Project Background  

Recognizing that public art can have a significant beneficial impact upon the transportation system and the communities that it serves, NJ TRANSIT (NJT) initiated a Transit Arts Program in June 1994. The Transit Arts Program identifies opportunities for public art to be integrated into the system and establishes a process for artist selection and art fabrication. In 2019, NJ TRANSIT partnered with the New Jersey State Council on the Arts to create a temporary art program, showcasing local artists’ work, for several months each year, at various transportation hubs in New Jersey. A Transit Arts Selection Committee (TAC), made up of stakeholders, including members of the local community, will review and score artists’ submissions.   

Project Description   

The Walter Rand Transportation Center (WRTC) is a transportation hub located at Martin Luther King Boulevard and Broadway in Camden, New Jersey. It serves NJ TRANSIT Buses and the RiverLINE Light Rail. The surface-level bus transfer center opened on May 17, 1989, as Camden Transportation Center and was renamed in 1994 for Walter Rand, a former New Jersey State Senator, who specialized in transportation issues while serving in both houses of the New Jersey Legislature. River Line service began on March 15, 2004.   

This call seeks submissions from three (3) artists or artist teams for visual artwork, which will be printed on vinyl banners and installed by NJ Transit in the spaces specified below. Artists may either submit images of completed works, with the intention that those works will be considered for printing, or they may submit a brief description and supporting images that describe a more conceptual approach to the opportunity for temporary vinyl mural(s). Ultimately, the selected artists will be expected to provide digital files of the artworks chosen to NJ Transit for fabrication and installation. NJ Transit’s Transit Arts team will work with the artists chosen to ensure the files submitted are of the size, type, and quality needed for large-format printing.  

Artists are encouraged to consider the ridership and public nature of art in transit spaces. Additionally, artists should consider their artwork in relation to the place and scale of the exhibit's site locations. The Art Selection Committee will review each completed application received and will select the artists for commission. In addition to the commission of their work, the artists’ names and images of the project will be shared with the public through NJ Transit and the State Arts Council's social media and other communication platforms.    

Artists should submit examples of their previously completed work, an artist statement regarding their experience and interest in this project (required), and if desired, an optional short narrative of their project idea for consideration, including proposed location(s). Application materials must be submitted through the Call for Entry online system, as described in detail below.  

More than one location may be proposed within one application; however, the committee seeks to highlight one artist or artist team per location. Original work only. Content should also be appropriate for a public setting. 

NJ TRANSIT accepts ONLY digital images /files of works in the format of: 

• Drawing (charcoal, graphite, pastel, pen & ink)
• Graphics (digital illustration, printmaking, etc.)
• Mixed Media / Painting (acrylic, gouache, oil, watercolor)
• Photography
• Other non-moving art forms that can be represented in digital images; see more below.

Submitted works could be work in a native digital format (digital photos, drawings, paintings, etc.) OR high-quality digital images of other kinds of artworks. Artist submissions could be conceptual and provide descriptions of how the art form could be visually showcased. For example: Literary work could be included if there is a visual concept for its display within the parameters of the project and its locations.  

This call will not consider: 

• moving images (films, animations, etc.)
• performative work

NJ TRANSIT will be translating the final artwork designs into vinyl applications and banners. 

Make sure to include the specifications of each piece. Final approved digital art should be submitted as ai. file format. 

Locations for Arts Inclusion  

Click the "View Site Details" link above. It will open an image that highlights the designated sites for the art installations. 

For this call for artists, the following 3 (three) locations should be considered.  

• WRTC Bus Exterior Wall (24’ x 11’)
• WRTC Bus Interior Red Band Wrap (24” x 6’ sections)
• WRTC Bus Interior Glazing (7’ x 6’ each window)

There is an additional site that is part of the same project but is a separate call. Please see TRANSITional Art Project: Camden Walter Rand - Lamp Posts Exhibition HERE for more information and to apply. 

Application Requirements

All submissions must be submitted in Callforentry.org (CAFE). This is a free online portal for artists, but it requires artists register and upload images of their artwork. The artwork in the artists’ CAFE account can then be submitted for consideration to this call.  

