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CALL TO ARTISTS

City of Auburn, WA - 2021-22 Utility Box Wrap Project

Eligibility: This is an invitational call to artists residing in King or Pierce Counties

Deadline: Required materials submitted for consideration by 10:59 p.m. on May 13, 2021

Contact Email: ahyde@auburnwa.gov
Call Type: Public Art
Eligibility: Regional
State: Washington
Entry Deadline: 5/13/2021

REQUIREMENTS:
Media
Images - Minimum: 1, Maximum: 10
Total Media - Minimum: 1, Maximum: 10

PROJECT SUMMARY

The City of Auburn seeks applications for artworks/designs that can be reproduced as a vinyl wraps and applied to utility boxes throughout Auburn over the next two years. This opportunity is open to visual artists, illustrators, designers and otherwise creative community members residing in Auburn or the surrounding King and Pierce Counties, working in any medium, as long as the final artwork can be translated and digitally reproduced on a 2-dimensional vinyl wrap.

ELIGIBILITY

Applicant must live within King or Pierce Counties

BACKGROUND ON OPPORTUNITY

The City of Auburn is seeking artists to submit artwork designs to be reproduced as vinyl wraps and applied to utility boxes throughout Auburn. The City will select a number of utility box sites within Auburn in 2021 and 2022 and multiple artist designs will be selected and reproduced as vinyl wraps on multiple utility boxes, the exact locations and timeline of which will be determined by the City. In general, the utility box sites will be in highly visible areas that could use a better representation of public art and/or in areas that have a history of vandalism.

Selected artist will be paid $500 for an approved final artwork design and licensing rights that will enable the City to reproduce the final design on multiple traffic signal and/or utility boxes throughout the City. The design’s theme and medium are open to the artist’s vision, but must be suitable for the public realm and integrate the front, back, sides, and top of the box to capture the interest of those that drive, ride, and walk by.

All artists will be required to submit initial design proposals for review by the City’s Arts Program staff and, if selected, will be requested to provide revisions with a specific measurement template for the utility box share. That final design to be approved by Arts Program staff for a contract.

The goal of the project is to enhance Auburn’s public spaces by adding works of art by local artists to utilitarian surfaces that are often targeted by vandalism. These pieces of public art can enhance the visual character of our city, promote community dialogue, turn ordinary spaces into community landmarks, and are accessible to everyone.

The wraps are intended to last at least 5 years but may be removed at any time at the discretion ofthe City. While the City will aim to remove any tagging or vandalism, deterioration may occur and thus the City cannot guarantee that the wrap will be restored to its original condition.

WRAP DESIGN GUIDELINES

· Designs must be appropriate for display in public spaces and viewing by a general audience

· Designs should not aim to blend into the surrounding streetscape, but should stand out artistically to the passers by

· Designs cannot include political or religious content; any breach of intellectual property; trademarks; images of illegal activity; advertisements; logos; signage; promotion of any business, organization, individual, or product; or involve the attachment of objects to the boxes

· All designs will be subject to review and approval by Arts Program staff, and the City reserves the right to crop the artwork, or elements of the artwork, as needed to fit the dimensions of different sized utility boxes

· Designs CANNOT have a predominantly dark background or palate, because they conduct too much heat from the sun and are not safe to put on the electrical boxes

SELCTION CRITERIA

Artist designs will be selected based on the following criteria:

· Artistic quality of submitted designs and past work samples

· Appropriateness of artwork to be visually effective on public utility boxes

· Ability to successfully translate original artwork to a digital file for a 2-dimensional surface

· Ability to relate to multiple types of viewers (pedestrians, motorists, cyclists)

PROJECT TIMELINE

May 13, 2021, 10:59 pm..... Deadline for application submissions

June, 2021.......................... Notification of artist selection

REQUIRED APPLICATION MATERIALS

Please submit the following required application via the online CaFE application.

Project Questionnaire

·  Upload as a PDF

· Document saved as: Artist Last Name_Artist Resume (ie: Smith_Project Questionnaire.pdf)

·  One page or less total, answering the following questions: Why are you interested in this project? How will your artwork/design translate successfully to the utility box format? How can your work relate to multiple types of viewers (pedestrians, motorists, cyclist) – examples are helpful.

Artist Resume

·  Uploaded as a PDF

· Document saved as: Artist Last Name_Artist Resume (ie: Smith_Artist Resume.pdf)

· Resume should clearly outline: the artist’s exhibition record, and public art experience, residencies, awards, or relevant artistic accomplishments

Work Samples

· 1 image minimum, 10 image maximum

·  Uploaded as JPEGs

· Work samples saved as: Artist Last Name_Work Sample 01, 02, etc. (ie: Smith_Work Sample_01.jpeg)

· Work samples should show artwork that is available for purchase for this specific opportunity (not just an example of past work)

· Include for each work sample submitted: artwork title, media, date, dimensions, and a brief project description/conceptual information

QUESTIONS
Allison Hyde, Arts Coordinator | ahyde@auburnwa.gov 

Application Requirements

Eligibility Criteria