Call to Artists – Request for Qualifications (RFQ)
Fee paid to artists (each): $10,000
Deadline for Applications: Tuesday, August 30, 2022 11:59 p.m. EST
Virtual office hours for applicant questions listed below in Project Timeline.
Rendering of THE LUME Indianapolis featuring Monet & Friends Alive courtesy of Grande Experiences.
Project Summary
The Indianapolis Museum of Art, Inc. DBA Newfields seeks to commission artists to create original digital artworks to be included as “featurettes” within the current exhibition THE LUME Indianapolis featuring Monet & Friends Alive. The featurettes program celebrates and elevates the talent of Indiana-based digital media artists on a world stage with the potential to feature the selected artwork in LUME installations around the world.
About THE LUME Indianapolis
THE LUME Indianapolis is a multisensory exhibit which occupies the fourth floor of the Indianapolis Museum of Art at Newfields. It features nearly 150 state-of-the-art digital projectors that transform two-dimensional paintings into a three-dimensional world that museum visitors can explore while walking through 30,000 square feet of immersive galleries. THE LUME Indianapolis has 60 minutes of digital content that runs continuously and simultaneously in all the digital galleries.
This is not a movie with a start and end, or something one would sit to watch from a single viewpoint, but rather a constant loop of imagery that is designed to be a walking experience, seeing the art up close and all around you. Visitors wander throughout the space, taking in the experience from every angle.
About Newfields
Newfields offers dynamic experiences with art and nature for guests of all ages. The 152-acre cultural campus features art galleries, lush gardens, a historic home, performance spaces, a nature preserve and sculpture park. From inspiring exhibitions in the IMA Galleries, to concerts in The Toby, to a stroll through The Garden with a glass of something cold, guests are invited to interact with art and nature in exciting new ways. Newfields is home to the Indianapolis Museum of Art, among the ten largest and ten oldest general art museums in the nation; the Lilly House, a National Historic Landmark; The Garden, featuring 40 acres of contemporary and historic gardens, a working greenhouse and an orchard; and The Virginia B. Fairbanks Art & Nature Park: 100 Acres, one of the largest art and nature parks in the country. The Newfields campus extends outside of Indianapolis with Miller House and Garden in Columbus, Ind.—one of the nation’s most highly regarded examples of mid-century Modernist architecture.
About the Opportunity
Commissioned artists will create a 3-minute, immersive, visual and audio digital media experience that will be displayed as accompanying “featurettes” during THE LUME’s main Monet & Friends Alive experience. The featurettes are not intended to be a continuation or reflection of the main feature, but rather stand-alone digital artworks. Since the audience will be moving through the space, the artist’s featurette should function as a large-scale, multi-surface, immersive environment rather than as a single screen projection.
Selected artists will be provided with an AfterEffects template and a user guide, and will receive ongoing support and technical assistance from teams at both Newfields and Grande Experiences
Artists should pay particular attention to their sound choices and are encouraged to use it to engage and enhance the viewer’s experience. The audio system is multi-channel spatial audio, which allows sounds to emanate from a variety of locations for a true 3-D aural experience. Artists will be provided instructions and support for creating audio content using this technology.
Artists must warrant and represent that they have the legal rights to reproduce all visual or audio assets used within their artworks. If artists choose to include any copyrighted or other rights-managed materials (e.g., publicity, or trademark rights), Newfields will provide guidance to artists, where possible, on how to properly incorporate and credit photographs, artworks, audio, and other rights-managed materials with the required permissions and licenses.
Completed artwork should adhere to the following standards:
Example of an accompanying featurette displayed at THE LUME Indianapolis:
Bioluminescence, Andrew Thomas
Bioluminescence is a visual journey into one of nature's most intriguing biological phenomena. The artwork is inspired by the beauty of nature and the artist’s extensive travel to some of the world’s most ancient rainforests. This 3D, animated experience is a highly-detailed, organic montage that moves like fluid around the space. Spatial audio moves with the visuals creating a truly immersive synesthetic experience.
Other examples here: THE LUME Indianapolis Featurettes document
Eligibility Requirements
To qualify for this program, artists must:
Selection Process
Once qualifications are received from interested artists, representatives from the Indy Arts Council’s Artist Services and Public Art team will assist Newfields in reviewing artists’ qualifications and identifying artists to commission. Through their application materials, including past artwork/project samples, artists will be evaluated on their demonstration of creativity and innovation, understanding and mastery of digital technologies needed for this opportunity, and a history of successful work within past project contexts. Selected artists will be notified shortly after the application deadline.
