Arts Council Seeks Poems for Sidewalk Poetry Project

Call to Writers/Poets
Request for Short Poetry (RFP)

Project Title: Library Square Sidewalk Poetry

Deadline for Submissions: Friday, June 30, 2017, at 5:00 p.m. (EDT)

Program Specifics

The Arts Council of Indianapolis, in partnership with Buckingham Companies, the Indianapolis-Marion County Public Library, and the Indiana Writers Center, is seeking poetry from writers/poets who are interested in having their poems direct-stamped into sidewalk concrete around Buckingham’s new Library Square development just north of Central Library in downtown Indianapolis. Up to 12 poems will be selected for placement around the development, located between Pennsylvania, Meridian, St. Joseph, and 9th Streets.

Eligibility Requirements

To qualify, writers/poets must:

• Be 18 years of age or older
• Be previously published (not self-published)
• Live in or have close ties to Indiana
• Be willing to meet all contractual obligations and adhere to the strict timeline

Selection Process and Criteria

Due to the quick turnaround necessary to complete poem selection, we are unable to create a completely blind judging system. A first round of judging will be performed by representatives from the Indiana Writers Center.  Up to 12 finalists will be chosen during a second round of judging, performed by representatives of the Indiana Writers Center, the Arts Council of Indianapolis, and Buckingham Companies. Judges will consider originality, creativity, and artistic quality when reviewing the submitted poems.

Entry Guidelines

• Text and subject matter must be appropriate for viewing by the general public. Poems that are explicitly religious, political, graphically violent or overtly sexual will not be considered.
• The submitted poems may be published or unpublished, as long as they are the original work of the applicant, the applicant owns the rights to the poem, and the applicant has the right to allow third parties to publish the poems.
• Applicants may enter one submission of up to THREE short poems, or may submit up to three short excerpts from larger works as long as the excerpt stands on its own as a complete poem. Applicants may submit any combination of short poems and excerpts as long as no more than three total are submitted.  One submission per applicant.
• Poems may be in any language but must be accompanied by an English translation. For additional information, email Rachel Sahaidachny, rachel@indianawriters.org
• Poems must have a maximum of 10 lines each (including blank lines and title lines). Poems must have no more than 40 characters per line (including punctuation and spaces), and a maximum total of 225 characters (all lines combined).
• Applicants will retain full copyright of their poems; however, by applying for this call, poets agree that, if selected, the Arts Council of Indianapolis, the Indianapolis-Marion County Public Library, Buckingham Companies, and the Indiana Writers Center may freely use and/or print the poems as many times and in as many locations as they wish, and may also use the poems, and images of the installed poems, in whole or in part for promotional, documentary, and/or celebratory purposes.
• Preference may be given to poems that are in some way reflective of books, reading, literature, or the power of words, but adhering to that theme is not required for acceptance. Poems may also be inspired by the works of the authors whose names are inscribed around the crown of the Central Library’s Cret Building.

Fee

The selected poets will receive $250 per poem that has been accepted for installation.

Project Timeline

The sidewalk poetry project will follow this timeline as closely as possible:

• June 1, 2017 – Call Released
• June 30, 2017 at 5:00 p.m. – Poetry submissions due
• By July 15, 2017 – Poets notified
• July 15 – 31, 2017 – Graphic design work
• August 1 – September 15, 2017 – Fabrication of stamps
• Early October 2017 – Concrete pouring and stamping
• October 7, 2017 – Central Library Cret Building Centennial Celebration
• Submission Process

To enter, applicants must provide the following information in two separate documents, as indicated.  Files can be in Microsoft Word or PDF format.

• Applicant Information (including a list of 1-3 previous publications)
  • Download (using "file","download as") and complete the application form available here, or copy and paste the form located at the end of this RFP. into a text editing program.
  • Please name this document according to the following format:  LastNameFirstName_App.doc (or .docx or .pdf)
• Poetry Submissions
  • 1 – 3 short poems or excerpts from poems in one document
  • Please name this document according to the following format:  LastNameFirstName_Poems.doc (or .docx or .pdf)

Delivery of Submissions

Emailed submissions are preferred. Attach the two separate documents (Applicant Information Form and the poetry document) to a single email.  All required materials must be RECEIVED by 5:00 p.m. (EDT) on Friday, June 30, 2017.  Direct emailed submissions to:  LibrarySquarePoetry@indianawriters.org

Alternatively, the applicant form and poetry submissions may be typed and/or printed out on 8-1/2 x 11 inch paper.  Paper submissions should be mailed to the Indiana Writers Center, PO Box 30407, Indianapolis, IN 46230-0407 or delivered to the Indiana Writers Center, 812 E. 67th St., in Broad Ripple.  Please do not mail applications to the street address!

Contact Information

For questions regarding the overall Library Square public art project, please contact:

Julia Muney Moore, Director of Public Art, Arts Council of Indianapolis

jmoore@indyarts.org  (please DO NOT send entries to this address; they will be discarded)

For more information about the Arts Council of Indianapolis, please visit www.indyarts.org.

For more information about the Indiana Writers Center, please visit www.indianawriters.org.

Library Square Sidewalk Poetry - Applicant Information Form

Name:
Mailing Address:
City/State/ZIP:
Day Phone:
Evening Phone:
Email:
Website:
Previous Publications (list 1-3):

Demographic Profile (all questions are optional)

Race/Ethnicity: (check as many as apply from the list below)

___ American Indian/Alaskan Native
___ Asian
___ Black or African American
___ Hispanic or Latino
___ Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander
___ White
___ Other

Age range:
___ 18-30
___ 31-45
___ 46-60
___ Over 60

Preferred Gender/Gender Identity:
___ Female/Woman
___ Male/Man
___ Another
___ None

Highest Level of Education Attained:
___ Some High School
___ High School/GED
___ Some College
___ 2-Year College (Associates)
___ 4-Year College (BA, BS)
___ Masters Degree
___ Doctoral Degree
___ Professional Degree (MD, JD)

__ I have a sensory, mental/emotional, learning, or physical/mobility disability. (check if yes)

__ I am a veteran of the U.S. military services. (check if yes)

Additional Information?