Artist Proposals Sought for Exhibitions at Indianapolis International Airport

The Arts Council of Indianapolis, in partnership with the Indianapolis Airport Authority (IAA), invites artists to submit proposals for temporary (3-4 months) installations in the exhibition cases inside H. Weir Cook Memorial Terminal at Indianapolis International Airport (IND). This solicitation is for exhibitions to occur during 2020.  All installations must be durable, low-maintenance and suitable in form, material and content for a mixed-ages audience that will include young children.  Preference will be given to Indiana artists and to displays that engage and reflect the diverse culture and environment of central Indiana.

Information about the art program

The art program at Indianapolis International Airport displays high-quality, original works by professional artists. The exhibition cases are conceived of as “installation” environments rather than “gallery” environments.  Development of creative, meaningful, unified, and site-specific concepts and presentations is encouraged. A professional curator is available to speak with you and help you develop your concept.

Eligibility

Artists wishing to exhibit at the Indianapolis International Airport must be at least 18 years of age. All other factors being equal, preference will be given to artists physically located in Central Indiana at the time of display. For the purposes of this process, an Indiana artist is one who was either born in Indiana, pursued higher education in Indiana, or lived in Indiana as an adult for a significant period of time. The Arts Council is particularly interested in engaging artists with a strong connection to central Indiana (defined as Indianapolis/Marion County and the following counties: Boone, Hamilton, Hancock, Hendricks, Johnson, Madison, Morgan, Shelby). The Arts Council values cultural diversity and encourages artists and organizations of varying backgrounds and experiences to submit proposals.

Project Budget

The IAA will provide a loan fee, which artists may use to partially offset the costs to develop the installation. Loan fees will vary according to the nature of the project, but generally will not exceed $750 per case. The artist is responsible for all costs relating to the exhibition or display.  Costs that the artist may incur include, but are not limited to, the fabrication cost of the artwork; labor and expenses of transporting and obtaining or preparing exhibit furnishings such as pedestals, stands or mounts; preparation of artwork for display including, if applicable, framing two-dimensional works WITHOUT GLASS OR PLEXIGLAS; preparation and/or purchase of appropriate title signage; transportation of the artwork; designing and fabricating display signage and labels; and installation and removal of the display.

Proposal Information

Please download and review complete RFP materials: IAA Request for Proposals Exhibitions 2018-2019

Proposals are considered on a rolling basis. Proposals should be submitted a minimum of six months prior to the start of the desired exhibition or display period; however, a period of one year prior is preferred.

The artist's name and preferred contact information (phone number or email) must appear on each item below. Items should be submitted in the order listed. A digital submission on a single CD is preferred, although paper submissions are acceptable.

A.   THE PROPOSAL COVER SHEET, download in fill out: Exh. Proposal Form

B.   ARTIST'S BACKGROUND INFORMATION

• Current artist’s resume or narrative biography. This is not to exceed two typed pages.
• Artist’s statement. This statement should describe the artists’ general approach and past work. Please do not exceed one typed page for this statement.
• Images of past work. A minimum of four, but not more than ten, digital images of representative work completed within the last five years must be submitted. Do not submit slides or photographs. Images must be in JPEG format only, “high” or “fine” quality with image size approximately 5” x 7” or 7” x 5”, and the file size not to exceed 2 MB per image. You may alter the PPI (pixels per inch) setting to obtain the proper file size; do not reduce to less than 72 ppi. Please do not submit PowerPoint slides or presentations, or images embedded in a PDF or word processing document. Image files should be numbered with the last name of the artist or team member and the number of the slide, e.g. “Smith-01”. Video clips of past work should be presented in WMV or Quicktime format and should not exceed 0:30. One PDF document containing live links to third-party video hosting sites (such as YouTube or Vimeo) is acceptable in lieu of video files. Please submit all images and video clips on one CD.
• References. Please list three professional references, including complete contact information (name, address, telephone number, and email if available).

C.  INFORMATION ABOUT THE PROPOSED ARTWORK TO BE DISPLAYED

• Narrative description of the artwork. This should include the tentative title for the installation, a description of the theme, issue, content or concept; a discussion of the number of pieces, materials, finishes, size, and techniques; electrical requirements if applicable; and anticipated method(s) of fabrication and installation of the artwork. This description is not to exceed five (5) typed, single-spaced pages.
• Visual documentation of the contents of the proposed display, if available. If the artwork is pre-existing, digital photographs of the artwork are acceptable; if the artwork does not yet exist, concept sketches in digital format (JPEG or PDF) may be submitted. These images should be submitted in the same format and on the same CD as the images of past work referenced under “B” above. If no visual documentation is available at this time, please provide a detailed description of the look of the proposed installation in the narrative statement.

How to Submit

Submit all materials on one CD in the following formats: JPEG (images), WMV/Quicktime (video clips) and PDF (documents).  If submitting narratives on paper, please submit on 8 ½” x 11” white unlined paper.

Please mail or hand-deliver your submission to:

Lindsey Lord, Public Art and Artist Services Manager, Arts Council of Indianapolis

924 N. Pennsylvania St., Indianapolis, IN  46204

You may, instead of mailing or delivering a CD, also upload your all-digital submission to a file-sharing service (e.g., Dropbox, Box, WeTransfer, etc.) and send a sharing link to llord@indyarts.org

Please do not email your submission!  The Arts Council cannot receive large or numerous attachments, and the system may reject your attempt without notifying either party.

All materials submitted will become the property of the Arts Council and will not be returned. Neither the Arts Council nor the IAA will be responsible for any costs or expenses associated with submitting a proposal.

QUESTIONS?  Contact Lindsey Lord, Arts Council of Indianapolis, (317) 631-3301 x240  llord@indyarts.org