INTRODUCTION

Language from https://www.smalltownbig.org/nfc.html

Developed through a 2018 Our Town grant by the National Endowment for the Arts, SMALL TOWN * BIG ART is a creative placemaking collaboration of the County of Maui + Hale Hōʻikeʻike at the Bailey House / Maui Historical Society + Maui Public Art Corps working to develop an arts district celebrating the distinctive sense of place, history and culture of Wailuku, Hawai‘i. The initiative pairs professional artists with community consultants to co-create visual, performance and experiential art installations that align with ‘ōlelo from Mary Kawena Pukui’s ‘Ōlelo No‘eau: Hawaiian Proverbs and Poetical Sayings.

In response to the positive community response and impacts seen in Wailuku, new grants have been awarded to help scale this work to a countywide initiative. Through a new partnership with the Hawaii Medical Service Association (HMSA) and the National Fitness Campaign, whose mission is to build healthy communities, two outdoor Fitness Court installations are coming to the County of Maui. With a 224 square foot sheer wall backing the structures, each Fitness Court presents an opportunity for an artist or artists to create a statement piece that enhances and enriches the site, as well as addresses the public input received in our recent Maui County Public Art Community Survey to produce art that preserves local stories, environment and history. 

PROJECT

SMALL TOWN * BIG ART is seeking qualified artists or teams of artists to create mural designs for new Fitness Courts in Kahului. These structures will be located at Keōpūolani Regional Park and Kahului Community Center Park (see map). Each rear wall is 384”w x 85.75”h (32’ x ~7’) and will be a large artistic focal piece at each site. The final artwork may be either digital art or a high-resolution image of work produced in another 2D media, and must incorporate the color Pantone 2191C. The art will then be transferred into a vinyl wrap that will cover the rear wall of the Fitness Court per the template below (PDF|AI). For each of the 2 structures, the selected artist/s will receive a commission of $5,000 to design the site-specific final artwork. The Fitness Courts are scheduled to be installed as early as September of 2023. (Please note: ​National Fitness Campaign's graphic design team will lift portions of the selected designs to repurpose within 4 front wall art windows. Artists applying for this opportunity are welcome to include their own designs within these 4 areas; but it is not required). 

OUR PROCESS

1. Call to artists (4-6 weeks): We work with CaFÉ when a new public art project opportunity arises. Artists share their ideas, samples and references, and a community panel makes recommendations on the most promising projects.

2. Project development (2-3 weeks): Our team workshops top proposals to determine a fit as well as possible activities for broad engagement, mentors, and opportunities to connect to a sense of place. Artists are invited, contracted and connected to project collaborators.

3. Community engagement (2-12 weeks): Together, the artist, program partners and project collaborators gather community input on your project proposal in order to create a revised blueprint. This has included free artist workshops, community consultations, live paint days, field trips and storytelling events — but we are always open to new ideas!

4. Proverb identification: Artists work with Hale Hōʻikeʻike at the Bailey House/ Maui Historical Society to connect community input with ‘ōlelo from Mary Kawena Pūkuʻi’s ‘Ōlelo No‘eau: Hawaiian Proverbs and Poetical Sayings.

5. Presentation: The final public artwork is shared with an unveiling, performance, and/ or blessing that articulates the intention, acknowledges the many hands and many voices that contributed to the work, and offers a request + opportunity to experience the art collectively.

6. Exchange: A project web page is created with process + product images, stories, media coverage, artist statement and, (since the onset of the pandemic), a short documentary that offers varying perspectives of the artwork to help spur a dialogue. Applicable works are added to the Hoʻokamaʻāina​ app and included in public art tours. 

PROJECTED TIMELINE:

• Call For Artists Released: Jul 1, 2023
• Application Deadline: Jul 31, 11:59 PM in Mountain Time Zone (Denver, CO, USA)
• Evaluation Panel: Aug 4
• Contracts Complete: Aug 11
• Final Design Concepts Deadline: Aug 25
• Design Approval Complete By: Aug 30
• Fitness Courts Installation: Fall 2023

EVALUATION 

The selected artists will be commissioned to co-develop an innovative project with our team that engages a diverse public audience. Themes must address the distinct sense of place, history and/ or culture of the site where the artwork will be installed. County of Maui reserves the right to reject any and all applications, to waive any irregularities in the applications received and to accept the applications that are in the best interest of the County. Applications will be reviewed by an evaluation panel with selection criteria aimed at quality, style, experience in creating communal or public art, significance to place and a proven track record of successful collaboration work. All applications must be submitted by the marked deadline. 

Application Requirements

​Applications will only be received via CaFÉ and will not be accepted after the marked deadline. Applicants may apply as a single artist or multi-person collaborative group. Please carefully review the application requirements before beginning the online application process, as incomplete applications will not be considered. If you are uploading .pdf documents, they must measure 8.5" x 11"

1. ​Artist/s Bio (as it would appear on our website)
2. Artist/s Résumé​ (Submit a one to two page current résumé that highlights your professional accomplishments as an artist or artist group. Please highlight experience in creating communal or public art and two references)
3. Statement of Interest (Please submit a statement briefly explaining your interest in SMALL TOWN * BIG ART, your design approach and your experience working with diverse stakeholders)
4. Project Description (You may select a proverb from ʻŌlelo Noʻeau: Hawaiian Proverbs & Poetical Sayings by Mary Kawena Pukui as a theme for your project, or, one will be selected with you during the project development stage. Explain why your art piece ties into the community. Include examples or opportunities for broad community engagement that specifically pertain to your proposed project).
5. Work samples
6. Concept design with an image of the proposed art piece (see template)
7. Notes (optional)

NOTE: The selected artist/s will receive a commission of $5,000 to design the site-specific final artwork. No additional compensation will be provided. 

Eligibility Criteria

All artists welcome.