The Batesville Area Arts Council’s HeART and Sole of Downtown Batesville project is seeking qualified artists or artist teams to create outdoor permanent art projects for multiple locations in downtown Batesville, Indiana. At least one art installation is planned before September 1, 2021.

Budget: $50,000 (for up to 2 locations)
Eligibility: Amateur or professional artists, age 18 or over
Deadline: 07/01/2020

Project Description
BAAC OUR TOWN – HeART and Sole of Downtown Batesville serves as an arts-based civic engagement process that promotes downtown Batesville and is intended to engage audiences of all ages. The HeART and Sole initiative seeks to build upon the successes of recently completed public art and placemaking projects. This project’s focus will be to continue to enliven downtown Batesville by building the concept and design for a Living Walnut Street Corridor, which includes a plan for streetscape transformation with a public art component. The project aligns with initiatives identified by the community, Batesville Main Street , the City of Batesville’s strategic plan for attracting investment and creating a more vibrant and thriving downtown.

Our Town Batesville Public Art seeks qualified artists to design and create exterior art projects for a series of locations in downtown Batesville. The artwork will enhance the overall character and atmosphere of the downtown core and support a welcoming environment. The design of each project should take into consideration the location of the wall, the architecture of the structure, the viewing angles of the surface and the impact on the surrounding area.Local, regional and national artists and designers are invited to submit design ideas, total size not to exceed a dimension that equals the same total surface area, for spaces identified below.

Artists who have demonstrated experience will complete the project independently and/or with a crew, if approved by project organizers . The Public Art selection team for HeART and Sole will meet with the mural team for a design consultation and provide initial oversight and timeline. Our Town Batesville strives to create artwork which reflects aesthetic and technical quality, innovation, site-specificity and civic engagement. To ensure that the artwork meets the expectations of staff, neighborhood residents, and other stakeholders, the selected artists may be required to participate in a local design process. This process includes place-based research, site visits and design meetings.

Artwork Location Description

Location 1:  Hillrom Training Center Clocktower – 1 South Main St., Batesville IN. 3 sides only of 4 sided clocktower and tower. The submitted design may include other decor and applications for parts of the front building facade. Width is 12’6” of east clock face.

Location 2: Hillrom AP Building metal warehouse addition on corner of Walnut and George St., added in 1990’s to original brick building.
Portion or all of East facing metal facade. Artwork will be permanently fixed in front of this facade on the sidewalk…south to north towards brick 28’ +33’6” + 34′ + 36′ + 29’.

Selection Process

The selection process will include a review by a peer panel and advisors who will review all interested applicants’ proposals and materials. Finalists will be asked to make a formal presentation before the review panel. The 4 Finalists will each be provided $250 award to cover costs for submission of a full proposal.

• Up to 4 designs and their artists will be short-listed for interviews for each location opportunity based on the qualifications and criteria listed in this call for artists.
• The 4 finalists will each receive a $250 finalist award.
• A finalist/artwork proposal will be selected from a short presentation and interview.
• Note: Applicants must complete a separate application for each location

Selection Criteria

• Quality of concept, design, and craftsmanship of past works;
• Creativity of approach
• Relevance of concept proposal
  • Visually engages and is contextually responsive to the community.
  • Creates a sense of “place.”
  • Produces high quality, innovative and meaningful artwork.
  • Connects/articulates architectural form, massing and detailing.
  • Integrates art into the fabric of the City.
• Visual and technical sophistication
• Meets the programmatic requirements efficiently and creatively.
• Adds value beyond the expectations of the program without increase in cost.
• Creates artwork that is durable, easily maintainable and has low operational cost.
• Mitigates any impacts to surrounding environment.
• Muralist has a demonstrated ability to quickly ascertain project requirements, and to work with difficult materials, restricted site conditions and strict technical constraints.
• Ability of the artist to successfully execute the project within the project timeline and budget
• Ability of the artist to manage the design phase effectively to assure a high-quality design
• Ability of the artist to take direction from the Public art team and/or all stakeholders involved in the design of the mural

What to Submit

1. Written, artist bio (not to exceed 2500 characters, approximately 500 words). Please provide a short artist bio speaking directly to your history and experience as an artist. Please include information on your history working with community. Include contact information for two professional references who can speak to your experience, capability, ability to work on time and on budget, and the quality of your work. Contact information only.
2. Please describe roughly what you might install. Describe the methods and materials you plan to use in the installation. Discuss your inspiration and what themes you might address in the project and how your work will connect to the overall public art theme. (Not to exceed 1500 characters, approximately 300 words) No full design proposals should be submitted at this time. Finalists will be notified and provided a stipend to submit a full design proposal.
3. Provide up to eight (8) images of past artworks.

How to Submit

Apply online via the CaFE system, or email applications to anneraver@gmail.com and admin@baacindiana.org

To be considered, application materials must be received on or before July 1, 2020 at 5:00 PM CST. Any application materials received after the deadline will be filed for future projects.

QUESTIONS? Contact anneraver@gmail.com