The One Columbia Public Art Roster is a curated list that serves as a resource for One Columbia public art selection committees and as a reference for external organizations and private entities.  The Roster may be used in combination with an open call or invitational or as the sole resources for identifying appropriate artists/teams for a project when the project requirements make it useful; an expedited selection process, need for a specific skillset, or a curated opportunity.

This application process is used to add new artists and teams to the pre-qualified list. Every year, a call will be held to select artists for the Public Artist Roster. A panel made up of artists and arts professionals review each application. Each applicant’s portfolio, interest in working with One Columbia, and community engagement experience are factors in this review process.

There is no application fee.

If you apply for the Roster, it means you are willing to:

• Design and propose artworks. Project managers, professional conservators, and local stakeholders all may be involved in the review and approval of your work.
• Travel to the project site. You should be prepared to meet with selection committees, project managers, community members, and developers/builders.
• Work within fixed budgets.
• Maintain registration as a One Columbia, and in some cases, City of Columbia, and Richland County vendor. You must adhere to relevant City and State permitting and licensing requirements. This includes those relating to sub-contracting and the paying of prevailing wages.
• Enter into contracts with One Columbia. You must fulfill contract requirements, including paying applicable taxes and insurance requirements. Terms and stipulations of contract will vary based on project.

Application Requirements

Before applying, please read the following information:

Artist Preapplication Checklist

• Read the guidelines.
• Make sure you are eligible.
• Choose at least three images of artworks and up to three videos to use in your application.
• Format and resize images.
• Gather artwork info: title, date, dimensions, medium, commissioning agency, and location.
• Write brief descriptions (two - three sentences) for each image.
• Review your artist statement.
• Review your resume.

Tips for Choosing Images

• Images should best represent your most current work.
• Images should show the spectrum of variety in your work (media, sites, concepts).
• If you have fewer than three representative artworks to highlight, consider choosing more than one image of a single artwork (details, different perspectives, or night/day views).
• If you have too many images, choose what best demonstrates your strengths for the types of
  projects you would like to create in the future.
• Please do not submit composite images.
• You can include concept renderings for unrealized artwork.
• Please pay close attention to Image Formatting and Size Requirements: JPG or PNG only; 1200 pixels on longest side, 72 dpi minimum; Under 1.5 MB file size.

Tips for Listing Artwork Information

• Commissioning Agency: If not applicable, write studio work, private commission, or concept rendering.
• Location: where the artworks were installed (if applicable). Please include the city.
• Image descriptions: Good descriptions give added information about the artwork such as concepts, symbolism, ideas, context, situation etc. Avoid repeating information provided elsewhere (title, size, media, date, site, size).

Tips for Artist Statements

Describe the focus of your studio work or public art practice. Include the media in which you are most fluent and the concepts that inform your approach to site specific public art. If there is a mission/philosophy that informs your vision, perspective, and/or approach to making art that you want selection committees to be aware of, please address this in your statement. 
 

Eligibility Criteria

You are eligible to apply to the Public Artist Roster if you:

• Are a professional visual artist or an artist team. (Teams of up to five artists may apply. Team members cannot apply as individual artists. Portfolios should include works created by the team and not those of the individuals on the team.)
• Are a US citizen or can be authorized to work in the United States. South Carolina artists are preferred.
• Create public art or artwork well suited for public spaces.
• Are not a student enrolled in an undergraduate or graduate course of study in the visual arts at the time you apply.
• If you works follows into one or more of the following categories:
  • Public Art – for artists/ teams that create standalone works for the public environment that are permanent or temporary in nature and whose works possess the appropriate durability for the lifespan of that art.
  • Creative Placemaking/Placekeeping Practice – for artists/teams that focus on engagement through personal interaction and or ephemeral artwork which facilitates collaboration between artists, and communities. This category also serves as a resource for artist-driven community engagement that occurs during events.
  • Media Arts – for artists/teams that focus on work that is either produced, modified, and transmitted by means of digital technologies, such as video/photography, monitor/LED screens, projections, virtual reality, augmented reality, sound installations, and locative media.
  • Murals – for artist/teams with a range of artistic styles and techniques that design and paint large-scale works for architectural features, walls, and/or art on materials to be affixed to those structures.
  • Integrated/Infrastructure – for artist/teams with design practices that can be integrated into a wide range of projects including building design, works integrated into buildings, civic projects and works incorporated into landscape design.

Completing your application
Artists should carefully consider and review their materials before application. If accepted to the roster, each of the project commissioning committees will review this portfolio.

 The following materials are required:

• At least three images of your artworks. You may also include up to three videos.
• Artwork information for each image (title, date, dimensions, medium, commissioning agency, location, brief description for each image)
• Artist’s statement
• Letter of Interest
• Current contact information