Call Detail
Call for Public Art: Liberty Plaza Mural, Ann Arbor, MI
Entry Deadline: 12/1/24
Days remaining to deadline: 21
Work Sample Requirements
Images | Minimum:Min. 5, Maximum:Max. 10
Video | Minimum:Min. 0, Maximum:Max. 2
Total Samples | Minimum:Min. 5, Maximum:Max. 10
Call Type: Public Art
Eligibility: National
State: Michigan
Budget: $35,000

OPPORTUNITY

The City of Ann Arbor Parks and Recreation and the Ann Arbor Downtown Development Authority (DDA) are collaborating to fund a mural installation in Liberty Plaza to enhance the downtown experience for all people.  They seek to commission an artist or artist team to design and paint the concrete walls in Liberty Plaza in downtown Ann Arbor, MI.  The three-tiered sunken plaza creates a unique urban canvas for artists to design a mural.  This project's design should be colorful, fun, and non-representational in subject.

PROJECT BACKGROUND

Liberty Plaza is a .26-acre urban plaza in downtown Ann Arbor, MI, located on the corner of Division Street and Liberty Avenue next to the Kempf House to the south and a private building and lot to the west.  It was designed by Chuck Cares and constructed in 1977.  The sunken plaza's spatial and formal design qualities follow modern-era landscape design traditions and is composed of 3 levels connected by stairs and ramps.  Each level is constructed of concrete walls of varying heights that create a unique opportunity for muralists to reinterpret and introduce new energy and interest in the plaza.  The park's spatial and programmatic relationship to neighboring buildings and lots has changed over the decades as retailers and restaurants have come and gone.  The park is shifting its programmatic focus to use as a flexible event space available for rental while remaining a daily park for leisure, open to the public year-round.  During the summer, Liberty Plaza hosts a free outdoor concert series, Sonic Lunch, on the upper level every Thursday from 11:30 AM to 1:30 PM.  Ann Arbor Parks and Recreation plans to update the landscaping in 2025 with colorful, bright, and showy plantings in the park's interior and green shrubbery on the perimeter.

Please reference the Site Information Packet for detailed information.

PROJECT DETAILS

Site 

To preview and download high-quality images of the site, please visit the Ann Arbor Art Center's Calls for Art webpage and click on the downloadable link. Site documents include:

  • Site Plan
  • Images of each level
  • 2025 Planting Concept Plan

Design Guidelines and Considerations

Below are general guidelines and design considerations for artwork.

  • Artwork can be proposed/installed in the following areas:
    • Concrete walls (vertical and horizontal surfaces), stairs (run and/or rise), railings, and the ground on the upper level.  Any painted groundwork should be secondary to the design.
    • The mural should concentrate in the center square of the park on the middle level as the primary focus and radiate towards the perimeter. Artists are not required to paint all walls or completely cover each wall's area with paint.
  • Artwork can not be proposed/installed in the following areas:
    • The benches can not be painted.
    • Some areas of the lowest level can not be painted.  Please reference the Site Information Packet for details.
  • Existing light covers on the concrete walls are no longer in use.  It is yet to be determined if these covers will remain or be filled in.
  • The City of Ann Arbor Parks and Recreation plans to put a storage container on the park's northwest corner. Any work proposed here may or may not be covered at a future date. If necessary, the finalist will have the opportunity to speak with the DDA and Parks and Recreation about a possible plan to reconnect the design.

Other guidelines

  • Designs may not include letters, words, or numbers.
  • Designs may not include any logos, trademarked materials, commercial imagery, or any sort of advertising.
  • Designs may not contain sexual imagery or depict violence.
  • Designs may not be religious or political in nature or contain imagery that is considered sacred by any people.
  • Designs must be original artwork.

Budget

The budget for this commission is $35,000, which will be allocated to the final artist/team selected. This contract amount is inclusive of all costs associated with the project, including, but not limited to: the artist's design fee, artist's assistant costs, other consultation fees, insurance, tools, equipment, materials, supplies, fabrication, transportation, installation, travel to and from the site, per diem expenses, project documentation, a contingency to cover unexpected expenses, and any other costs.  The selected artist and any subcontractors they use will be required to have insurance. The amount and type may vary depending on the nature of the proposal.

Materials + Maintenance

All applicants must consider the issues of long-term conservation and maintenance of public art, along with time and budget. This project is in the public realm and will be exposed to physical stresses and potential vandalism. The artwork should be fabricated of highly durable exterior-grade paint. An anti-graffiti coating will be required. Paint on the ground should be slip-resistant.

