The Florida Wildlife Corridor Foundation and City of Lakeland Community Redevelopment Agency is accepting qualifications from artists for a public art opportunity as part of the Florida Wildlife Corridor Foundations mural campaign. It is desired that the finished artwork(s) for this project be incorporated into the building’s exterior and physical site and should assist in creating an appealing, distinctive, menagerie of Florida Wildlife to raise awareness about Lakeland’s important connection in the Corridor and encourage preservation by educating visitors to the area night and day, 365 days a year.
We are looking for artists with strong portfolios or qualifications of past work who demonstrate a proven track record of large-scale public art projects and experience in Florida Flora and Fauna, for public art. The mural should include a menagerie of Florida Wildlife to include land and sea/lake. Examples include Manatees, Florida Panthers, Alligators, Florida Black Bears, Sandhill Cranes, Swallow Tailed Kites, and / or Gopher Tortoises.
 

PROJECT BACKGROUND

The RP Funding Center, a highly accessible downtown events venue, is a multipurpose entertainment complex in Lakeland, Florida, comprising a convention center, arena and theater.   It is located at 701 Lime St, filling the block bounded by Sikes Bl, Lime St, and Main St.  The Hyatt Hotel and Springhill Suites are also within the boundary.

The Florida Wildlife Corridor Foundation

The Florida Wildlife Corridor Foundation champions a collaborative campaign to permanently connect, protect and restore the Florida Wildlife Corridor – a statewide network of connected lands and waters that supports wildlife and people. The organization aligns efforts to lead conservation of the Corridor’s highest priorities, accelerates connectivity by providing tools and resources that elevate partners’ work, and celebrates collective Corridor successes through storytelling and art. Corridor Foundation programs include the multi-day summit called Corridor Connect, expeditions, film screenings and presentations, the Corridor mural campaign, and sharing a window into wild Florida through exhibits, installations, and their gallery. These actions raise awareness of the Corridor and inspire support statewide and beyond for the protection of the urgent, vulnerable, and irreplaceable gaps in the Corridor.
https://floridawildlifecorridor.org/ social media @FloridaWildlifeCorridor

The wall space is 14ft tall x 80 ft wide

Application Requirements

Artists will submit their rendering (UPLOAD WHERE SAMPLE WORKS ARE UPLOADED AND LABEL RENDERING) and qualifications as portfolios, CVs, an artist statement, letter of interest, references, and any other relevant information to establish their capabilities. From this, the Artist Selection Panel will select a finalist who is most qualified for this project. 

Eligibility Criteria

The artist will be selected based on the following criteria, as evidenced in application materials and conversations with listed references: artistic merit in design and demonstrated ability to complete project on time and within budget.

MAINTENANCE, SAFETY, MATERIALS AND LONGEVITY

Artists (or artist teams) must demonstrate a history of translating artistic concepts into a mural rendering that is appropriate for public space, taking into consideration maintenance, safety and longevity. The longevity or lifespan of each work and its maintenance to sustain excellent condition will be discussed at the outset of negotiations to produce a Maintenance Plan. Artists (or artist teams) will take this into account including warrantee when developing and executing the required work.

 An Artist Selection Panel is charged with reviewing project goals and artist applications and recommending finalists for the project. The Florida Wildlife Corridor Foundation will approve the final artwork(s) and the City of Lakeland Community Redevelopment Agency will contract with the artist. The Artist Selection Panel is comprised of representatives from the Florida Wildlife Corridor Foundation, the City of Lakeland Community Redevelopment Agency, and RP Funding.