INTRODUCTION
The Office of Arts & Culture (ARTS), in partnership with Seattle Public Utilities (SPU), invites artists to submit images of two-dimensional artwork and wall hanging sculptures for a competitive purchase for SPU’s Portable Works Collection. Maximum measurements for work is 48 x 48 x 5 inches and should not weigh more than 50 pounds. Artwork not conforming to these qualifications may be disqualified. The artwork will enter a rotating portable works collection and objects may need to be moved by one person.

Artists working with a colorful palette are encouraged to apply. The artwork must be available for purchase. Purchases will be chosen by a panel who are charged with selecting artwork that reflects diversity of expression. The call is open to professional artists residing in Washington, Oregon, British Columbia, Montana, Idaho, and Alaska.

Applications close 10:59 p.m., Friday, July 5, 2019 (Pacific Daylight Time).


BACKGROUND
The City of Seattle owns over 3,000 portable artworks in its Civic Art Collection and has been collecting for over 40 years. These artworks will enter the Seattle Public Utilities Portable Works Collection managed by the Office of Arts & Culture. They will be displayed throughout city galleries and offices.

About Seattle Public Utilities
Seattle Public Utilities provides Seattle residents with essential water services: drinking water from mountain sources, and sewer and drainage collection to protect our local waterways. Our customers depend on us to be there for them--to deliver these services reliably and spend their dollars wisely. To accomplish this, SPU manages and maintains over 3,700 miles of water, sewer and drainage pipes and related systems that connect to every house and building in the City. SPU is the unseen structure, often underground, that makes the City work—it continually upgrades and maintains its systems to ensure that Seattle has 24/7 utility services. Through SPU’s Environmental Justice and Service Equity Division, SPU engages communities of color, immigrants and refugees, customers with low income, and customers with limited English proficiency as partners and collaborators in improving Seattle’s quality of life. SPU would like to use art as a platform for all of Seattle’s diverse residents to show the importance water quality has on all of our lives. This project is made possible with SPU 1% for Art funds.  


ELIGIBILITY
This call is open to professional artists who are residents of the Pacific Northwest (Washington, Oregon, British Columbia, Montana, Idaho, and Alaska). Galleries may submit applications on behalf of their artists; please see gallery-specific application instructions below.


SCOPE OF WORK
Two-dimensional media and wall hanging sculpture will be considered for purchase. Maximum measurements for work is 48 x 48 x 5 inches and should not weigh more than 50 pounds. Artwork not conforming to these dimensions may be disqualified. The artwork will enter a rotating portable works collection and objects may need to be moved by one person. Artists may submit up to four images of available work. Artists from outside the Seattle area must include shipping costs for each artwork (as a separate line item) on the image description form.

These artworks will enter the Seattle Public Utilities Portable Works Collection managed by the Office of Arts & Culture. They will be displayed throughout city galleries and offices.


BUDGET
A total of up to $100,000 for all artworks is available for this direct purchase.


APPLICATION DEADLINE
10:59 p.m. Pacific Daylight Time, Friday, July 5, 2019. Please allow ample time to complete your application; applications submitted after the 10:59 p.m. PDT deadline will not be accepted.


APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS

• Up to Four Images of Available Work:  If you are submitting less than four available artworks, you must upload a blank slide. You may download a blank slide here. Do not submit images of artworks that are not available for direct purchase. If any submitted artwork is no longer available please contact Blake Haygood, Curator and Collections Manager, at 206.784.7132 or Blake.Haygood@seattle.gov.
• Image Descriptions (not to exceed 1,000 characters per image):  Please describe your work samples by including title, year made, medium, dimensions, and price. Artists from outside the Seattle area must include shipping costs for each artwork (as a separate line item) on the image description form.
• Artist’s Statement (not to exceed 2,000 characters):  Please write a brief description of your artistic intent.
• Résumé

APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS FOR GALLERIES
If you are applying on behalf of an artist represented by your gallery, please follow the instructions below to ensure the correct applicant name is included with the submitted materials. You must create or use a unique account for each of your artists.

1. If you don’t already have a CaFÉ account, you may create one here.
2. Once you are logged in to CaFÉ, please click the “My Profile” tab to set-up or modify your profile.
3. Please enter the artist’s name in the spaces for First Name and Last Name.
4. Your gallery name can be entered in the space for Business or Studio Name.
5. You may complete the rest of the profile information fields using details for either the artist or gallery as you prefer. The contact information you include here will be used by ARTS for notification of selection results.
6. Once you have completed your profile, please click the “Update My Profile” button at the bottom of the page to save your changes.
7. You may then complete your application on behalf of the artist named in your profile.

NOTE:  If you are submitting applications on behalf of multiple artists represented by your gallery, you must create an account and repeat the steps above before completing each application. This will ensure that each application is submitted under the correct artist name.

If you need assistance with this process, please contact Lizzy Melton, Panel Coordinator, at 206.727.8668 or Lizzy.Melton@seattle.gov.


SELECTION CRITERIA
Artwork will be selected on the basis of the following criteria:  artistic merit, appropriateness for the public setting and the existing collection, artistic diversity of the collection, and completeness of application.

The Office of Arts & Culture is committed to reflecting the diversity and cultural richness of our city in the selection of artists and artworks.


SELECTION PROCESS
Fresh Perspectives II brings youth voice, eye, and vantage point into the City’s collection. Most portable artworks are selected by a panel of arts professionals. By having a panel of five to seven youth select works for purchase directly from digital submissions, we can bring new and diverse ideas into our collection. The panelists were chosen by four area high school teaching artists. Artists are encouraged to look at the mission of SPU when selecting artworks for this call.  

Diversity within the collection is highly encouraged. However, artworks that contain graphic depictions of violence, sexually explicit imagery, and/or nudity are extremely difficult to display.


NOTIFICATION OF RESULTS
All notifications regarding application status will be provided via the CaFÉ system. Artists who apply will be notified of the selection panel’s decisions by early September 2019.

The Office of Arts & Culture reserves the right not to select any of the applicants.


WE’RE HERE TO HELP
Please contact Blake Haygood at Blake.Haygood@seattle.gov or 206.684.7132, or Elisheba Johnson at Elisheba.Johnson@seattle.gov or 206.684.0182 with any questions.

Attend a workshop
Wednesday, June 19, 2019
6 – 7:00 pm
Langston Hughes Performing Arts Institute
104 17th Ave S.
Seattle, WA 98144
Map
Please RSVP to Blake Haygood at Blake.Haygood@seattle.gov.

Technical Support
For assistance with the CaFÉ online application process, please contact CaFÉ tech support at 888.562.7232 or cafe@westaf.org, Monday-Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Pacific Daylight Time.

Application Requirements

Eligibility Criteria

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