UrbanArt RFQ for Mural Program

Site and Project Descriptions:

UrbanArt and the City of Memphis seek seven local artists for participation in the inaugural UrbanArt Mural Program, which shall result in the production of seven murals.

Artists will be selected based on previous experience with the design and production of public art murals. Artists are also expected to have the technical capabilities to design and install such projects, including providing maintenance instructions. The finished project must require little to no regular maintenance.

Scope of Work:

The selection committee is aiming to select seven local artists with design or painting experience. Strongly encouraging recent art school graduates to apply. The murals will be designed in such a way that commissioned artists are groomed in the process of mural making. The mural sites will be determined within each of the seven city council districts through a collaborative process between the selected artists, community groups, and UrbanArt staff. The estimated completion date will be within a year of selection of artists. The artists selected shall be expected to conduct community workshops with the general public for education purposes, as well as collaborate closely with site architects and controlling authorities.

The selection committee will select 3 finalists for each district (21 total finalists) based on their qualifications, and interviews of each individually before selecting 7 artists (or artist teams).

Budget:     $26,642 per selected artist

Deadline:   4P Friday 03 December 2010

Eligibility:   Local: Artists living in Memphis Statistical Area for 2 years.  

NOTE: Artists are allowed a maximum of 2 City of Memphis Percent for Art Program commissions within any 5 year period.

Guidelines:

Please see http://www.urbanartcommission.org/sampledocuments.html, particularly the UrbanArt Artist Handbook, for more information about applying to UrbanArt projects and how the selection process works.

Please submit the following:

•  Typed, one-page letter of interest noting the project for which you are applying. Explain your interest and your general approach to its design and production. Note: this should not take the form of a formal design proposal, but rather a description of your methods for producing a design and finished project if selected.
• Résumé, not to exceed 2 pages.
• Recent DIGITAL images of your work that are relevant to this project and are good representations of your style of work. Send up to 10 digital images in JPEG format, 1920 pixels maximum on the longest side, 72 dpi, with compression settings resulting in the best image quality under 2MB file size.
• Image identification sheet with location, brief description, and project budget.
• List of three professional references, including current phone and email.
• Optional: Self-addressed, stamped envelope with postage sufficient for the return of your materials. Materials will not be returned without one.
• Materials may also be submitted as PDF files via email to info@urbanartcommission.org.

Send applications to: 

UrbanArt Commission

Attn: Mural Program

2549 Broad Avenue

Memphis, TN 38112

For more information contact:

Siphne Sylve, Mural Program Coordinator

(901) 454-0474 / ssylve@urbanartcommission.org

All proposals must be received by 4P Friday 03 December 2010.

To ensure fairness to all, there are no extensions or waivers of deadlines.

Applicants will be notified by letter as to the status of their application.

Commissioning of artists by UrbanArt and the pursuit of all UrbanArt activities are

implemented without preference to racial or ethnic origins, gender, sexual orientation, religious affiliation, disability or age.

UrbanArt reserves the right to modify this solicitation and to request additional information or proposals from any or all participating artists.

UrbanArt reserves the right to accept or reject, at any time prior to the commissioning of a work, any or all proposals when the acceptance, rejection, waiver or advertisement would be in the best interest of the project. In addition, UrbanArt may solicit proposals from artists not responding to this call and reserves the right to select an artist outside of the pool of artists responding to this call.

The staff of UrbanArt shall be responsible for all correspondence and communication by and between applicants and members of selection panels. Discussion regarding these projects by and between any applicant and any member of a selection panel outside of regularly scheduled meetings during the selection process may be grounds for the disqualification of the applicant. Such determination shall be in the sole discretion of UrbanArt.