Questions?
If you have questions about the opportunity or how to apply, staff from Newfields and the Indy Arts Council are available during the designated "office hours" listed below in the project timeline. These virtual, Zoom office hours are open to anyone, so please note that there may be multiple individuals in the online space to discuss THE LUME Indianapolis opportunity.
Budget
The artist fee for the project is $10,000 per artist/artist team. This fee is inclusive of the commissioning of an original work of art, supplies, materials, acquisition of any applicable rights, and technology needed for the creation of the artwork, and the non-exclusive licensing of the final resulting artwork to Newfields for exhibition, reproduction, archival, promotional, marketing, website, education, and such other purposes as Newfields will determine in perpetuity.
Artists will retain ownership of and copyright to their work, however, during the display of the digital artwork, stills may be used in television, social, and print media to promote THE LUME Indianapolis experience and Newfields. Artists will be given credit on any reproductions or subsequent use of their artwork, when possible. Neither the Indy Arts Council nor Newfields will profit directly from any reproductions of the artists’ works. Artists further agree that the artworks may be photographed and filmed by visitors to THE LUME Indianapolis for personal, noncommercial use.
Project Timeline
The project will follow this timeline:
Thursday, August 18, 6-7 p.m. - Zoom Office Hours for Applicant Questions - Click here to join
Tuesday, August 23, 6-7 p.m. - Zoom Office Hours for Applicant Questions - Click here to join
Wednesday, August 24, 12 - 1 p.m. - Zoom Office Hours for Applicant Questions - Click here to join
Monday, August 29, 6 - 7 p.m. - Zoom Office Hours for Applicant Questions - Click here to join
Tuesday, August 30, 2022 11:59 p.m. EST – Deadline to Apply
Friday, September 9, 2022 – Artists Notified of Selection
Monday, September 19 - Friday, October 14, 2022 - Proposal Development and Review. Artists will create a proposal that consists of rough, preliminary sketches, and a brief concept description for review and approval by Newfields. Proposals should clearly demonstrate both written and in the supporting visual material, a concept, and how you envisage visitors’ emotional response to the artwork. NOTE: Turning in proposals earlier during this window is encouraged as it will allow for an earlier start on the final artwork.
Through December 1, 2022 - Artwork Production. Artists will be required to supply ongoing preview renders and final version renders as specified by Newfields/Grande’s creative team. Ongoing check-ins with both creative teams will take place during this time.
By December 2, 2022 – Completed artworks are delivered via file transfer to Newfields.
January 2023 through December 2023 – Featurettes are displayed as part of THE LUME Indianapolis experience.
How to Apply
Applications must be completed by Tuesday, August 30, 2022 at 11:59 p.m. (EST).
Equity
The Indy Arts Council is committed to working with the arts and cultural community to cultivate a sector that serves, celebrates, and values every resident of Indianapolis. In pursuit of this vision, we do not predetermine participation on the basis of race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability, age, or religion. We see a successful arts and cultural community as one where all artists have full access to the robust creative arts resources of our city and in which their varied histories, voices, and life experiences are honored. Our goal is to ensure that at least 39% of Arts Council commissions, artist payments, and contracted services, by both numbers and dollars spent, are directed towards BIPOC artists and service providers. Recent projects have approached and exceeded 50%.
To read the full Arts Council Equity Statement, click here. If you need assistance or an accommodation due to a disability, please contact Lindsey Lord at llord@indyarts.org or call 317-631-3301.
In March 2021, Newfields announced an action plan reflecting their commitment to making Newfields an empathetic, multicultural, and anti-racist institution that embraces diversity, equity, inclusion, and access (DEIA) as a central and foundational part of our culture, purpose, and mission. Building a stronger relationship with the people of Indianapolis is a priority. For more information on Newfields commitment visit the Newfields Together website.
Contact Information
Lindsey Lord
Director of Artist Services and Gallery 924
llord@indyarts.org
317-631-3301 x214
For more information about the Indy Arts Council, please visit www.indyarts.org.
For more information about Newfields, please visit www.discovernewfields.org
