The Indianapolis Artsgarden, owned and operated by the Arts Council of Indianapolis, is commissioning a wall-based mural as part of its 25th anniversary celebration in 2020.

BUDGET: $8,000 (all-inclusive)

ELIGIBILITY: Artists at least 18 years old and living in Marion, Boone, Hamilton, Hancock, Shelby, Johnson, Morgan, or Hendricks counties in central Indiana

DEADLINE: December 1, 2019 11:59 p.m.

See attached full RFQ document.

PROJECT INFORMATION

The Artsgarden is a seven-story-tall, iconic glass and steel structure “floating” above the intersection of Washington and Illinois Streets in the heart of downtown Indianapolis. Inside the Artsgarden, the Arts Council presents more than 250 free and public performances each year, along with monthly visual arts exhibitions by central Indiana artists and the annual Art & Soul celebration of African American arts and artists. The Artsgarden is also an event venue, available for private rental for weddings, corporate receptions, and nonprofit events. Fees from event rentals help support the Arts Council’s operations and public programming. This project is made possible through support from Circle Centre Mall.

SITE INFORMATION

The mural space is approximately 160 sq. ft. It is located inside the Artsgarden on the east side of the staircase that leads to the upper balcony. The nature of the space requires a traditional two-dimensional mural, either painted directly onto the wall surface by the artist or created digitally as a design that can be reproduced as a wall wrap. The completed mural may not include any 3D elements. The mural substrate is drywall.

TIMELINE

This timeline represents the project as it now appears.  Changes may be necessary as the project progresses.

• Release Request for Qualifications:  September 4, 2019
• Deadline for qualifications submissions: Sunday, December 1, 2019 by 11:59 p.m.
• Selection panel review: early January 2020
• Selection notification:  January 31, 2020
• Commissioning and design phase: February – March 2020
• Mural installation: before August 31, 2020

SELECTION PROCESS

The Arts Council will receive qualification packages from interested artists according to the instructions in this Request for Qualifications. Representatives from the Arts Council of Indianapolis, as well as members of the Arts Council’s Public Art Selection Committee, will review submitted qualifications to identify one artist or artist team. Selected artists will work directly with the Indianapolis Artsgarden and Arts Council staff to complete the mural.

SELECTION CRITERIA

Submissions will be evaluated based on the following:

• Artistic quality: artist’s submission displays a record of appropriate, yet innovative, concepts brought to a site or project, and documents creative and stylistically distinctive solutions to design and site challenges
• Aesthetic sensibility: artist’s work displays an aesthetic that would be desirable for this project
• Technical ability: artist’s submission indicates skill with materials and techniques similar to those that would be required for this project
• Experience: artist has demonstrated the ability in past projects to quickly acquire the skills needed to be successful on a project similar to what the artist will encounter with this project
• Process: artist has a record of smooth and pleasant working relationships on past projects

WHAT TO SUBMIT

Eligible artists who are on the Arts Council’s prequalified muralists list may simply indicate their interest and we will transfer your most recent information. To indicate your interest and/or to update the information we have on file, email Kate Oberreich, kateo@indyarts.org

Other applicants must submit the following information:

1. Applicant Information: Complete this form and click “Submit.”  No need to download or print!
2. Professional Bio, Resume or CV: No longer than 3 typed pages. Submit in .doc, .docx or .pdf format. (the form has a place for you to upload your resume)
3. Examples of previous artwork: Submit 2-10 digital images in .jpg format of past work. Please limit the file size of each image to 1MB or less.  Include images of at least 2 previous projects that are appropriate to the project conditions described above, and are of a similar size and budget to this commission opportunity.  You may submit any number of projects and any number of images for each project, but do not exceed the maximum of 10 total images. (the form has a place for you to upload up to 5 images if you have a Google account; if you don’t have a Google account, or want to share more than 5 images, there are instructions for how to do so via Dropbox or WeTransfer)
4. Image information sheet:  Submit a sheet with the following information about each submitted artwork example:  title, date completed, client/neighborhood/site name, total artwork budget, and a brief (1-2 sentences) description of the site and challenge, and how your artwork met the challenge. Include a directory of which image titles you have submitted are associated with each project. (Example, for an artist named Smith:  PROJECT X: images Smith1, Smith2, Smith3. … PROJECT Y: images Smith4, Smith5, Smith6.) Submit this sheet in .doc, .docx or .pdf format. (the form has a place for you to upload this information if you have a Google account; if you don’t have a Google account, there are instructions for how to share them with us via Dropbox or WeTransfer)

HOW TO SUBMIT

OPTION 1: All required information can be submitted via this form.

OPTION 2:  Submit the required information via Dropbox.com or WeTransfer.com. Send the link or sharing request to kateo@indyarts.org  

No emailed applications, please!

The uploaded form AND any sharing request must be date-stamped by 11:59 p.m. on December 1, 2019.

QUESTIONS?  Contact Kate Oberreich, Cultural Concierge, Indianapolis Artsgarden, kateo@indyarts.org, (317) 624-2563.