Artists who require more information about CAFE can access online resources here to assist them in registering and setting up their CAFE account: 

https://www.callforentry.org/artist-help-cafe/how-to-apply-artists/  

Artist Work Samples (required): 

Interested artists should submit at least four (4) and no more than ten (10) proposed or previously completed artworks for consideration. Digital images and short videos are acceptable submissions and should be uploaded in CAFE for submission.   

Artists must provide a statement discussing the following (Required): 

1. A brief biography discussing your relevant experiences as an artist.
2. Description of your interest in this project.
3. If you have a strong connection to the Camden community, please describe it there.

Artists may also upload a brief narrative (Optional):  

• Discuss the vision for the use of your artwork within the context of the available sites. NO MORE THAN TWO (2) pages long.

Selection Process   

The NJ Transit TRANSITional Art Selection Committee includes members of the Camden community, NJ Transit staff, and representatives from the State Arts Council. The committee will review application materials and make final selection decisions.  

The committee seeks artwork that is appropriate for public display, and will not include images depicting violence, nudity or that are sexual or political in nature in the project. The committee reserves the right to reject any or all entries at any time in the review and selection process.  

Selection Criteria 

It is recommended that the artist (artist team) consider the TRANSITional Art Project goals when making their proposals. The goals of this program are to connect NJ Transit riders and the Walter Rand Transit Center/Camden community with new, stimulating art experiences in their daily lives and to provide New Jersey artists both exhibition opportunities and a supportive experience creating public art in transit spaces.    

Jury Process 

The committee will rate each of the artists and their proposal based on the following criteria: 

• The artistic quality of the proposed artwork.
• Appropriateness of proposed artwork to the site and objective of the project.
• Potential for positive experiences or interactions with the proposed work by NJ Transit riders and the local community (the intended audience of the work)
• Willingness and availability of the artist to carry out the project in coordination with the project team or any ongoing/pending construction by NJ TRANSIT.
• Priority will be given to applicants who demonstrate a strong connection to the city of Camden.

Project Budget

The TRANSITional Art Project will provide a $1,500 stipend to each selected artist or artist team, which can be used toward project costs and artistic fees as needed. NJ Transit will manage the logistics and labor of printing and installing the artwork.     

Contract

Upon selection and final design approval, the artist must complete a contract with NJ Transit for stipend payment. 

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility

This project is open to artists/artist teams who are at least 21 years of age, and legally able to complete a contract with NJ Transit. Artists (individuals or all team members) must live in Camden County and must be current residents of the State of New Jersey. Preference will be considered for artists with a strong connection to Camden. Artist/teams must be able to work effectively and collaboratively with the NJ Transit Arts Team to further develop their initial proposal idea to a final approved project. Further, artists should consider the project timeline expectations prior to submitting a proposal. Artists who are not available to provide the necessary files to complete the installation of artwork are not eligible for this project. See the timeline section below.   

Timeline:   

Call for Artists Opens: March 8, 2023

Tech Assistance/Artist Q&A: March 14, 2023 (See more information below)

Deadline for artist submissions: April 10, 2023  

Art Selection Committee Review: April - May 2023 

Decisions will be announced no later than mid-June 2023 

Project installations scheduled for late June – August 2023 

Project Opening: September 2023  

Exhibit Through: November 2023 

Q & A Session: March 14, 2023, 5 - 6 pm via ZOOM 

Access the Recording of the Q&A Session Here!

If you require accessibility accommodations, please contact Danielle Bursk at danielle.bursk@sos.nj.gov or 609-633-1184 at least 2 days prior to the event. 

More Questions?    

Technical assistance using CAFÉ is available at:  https://www.callforentry.org/artist-help-cafe/   

Please direct any questions about the space, project or program to Christine Blanco, Manager of New Jersey Transit’s Transit Arts Programs at cblanco@njtransit.com or by phone 973-491-8243.  

Please direct any other questions regarding this opportunity to Danielle Bursk, Director of Artist Services, or Steph Nerbak, Artist Services Program Associate of the New Jersey State Council on the Arts, at Danielle.bursk@sos.nj.gov , 609-633-1184, or Stephanie.nerbak@sos.nj.gov.