Request for Qualifications - Red Cross Art Project

REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS

Red Cross Artist Project

STIPEND:  $500 (3 selected)
ELIGIBILITY:  Professional visual artists, graphic designers, and illustrators
DEADLINE:  Friday, April 3, 2020 5:00 p.m.

Project Background

The COVID-19 emergency has resulted in the American Red Cross’s regular blood drives being severely impacted.  Social distancing requirements and national stay-at-home orders also threaten to destroy the sense of community needed to support the Red Cross’ mission of humanitarian disaster relief.  The local Red Cross chapter is looking to reinvigorate that sense of community and make people aware of the role of the Red Cross in community emergencies such as this one, which is not limited to donating blood but also includes supporting communities’ health, physical safety, and psychological well-being.

Project Description

The Arts Council of Indianapolis and Indiana Humanities are joining with the Red Cross to develop an awareness campaign for Central Indiana with artwork by local artists.  The intention is for the artwork to do what the arts do best: bring people together in times of crisis around a common cause, and appeal to our innate humanity.

We are looking for community-minded artists who believe in the Red Cross cause and are willing to help with their time and talent.  Artists will be compensated for their work.

Selected artists will be assigned a “theme” to depict: this theme and the associated image (which could include limited text) will be used on Red Cross informational materials, advertising, posters, social media, etc.  Artists will be asked to create a custom graphic that illustrates or illuminates the assigned theme.

Preliminary theme options include:

• Check on your Neighbors – but do so safely. Call, Text or Email Them.
• Develop a safe support system within your community.
• We will get through this together.
• Help your Red Cross help your community. Volunteer from home.
• We’re in this together. Consider donating blood, financial gifts, and your time.
• From home or on the front lines...now more than ever. Volunteer.

The image can be in any medium, but a digital medium is suggested for expediency in order to get materials into production as soon as possible. Approaches can be serious, empathetic, humorous, or patriotic: it’s the artist’s choice.

Compensation

Artists will be paid $500 for their design and will hold the copyright, but will be asked to license the copyright to the Arts Council, Indiana Humanities, and the American Red Cross for limited uses related to this campaign. We understand and recognize that this fee is not standard compensation for such a project, but we are looking for artists who are willing to take on the project in partnership with the Arts Council and Indiana Humanities to serve our community in a powerful and meaningful way in these challenging times.

Timeline

Please note that due to the nature of the current emergency, this is an extremely accelerated timeline.  Only applicants who can realistically meet this timeline should apply.

April 3, 2020 (5:00 p.m. EDT):  Deadline to submit qualifications
April 6-7, 2020:  Review of submissions
By April 10, 2020:  Selected artists notified and contracts offered
April 15, 2020:  First draft designs due
By April 20, 2020:  Final refined designs completed

How to Apply

Do not submit suggested designs at this time!

You will be submitting the following information on the form located at https://indyarts.formstack.com/forms/red_cross 

1. Artist contact information: name, address, phone number, email, social media
2. Statement indicating your interest in this project and any connection you may have with the Red Cross, the goals of the project, or the themes presented in the project brief.
3. Three to five images of past illustration or design projects, emphasizing commissioned work for community or nonprofit clients. Alternatively, you can indicate a website where examples of your work can be viewed.

QUESTIONS?  Contact Shannon Linker, Arts Council of Indianapolis, slinker@indyarts.org or (317) 631-3301.