Opportunity: Developed through a 2018 - 2020 Our Town grant by the National Endowment for the Arts, SMALL TOWN * BIG ART (ST*BA) is a creative placemaking collaboration of County of Maui and Hale Hōʻikeʻike at the Bailey House/ Maui Historical Society that aims to develop a public arts district that is focused on the distinctive sense of place, history and culture of Wailuku, HI. Monthly art installations such as plays, murals, sculptures, storytelling events and more are created with community input that align with ‘ōlelo from Mary Kawena Pukui's ‘Ōlelo No‘eau: Hawaiian Proverbs and Political Sayings. Each artwork is spearheaded by professional artists that have submitted project applications exhibiting exceptional quality, style, experience in creating communal or public art and significance to Wailuku. Through many hands and many voices, these creative interpretations represent a revitalized identity for this small town with the BIGGEST heart.

Please take some time to explore smalltownbig.org to learn about past projects + the evolution of this program.

Currently, there are TWO open ST*BA OPPORTUNITIES for which to apply: 1) Public Art Inspired by Wailuku Storytellers, 2) The Wailuku Wings Project. Details on each are listed below the PROCESS & COLLABORATION and EVALUATION sections of smalltownbig.org/rfp. Please read each section carefully, then apply at CaFÉ.

PROCESS & COLLABORATION
Project timeline:

1. Call to artists: We work with CaFÉ when a new set of opportunities arises. Established artists share their ideas, samples and references regarding a specific project opportunity, and a community panel makes recommendations on the most promising projects for Wailuku.
2. Project development: ST*BA workshops top proposals to determine a fit as well as possible activities for broad engagement, mentors, and opportunities to connect to a sense of place. Artists are invited, contracted and connected to project collaborators.
3. Community engagement: Together, the artist, ST*BA, Maui Historical Society, County participants and project collaborators gather community input on the project proposal in order to create a blueprint. This has included free artist workshops, community consultations, panel discussions, live paint days, field trips and storytelling events — but we are always open to new ideas!
4. Proverb identification: Artists work with Hale Hōʻikeʻike at the Bailey House/ Maui Historical Society to connect community input with ‘ōlelo from Mary Kawena Pūkuʻi’s ‘Ōlelo No‘eau: Hawaiian Proverbs and Political Sayings.
5. Present: The final public artwork is shared with an unveiling, performance, and/ or blessing that articulates the intention, acknowledges the many hands and many voices that contributed to the work, and offers a request + opportunity to experience the art collectively.
6. Exchange: A project web page is created with process + product images, stories, media coverage, artist statement and, (since the onset of the pandemic), a short documentary that offers varying perspectives of the artwork to help spur a dialogue.

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. ST*BA 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, 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. We strongly suggest including a line item in your budget for a project assistant, especially for visiting artists, which we may be able to help identify for you!
• 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.​
• 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.
• Click for frequently asked questions

EVALUATION
The selected artists will be contracted 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 their marked deadline. Multiple applications with varied project budgets may be submitted.

Application Requirements

Applications will only be received via 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 application requirements before beginning the online application process, as incomplete applications will not be considered.

• ​Choose the Category that you are applying for (#1: Public Art Inspired by Wailuku Storytellers, #2: The Wailuku Wings Project)
   
• Artist/s Bio (as it would appear on our website)
   
• 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 highlight experience in creating communal or public art and two 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 with 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 (Include all costs associated with the project including, but not limited to: insurance, tools, materials, rentals, installation, any building or site modification required, travel, and any other costs). Each project’s budget request may vary, depending on the project’s specific needs. The request must be in increments of $100. Multiple project budgets may be submitted as "OPTION A" "OPTION B" etc.
   
• Work samples
   
• Notes (optional)

Eligibility Criteria

All artists welcome.