[FoRE]

Posted By: FoRE

Member

Call for Artists

Request for Proposals for Mural Design at the corner of 32nd Ave SW and SW Holden St in West Seattle

The Project

Friends of Roxhill Elementary has received a Neighborhood Matching Fund grant from the Seattle Department of Neighborhoods that includes funding for a mural. We are seeking an artist to create an original small mural at the corner of Holden and 32nd Ave SW, with potential to extend southward along the wall that runs the length of the property on 32nd. This opportunity is open to established artists living in the Seattle/Northwest area. The application deadline is March 1, 2018, with interviews to follow and the final artist selected by April 1, 2018. The selected artist is to complete the mural in summer of 2018. This will be a community-partnered project working with students and community members for inspiration, with installation to take place (also with community assistance) when the weather is suitable.

Roxhill Elementary is moving in fall 2018 to a renovated E.C. Hughes building at 32nd and Kenyon in Southwestern West Seattle. We are using the bulk of the grant to add a playground. [site is here: https://www.google.com/maps/@47.5337264,-122.3740684,3a,37.5y,192.16h,85.73t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1seiiAE1ImD6lM6fw4zgqeiw!2e0!7i13312!8i6656]

The Award

A maximum of $10,000 Commission for the artist selected to realize his/her work, which must include materials and permits, if required.

Project Intent

The neighborhood near E.C. Hughes — specifically along 35th Ave SW between Webster and Kenyon – is changing. It’s becoming more of a connected, human-scale neighborhood, with multimodal transportation that goes beyond people riding along in cars. Activating the space along Holden as it nears the intersection with 35th, as this project would do, can help create an open, inviting sense of identity. Roxhill is a multi-cultural school and community and the artist must reflect that aspect in his/her work.

Through this project, we also want to build a long-range vision for all our kids’ successes. Working together to create a mural that reflects our hopes, dreams and visions for the future can help connect each of us to each other. We will build relationships both within our school and outside our school through connections with our new E.C. Hughes neighbors and other PTAs and collaborative organizations, as well as through coalition building with West Seattle neighborhood groups and media. It is imperative the selected artist view the project as a collaborative one, and focus on building connections in the way the mural is planned and painted. It will be a very public showpiece that reflects and celebrates our multicultural school and community at large.

Information about the site

The site is a concrete retaining wall at the corner of 32nd Avenue Southwest and Southwest Holden St., approximately 200 square feet (and beyond). Foot traffic is increasing over time as density increases and development occurs, and there is interest from neighbors across the street to see the entire wall improved, which is something we’d like to tackle over time. We see the corner mural as a starting point. The mural will be subject to SDOT and Seattle Public Schools regulations and approval.

Eligibility

This call to artists is open to professional artists living in the Seattle/Washington state area. Only professionals with reviewable portfolios are eligible to apply. The selecting committee will consider artistic diversity as a factor in the selecting process.

The selected artist will work with the school, the neighborhood, greater community, the City of Seattle and Seattle Public Schools to create a durable, site-specific mural. Applicants who wish to apply should have experience working with a public process, in public settings and the artwork must reflect the project intent as stated.

The artist will be required to provide liability insurance and must sign a VARA waiver while working on the site. They should also love to work with children and diverse communities (and submit to a background check).

How to apply

Artists interested must prepare and submit the following:

·       Proposed artwork concept for mural

·       Letter of interest- 1 page maximum why you are interested in the project

·       Artist statement

·       Current resume

·       a list of 3 references

Work Samples

·       A minimum of 8 digital images

·       Artist may include up to 3 selections of support materials such as articles, web links and other related information

Materials must be received by 5 p.m. March 1, 2018. Please email to: Friends of Roxhill Elementary Mural Committee: [email protected].

Final artist selection

Friends of Roxhill Elementary will review submittals, conduct interviews of our top two or three finalists and make a selection by April 1, 2018. Then, the selected artist will work with our community, conducting surveys, meetings, voting, and/or other methods we decide will work to serve our community’s hopes and dreams for the mural. Through this process, we will develop draft mural concepts, revise the drafts based on community feedback, and develop a final design.  The mural will be painted in June, July and August 2018 depending on weather. Friends of Roxhill will host a final playground and mural unveiling party in August 2018, inviting the community and media to the celebration.

This is a community-driven project and artists must be able to work with the community in all aspects of design and execution. Part of the selection process will involve assessing how well each candidate understands and would do in this type of creative process.

Criteria for selection

·       Initial proposal that reflects intent

·       A body of work reflecting artistic excellence

·       Experience working in public settings

·       Experience installing permanent artwork suitable for outdoors with knowledge of future conservation

·       References