Back to Top

The 2022 Special Olympics USA Games is now accepting applications for the design and build of the 2022 Special Olympics USA Games Cauldron.

Project Description (About the Special Olympics USA Games Cauldron):

The Special Olympics USA Games cauldron is one of the most iconic objects of the Games. It is the structure lit by the Flame of Hope at the culmination of the Opening Ceremony, which will be held at Exploria Stadium. The lighting of the cauldron is the most anticipated moment of the ceremony and is a highlight of the ESPN national broadcast, as well as the "hero" shot for media. After the conclusion of Opening Ceremony, the cauldron will move to ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex at Walt Disney World and serve as the centerpiece for the Games and a photo-op location for athletes, media, fans, and families. After the Games have ended, the cauldron will be installed permanently at a prominent location within Orlando.

The design of the cauldron should be unique, artistic, meaningful, and inspired by the existing Special Olympics 2022 USA Games brand and campaign tagline, "Shine as One.” Click here to watch a video about the creation of the 2022 USA Games logo and learn more about the “Shine as One” theme.

The cauldron can be simple or highly stylized. It should evoke a sense of wonder and demonstrate a sense of purpose, standing for inclusion and togetherness. Although not mandatory, it would go beyond expectations to incorporate "mechanical" elements into the cauldron to give it a unique theatrical flair for the lighting moment. (i.e., unfold, grow, or rise-up). Click here to learn about the cauldron created for Seattle’s 2018 USA Games.

This should be a collaborative/unified process, utilizing talented artists, designers and engineers working with Special Olympic Athletes to bring the collective vision and theme of “Shine as One” to life.

Background:

Mission of Special Olympics: The mission of Special Olympics is to provide year-round sports training and athletic competition in a variety of Olympic-type sports for children and adults with intellectual disabilities, giving them continuing opportunities to develop physical fitness, demonstrate courage, experience joy, and participate in a sharing of gifts, skills and friendship with their families, other Special Olympics athletes, and the community.

The transformative power of sports to instill confidence, improve health and inspire a sense of competition is at the core of what Special Olympics does. In Special Olympics, the power and joy of sport, shifts focus to what our athletes CAN do, not what they can't.

About the 2022 USA Special Olympics USA Games: The 2022 Special Olympics USA Games, scheduled for June 5-12, 2022 in Orlando, Florida, will unite more than 5,500 athletes and coaches from all 50 states and the Caribbean during one of the country’s most cherished sporting events – the 2022 Special Olympics USA Games. The Games will offer 19 Olympic-style team and individual sports. We all have reasons to shine. For Special Olympics athletes, one of those reasons is the love of sport. Special Olympics athletes display remarkable abilities not only on the field, but in all areas of life. By celebrating their dedication and perseverance on and off the playing field, we become champions for a more inclusive world. A world where we all Shine As One.

Site:

The cauldron will first be used in the Opening Ceremony at Exploria Stadium. Following the conclusion of the Opening Ceremony, the cauldron will be transported to ESPN Wide World of Sports where it will remain for the duration of the USA Games and serve as a centerpiece of the event. When the event has ended, the flame will be extinguished, and the cauldron will be moved to a permanent home within the City of Orlando. The permanent site location is still being determined but is likely to be in the downtown area.

(Click 'View Site Details' above to see the Cauldron Locations at Exploria Stadium and ESPN Wide World of Sports)

Budget:

$45,000 is the budget for the winning artist to cover all related expenses pertaining to creation of the cauldron, including production/fabrication and installation. Production and management of the flame package and transportation expenses (including the initial delivery of the cauldron to the Opening Ceremony, moving to ESPN Wide World of Sports, and the final move to its permanent site) will be covered in a separate budget and is not part of the $45,000 budget.

If the artist is not local to Orlando, the artists’ travel/accommodations to Orlando, to fulfill obligations pertaining to set-up and installation of the cauldron during the 2022 USA Games, will need to come out of the total $45,000 budget.

Artwork Selection Criteria:

The cauldron should be created of material appropriate to an outdoor environment, must be of suitable construction that will last in perpetuity with minimal maintenance and be appropriate for public viewing. Orlando, Florida has a sub-tropical climate and is hot and humid with intense sun and seasonal heavy rain. Problems with rust and fading should be avoided. Resistance to high-speed, hurricane force winds is important.  Materials used for the cauldron and shrouding be created from Inherently Flame-Retardant materials which can resist the heat generated by the flame effect (see below for additional details).

Consideration should be given to mobility of the design, as the cauldron will need to be transported multiple times. Once built, the cauldron will be transported to Exploria Stadium for the Opening Ceremony. Afterwards, the cauldron will move to ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex at Walt Disney World for the remainder of the Games. Once the Games have ended, the cauldron will be installed permanently at a prominent location within Orlando.

