Request for Proposals, A New View Camden
City of Camden, New Jersey

The City of Camden, partnering with Cooper’s Ferry Partnership and Rutgers-Camden Center for the Arts, was awarded a Bloomberg Philanthropies Public Art Challenge grant for A New View Camden. “Illegal dumping is unsightly, unlawful, and costs the city over $4 million annually. This winning project provides a unique way to bring together residents and artists to address this issue with creativity and create a brighter future for Camden. I have made solving this problem the cornerstone of my administration.” – Camden Mayor Francisco Moran

A New View Camden invites artists to use materials, spaces and time in a transformative way to reinforce the perception of the city as a place of creative possibility, on sites that were previously associated with illegal dumping. A New View Camden is accepting proposals for the design, fabrication, installation and removal of artwork to be created by artists with a track record that demonstrates their ability to work at a scale commensurate with outdoor sites. Depending on the location, the work placed on these sites will be visible to pedestrians, cyclists, automobile drivers, and public transit users. The choice of working methods (fabrication) may potentially engage residents, including using Camden and area facilities for fabrication. The project and the description of the sites is available online at http://www.anewviewcamden.com

Eligibility:

The project is open to all visual and performing artists, age 18 and over, regardless of race, color, religion, national origin, gender, age, military status, sexual orientation, marital status, or physical or mental disability. Local artists are encouraged to apply. Artist teams are eligible to apply, including teams from multiple disciplines.

 Criteria:

• The artist(s) shall demonstrate the professional artistic experience to fulfill the requirements of this project either in studio, education, community, employment and/or art projects and the ability to undertake the design, creation and installation of the project within the established time frame.

• The artist(s) selected will preferably have experience with meaningful community engagement in the creation, fabrication and/or interpretation of the artwork.  Local ambassadors will assist artists by facilitating dialogue about the work with residents and visitors.

• The work created must withstand outdoor weather conditions for a period of up to six months, and conform with established safety norms while allowing for public interaction with the artwork and the site.

• The work selected for the project is intended to be temporary, and will be removed at the end of the project. There are no resources for maintenance of installed artwork(s) beyond the period of the grant. Site security will be provided from installation to de-installation.

• Selected artwork must be installed by May 30, 2020 and removed by October 31, 2020.

Budget:

The budget proposals for each site for the completed and delivered artwork, may not exceed $100,000. Budget items should include artist’s honorarium, fabrication, materials, shipping, and travel and lodging expenses necessary to complete the project, any incidental expenses, and engagement with the community.

In-kind support for installation and materials may be provided based on the success of A New View Camden securing additional regional support for the project. Additional money may be available for public programming.

Artists own their work; at the end of the project they can keep the work or dispose all or any part of the work as appropriate. However, exhibiting artwork may not be removed until A New View Camden has ended on October 31, 2020.  The City of Camden, NJ and its A New View Camden partners shall have the first right of refusal for purchase. 

Application Requirements

Eligibility Criteria