholar and cultural practitioner Epeli Hauʻofa, “Our Sea of Islands” is an oft-quoted reference to a redirection in the perspectives of the islands in the Pacific. Rather than considering these islands as an exotic other, Hauʻofa challenged the world to see the Pacific region as a metropolis for engagement of all kinds. We consider the exhibition, Our Sea of Islands, to be one that uses engagement as the cornerstone not only for the resulting presentation of artworks, but also for the very foundation of those pieces or performances from conception to fabrication to manifestation.

The Art Advocacy Project 2D (commonly known as TAAP 2D) is a one-year on-loan program designed to promote regional artists through the public display of their artworks and provides a means for artwork sales. This project is open to all Colorado artists of two-dimensional media. Selected artworks may be for sale; however, this is not required.

Unique two-dimensional works of art will be showcased in the Loveland Public Library’s Central Galleria in late February 2024. This project is ideal for artists wishing to display their work at any career stage. A wide variety of mediums have been shown through this annual project. Less dominant mediums like fiber, charcoal, mixed media, etc., are encouraged to apply. Applications will be reviewed by a jury panel consisting of Art in Public Places (AIPP) representatives and public volunteers.

Last year’s collaboration with the Loveland Poet Laureate group was so successful that AIPP is doing it again this year. This addition is a poem created specifically in response to the artwork and displayed next to each artwork for the on-loan exhibit at the library. If selected, the artist agrees to work with a poet who will write a poem relating to the artwork chosen. Please note that the selected artist will have a time commitment associated with this project. The artist might be asked to discuss the artwork with a poet (depending on the poet’s creative process). Also, there will be an Artist Talk and Poetry Reading Reception on March 30, 2024, should the selected artist choose to attend.

Selected artworks will be displayed at the Loveland Public Library from late February 2024 until mid to late February 2025. Please do not submit artwork that cannot be available for the entire year.

The Carrollton Center for the Arts is accepting proposals from local and regional professional artists for a one-year public sculpture installation at Neva Lomason Memorial Library near downtown Carrollton, Georgia. The city considers the inclusion of public artworks to be an important addition to the area, enriching the downtown experience for both visitors touring the area and residents.

The selected sculpture will be installed on a 6′ x 6′ exterior concrete pad at the library for a one-year display. The selected artist will receive a $3,000 stipend to cover the lease and transportation of the sculpture and labor, equipment and any other costs of installing and removing the artwork. Sculptures should have a library, reading or books theme or be interesting to children and families. Originality and visual impact will be considered.

Artworks must be durable enough to last one year in an exterior, all-weather environment and not require surveillance or maintenance of any kind. All work must be safe with no sharp edges, loose or easily breakable pieces, easily scalable parts or other hazards that could endanger the public.

Work must be ready for installation and be able to be secured to the concrete pad with 3/8″ to 1/2″ anchor bolts or able to sit safely on the ground with no possibility of tipping. The artist must provide the tools and equipment needed to complete installation and removal of the piece.

Deadline for proposals – January 8, 2024
Selection announced – February 3, 2024
Planning and consultation – February/Early March
Installation date – To be scheduled with the artist. This should be completed before Art Takeover on March 28, 2024
Unveiling ceremony – March 28, 2024, Time: TBD

Proposal Requirements:
Complete the application at link provided.

Artists must be at least 21 years old and have previous experience with public art pieces. Only pre-existing pieces will be reviewed. City and library staff and an advisory committee will evaluate and select the artwork to be installed.

-A written description of the proposed artwork must include: title, medium, dimensions, weight, installation method and anchoring procedure, theme/concept behind the work and value of work.
*Selected sculpture should not be altered from the original submission description/design without approval of the selection committee. This includes changes in form, color or installation method.
-Describe the process, including how many people other than the artist will be needed, for installing and removing the work. The city may have staff onsite that can help depending on the requirements and scheduling, but the artist is responsible for making sure he or she has enough help to properly install and remove the work.
-Include photographs showing the proposed artwork from multiple angles.
-Provide a CV and short artist biography and/or statement.
-Include at least three images of past installed artworks demonstrating the artist’s ability to execute the current project. This can include a previous installation of the submitted artwork.
-Submit a schedule showing the estimated timeline needed to complete the project including the time needed to transport and install the work.

FfAI is interested in practices that originate or end in the arts but also have broader effects and consequences. We focus on people, projects, groups, and institutions developing new and dynamic definitions of community and connectivity, especially those that foster collectivity.

Individual grants are made to artists, activists, researchers, writers, and others in the visual arts to pursue their research without institutional, governmental, or philanthropic preconditions.

Alternative forms of institutionality in the visual arts, their history, successes, and failures, the redefinition and use of archives, and new practices for the commons remain ongoing concerns.

The Hero Initiative creates a financial safety net for comic creators who may need emergency medical aid, financial support for essentials of life, and an avenue back into paying work. Since inception, the Hero Initiative has been fortunate enough to benefit creators with more than $1 million worth of much-needed aid, fueled by your contributions! It’s a chance for all of us to give back something to the people who have given us so much enjoyment.

CAULDRON is an international film and video festival based in Salt Lake City that is dedicated to challenging and innovative motion-picture works in any genre or format.
Unorthodox film narratives, rogue documentaries, avant-garde cinema, video mashups, abstract video art, genre-bending storytelling... We accept all categories with an eye towards innovation, iconoclasm, personal visions, and any/all unique motion picture experiences.
CAULDRON is a swirling brew of styles and forms selected from all over the world that, while in it's first year, aims to become a premier destination for radical cinema forms.

CAULDRON IS A FESTIVAL FOR THE ARTIST CLASS
ATTENDANCE TO MOST EVENTS WILL BE FREE
SUBMISSION FEES ARE KEPT AS LOW AS POSSIBLE

https://codecxs.com/artwork/5153801.html

A juried call for street, documentary, and news photography of and about the people within the county of Los Angeles (inclusive of L.A. City).
A larger-than-life display of photography that will take place in DTLA on April 27, 2024. The location is a football-field-sized parking lot in Chinatown.
Following a juried process, the selected photographers will have bodies of work edited into a video presentation with music, and projected 80 feet wide and three stories high in front of a live audience. Following the big event, the L.A. Public Libraries will screen this presentation once a month for a year in all parts of Los Angeles, with five photographers in attendance to talk with the public afterwards.
WHAT SELECTED PHOTOGRAPHERS RECEIVE
Participation in Projecting L.A. 2024
Opportunity to take part in additional monthly indoor screenings at a variety of Los Angeles Public Library Branches
Opportunity to be featured in press coverage for Projecting L.A.
Each photographer receives a free online profile page on www.thelaproject.org.
Photographer’s name, website, social media addresses and one photograph will be featured in the event catalog.
Street Photography magazine will feature a story on all the photographers involved in Projecting L.A. 2024, plus the publisher will also feature one photographer from the group.