The base that is needed to hold the cauldron upright as well as house the flame package will be created by the Special Olympics USA Games in partnership with the selected artist. This­­ will be a separate budget item and does not need to come from the $45,000 total budget.­

The deadline for the cauldron to be completed (including design/fabrication and all testing required with regards to the flame package) is May 1, 2022.

Flame Package:  The 2022 Special Olympics USA Games has retained a vendor partner to build the flame package for the cauldron, so artists will not be responsible for this element of the sculpture. Artists should, however, take the following considerations regarding the flame as part of their cauldron design:

• All flame effects will need to comply with NFPA 160 – Flame Effect Before an Audience
• Thermal exposure testing will be required to confirm that temperatures stay at or below 119 degrees at a distance of 8’ from the effect
• Materials used for the cauldron and shrouding must be created from Inherently Flame-Retardant materials which are able to resist the heat generated by the effect.  Examples include, but are not limited to; stone, brick, steel, wrought/cast iron, aluminum, concrete, glass, plaster/mortar, gypsum, terra cotta, stucco.

While the artist is not responsible for the flame package, artist must be available to work with the vendor partner as needed throughout the design process to ensure the Cauldron meets all requirements set forth. It should also be noted that the cauldron will not have a live flame element once the flame has been extinguished at the end of the games. Once installed in its permanent home, the City of Orlando, as the owner of the work, has committed to funding basic upkeep of the cauldron in perpetuity.

Artist Requirements Once Selected:

• As this is a collaborative process, artist is expected to attend an ideation workshop alongside Special Olympics Athletes. Ideas from the workshop should be considered when creating final design. The workshop will be either virtual or in-person depending on where the artist resides.
• Artist is responsible for overseeing and managing the full scope of the project from start to finish, including design, fabrication/production, and installation.
• Artist will take in consideration that their work is appropriate for active pedestrian environments.
• Artist will be on site to provide assistance as needed with set-up and installation of the Cauldron at 2022 USA Games Opening Ceremony. Artist is not required to remain on-site through the end of the Games.
• Artist will provide one (1) public lecture in Orlando, Florida describing the work.
• Artist will attend Opening Ceremony at Exploria Stadium.
• Artist will participate in publicity and media promotions leading up to and during the 2022 USA Games.
• Artist’s participation in the entry process constitutes a full understanding and acceptance of the conditions set forth above.

Eligibility

This project is open to local, regional and national professional artists. It is required that artists have experience in the design, construction, transportation and installation of medium to large-scale outdoor sculptures. Artists must have a proven track record of meeting budget and timelines for projects.

Selection Process:

A selection panel consisting of the local representatives from the 2022 USA Games, Greater Orlando Sports Commission, arts professionals, and Special Olympics athletes (the ‘Cauldron Arts Committee’) will review artists qualifications and images of past work. Six artists will be selected to provide design concepts and will be paid a stipend of $500 each for their submission. Final artist selection will take place after review of the design concepts.

The Cauldron Arts Committee reserves the right to reject any or all applications and to modify or terminate the application process, or the selection process, for any reason and without prior notice.

Submittal Requirements:

• This project uses the CaFÉ online service for its art selection process. There is no charge for artists to register with CaFÉ or submit an application (www.callforentry.org). No paper or electronic submissions outside of this portal will be accepted, except as necessary for those needing special accommodations.
• Professional resume (teams must submit resumes for each member).
  • Experience with public/private art projects with a similar budget is required.
• Letter of interest, outlining:
  • Why you are interest in the project
  • Preliminary statement of approach
  • High-level budget breakout
  • Why you believe you are qualified for this project
• A minimum of one (1) image is required, and the maximum is (10). Images of finished works or conceptual drawings can be submitted.

Timeline:

8/18/2021                       11:59 p.m. MST Deadline for artists to submit qualifications

8/30/2021                       Final six artists notified, at which point a new request for proposal will be provided that will contain the details for the next round. This round will be managed directly between the artists and the committee, it will not be done on the CaFÉ website.

9/29/2021                       11:59 p.m. MST Deadline for finalists to submit design concepts

10/20/2021                     Final artist selected and notified

Week of 10/25/2021       Ideation workshop with Special Olympics Athletes

5/1/2022                         Deadline for completion of the Cauldron

Contact:

If you have any questions, contact Ms. Shalisa Griffin, Greater Orlando Sports Commission at sgriffin@greaterorlandosports.com.

Application Requirements

See Description.

Eligibility Criteria

See Description.