INTRODUCTION
SMALL TOWN * BIG ART is pleased to announce its program continuation into 2021 (details: https://www.smalltownbig.org/rfp.html). New opportunities for experienced visual and performing artists to create collaborate works of public art throughout Wailuku will be released over the coming months, with examples including installation artwork in Wells Park; a temporary 375-foot construction fence mural project in the Wailuku municipal parking lot; a Wailuku oral history project; a shading installation at Kīpuka Square; pop-up performances and more. 

Developed through a 2018 - 2020 Our Town grant by the National Endowment for the Arts, SMALL TOWN * BIG ART is a creative placemaking collaboration of County of Maui and Hale Hōʻikeʻike at the Bailey House Museum/ Maui Historical Society that aims to develop Wailuku, Hawaiʻi as a public arts district focused on its distinctive sense of place, history and culture. All professional artists are welcome to apply, regardless of race, color, creed, gender, gender variance, sexual orientation, national origin, age, religion, marital status, political opinion or affiliation, or mental or physical disability. 

Please take some time to explore smalltownbig.org to learn about the 2019-2020 pilot phase of this program, which featured the following projects:

• ʻAlalā Renaissance by Michael Takemoto

• Ma kāhi o ka hana he ola malaila by Eric Okdeh

• Birds of a Feather by Maui Academy of Performing Arts

• Chinese Take Out: Super Size by Sean Baba

• Hīnaʻi by Jessica Bodner

• Pō Meke‘au by Kirk Kurokawa, Elmer Bio, Amanda Bowers and Noble Richardson

• Eli by Emmanuel Jarus

• lost & found by Andy Behrle

• Mauka to Makai by PangeaSeed

We will accept submissions from a variety of disciplines, but are particularly interested in funding the following categories:

• * New Media Projects (Light or Projection Installations, Video Projection, etc.)

• * Fine Art Performances (Pop-up Performances, Street Performances, Happenings, etc.)

• * Interactive or Participatory Projects

• * Experiential Art Installations

PROCESS & COLLABORATION
Applications will only be received via Call For Entry and Application Management for the Arts (CaFÉ) and will not be accepted after the marked deadline. Applicants may apply as a single artist or multi-person collaborative group. Please carefully review the proposal requirements (listed below under EVALUATION) before beginning the online application process, as incomplete applications will not be considered. County of Maui, in partnership with Hale Hō'ikeʻike at the Bailey House Museum/ Maui Historical Society, may select as many artists or artist teams as they see fit. Multiple applications with varied project budgets may be submitted individually through the CaFÉ site. You will be notified via the email address listed in your online application whether or not you have been selected to participate in the program. Those selected will engage in a period of project development with the ST*BA team to determine opportunities for community involvement, identify/ confirm an ʻōlelo noʻeau (Hawaiian proverb) in partnership with project partner Sissy Lake-Farm, Executive Director of Hale Hō'ikeʻike at the Bailey House Museum, and to clearly identify inputs, activities, outputs and outcomes. Contracts will be awarded and a collaborative process of project implementation and marketing/ community engagement will initiate.  ​

Please note:

• Artists will be required to provide all tools, equipment, technology, knowledge and labor necessary to successfully execute the proposed project.

• For specific projects, such as installations, it is at the discretion of the County to confirm your location or to assign an alternative location.

• Projects are meant to develop and promote the unique history, culture and community of Wailuku Town.

• All projects will be professionally documented. The County shall retain ownership of the video/ photo documentation and may choose to promote or display the work publicly, at a later date.  Artists shall retain ownership of the copyright of the works.​ ​

EVALUATION
The selected artists will be commissioned to co-develop an innovative project with the SMALL TOWN * BIG ART team that engages a diverse public audience. Themes must address the distinct sense of place, history and/ or culture of Wailuku, Maui, HI. County of Maui reserves the right to reject any and all applications, to waive any irregularities in the applications received and to accept the applications that are in the best interest of the County. Applications will be reviewed by an evaluation panel with selection criteria aimed at quality, style, experience in creating communal or public art, significance to Wailuku and a proven track record of successful collaboration work. All applications must be submitted by the marked deadline. Multiple applications with varied project budgets may be submitted.

Proposal requirements:
(Be sure to select one of the 4 opportunities described at https://www.smalltownbig.org/rfp.html)

• Name of Applicant (Last, First or Group Name)

• Address

• Email

• Telephone

• Artist/s Bio (as it would appear on our website: https://www.smalltownbig.org/artists.html)

• Artist/s Résumé​ (Submit a one to two-page current résumé that highlights your professional accomplishments as an artist. If applying as a team, please submit one résumé for the team, with no more than one page per team member. Please include experience in creating communal or public art and 2 references).

• Statement of Interest (Please submit a statement briefly outlining your interest in the SMALL TOWN * BIG ART public art project, your design approach and your experience working on projects of this kind. Please also include information on your experience working with diverse communities and stakeholders). 

• Project Description (You may select a proverb from ʻŌlelo Noʻeau: Hawaiian Proverbs & Poetical Sayings by Mary Kawena Pukui as a theme for your project, or, one will be selected for you during the project development stage. Please note: each project must undergo a period of collaborative project development with the ST*BA team. Please include examples or opportunities for broad community engagement that specifically pertain to your proposed project). 

• Project Budget (Please include all costs associated with the project including, but not limited to: design fee, other consultation fees such as structural engineering consultation, insurance, tools, materials, fabrication, transportation, installation, any building or site modification required, travel to and from the site, per diem expenses, project documentation, contingency to cover unexpected expenses, and any other costs). County of Maui, in partnership with Hale Hō'ikeʻike at the Bailey House Museum/ Maui Historical Society, may select as many artists or artist teams as they see fit. Each project’s commission or budget request may vary, depending on the project’s specific needs. The request must be in increments of $100. Multiple applications with varied project budgets may be submitted.

• Work samples

• Notes (optional)

Application Requirements

Eligibility Criteria