The DDA and the City of Ann Arbor will review the final artist's proposal and contract to ensure conformity with city standards of maintenance and durability and American Disability Act (ADA) standards.

APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS 

Please submit the following application requirements.  

  • Written Proposal Statement
  • Sketch showing a site-specific design concept
  • CV/Resume
  • 3 References
  • Artist Bio
  • 5-10 Past Work Images.  Videos are permitted too.

Eligibility

The DDA and City of Ann Arbor Parks and Recreation are seeking artists or artist teams who can commit to working in Ann Arbor as necessary to fulfill the responsibilities of this project. Any artist or artist team residing in the United States can apply, including applicants currently on a U.S. Visa.  Applicants on a U.S. Visa must be able to legally work in the United States and provide documentation with their application. 

SELECTION PROCESS

The selection process shall be a two-stage effort.   A panel of representatives from the DDA, City of Ann Arbor, Ann Arbor Parks and Recreation, and other designees will review applications.  Applicants will be evaluated based on the following criteria:  

  • Artist Written Proposal Statement and Site Specific Visual Concept
  • Quality, creativity, and strength of past work examples
  • Demonstrated experience, interest, and qualifications to complete a permanent, durable, outdoor public artwork within budget, timeline, and technical constraints.
  • Artist Resume and References
  • Alignment with project goals

The selection panel will choose three semi-finalists. The three semi-finalists will further their concept and site-specific proposals and renderings for the DDA's final selection. These artists or artist teams will then be interviewed in person or virtually. Artists will be paid a $500 honorarium for this work.  Semi-finalists must submit a complete W-9 to receive payment, and the final selected artist will sign a contract for the artwork provided by the City.

Timeline

All dates except the submission deadline are approximate, subject to change, and are presented for guidance only. 

  • Call Submission Deadline: December 1st, 2024 at 11:59pm Eastern Time
  • 3 Semi-finalists Selected: late December 2024
  • Semi-finalists Proposals Due and Interviews coordinated: late January 2025
  • Finalist Awarded: February - March 2025
  • Project Completion and Installation:  Summer/Fall 2025

SCOPE OF WORK

Final Artists Responsibilities

  • Conduct research to better understand the site, the project, the community's history, and current culture, along with any other elements deemed helpful to their creative process
  • Develop concepts and renderings for the project site
  • Present concepts and refinements for final design approval
  • Work in collaboration with the DDA and the City of Ann Arbor when finalizing their designs for installation
  • Source specific materials, prime the installation area, collaborate with fabricators or technicians as necessary, and acquire any equipment needed for installation.
  • Fulfill the responsibilities within the contracted budget and timeline
  • Participate in an unveiling ceremony

FOR QUESTIONS:

This Call for Art is managed in collaboration with the DDA and City of Ann Arbor Parks and Recreation by the Ann Arbor Art Center’s Art in Public Program.  Please direct your questions to The Ann Arbor Art Center artinpublic@annarborartcenter.org | 734-926-4122

ABOUT ANN ARBOR ART CENTER

For over a century, the nonprofit A2AC (Ann Arbor Art Center) has sparked creativity in people of all ages, backgrounds, and artistic abilities. Our mission is to be a contemporary forum for the visual arts through education, exploration, collaboration, and exhibition. We aim to engage minds, expand perspectives, and inspire growth in students of all ages, teachers, artists, and the community. We are empowered to carry out our mission through the support of individuals, corporations, and foundations who believe in the value of our work and in creativity’s essential role in sustaining and elevating our everyday experience. In fulfilling our mission, the Art Center is a regional visual arts hub. It prioritizes the long-standing partnerships we cultivate as a keystone for Ann Arbor’s healthy cultural and civic life ecosystem.

Application Requirements

Written Proposal Statement 

Site-specific sketch, photo, rendering, or other

CV/Resume

3 References

Artist Bio

5-10 Past Work Images.  Videos are permitted too.

Eligibility Criteria

The DDA and City of Ann Arbor Parks and Recreation are seeking artists or artist teams who can commit to working in Ann Arbor as necessary to fulfill the responsibilities of this project. Any artist or artist team residing in the United States can apply, including applicants currently on a U.S. Visa.  Applicants on a U.S. Visa must be able to legally work in the United States and provide documentation with their application.