City of Havana, Prairieland Community Development & 353 Court LLC RFP for Havana Art Project September 4, 2018 CALL FOR ENTRY: Art Installations on Buildings in Historic Downtown Havana, Illinois Application Deadline: September 30, 2018 Artist Commission: The budget for eight art installations is $30,000. Artists are invited to propose a budget for each piece that includes all costs associated with the design, materials, fabrication, travel, insurance and any time spent on location. In the instances where an image is proposed for a vinyl application, printing costs should be included in the budget proposed. In the instances where images will be applied directly to the building, paint and materials should be included in the budget proposed. Entry Fee: A non-refundable entry fee of $25.00 payable by check to the City of Havana. Mail or hand deliver to 227 West Main St., Havana, IL 62644 by close of business on September 30, 2018. Eligibility for consideration: This call is open to muralists, graphic designers, photographers and/or artist-led teams for installations for eight building walls in downtown Havana. Illinois residency is not required to participate, however, additional evaluation points will be given to artists residing in the state. Those new to the public art process are also highly encouraged to apply. About the Project: Havana is beautiful, riverfront town located between Pekin and Alton on the Illinois River. It is known for its gambling history that attracted the likes of Al Capone who would visit Havana to hunt, fish and gamble in its local clubs. Havana is located near the Emiquon National Wildlife preserve and has one of the most beautiful riverfronts in the state of Illinois. Today, downtown Havana houses small businesses, lawyers, and insurance agencies operating out of historic buildings that hint at the bustling Havana of the past. In a concerted public/private partnership, energy and resources have been allocated to stabilize and restore Havana s historic downtown. With beautiful architecture, brick streets and a gorgeous riverfront, there is much history and character to celebrate and this arts and placemaking effort will greatly enhance the revitalization of downtown. The art-inspired initiative in downtown Havana is made possible by a Rural LISC cohesive economic development arts and culture initiative, the City of Havana, Prairieland Community Development, and 353 Court LLC. 1
These initial installations will be the first in a regularly rotated series intended to activate the downtown streetscape and attract people to walk and experience Havana s downtown. This project will begin by installing murals and other images on the sides of buildings with plans to incorporate sculptures, water features and other interactive, 3D exhibits at additional locations in the future. Artistic themes of interest to the community include, but are not limited to: Havana s history and landmarks; Havana s natural surroundings including its river, nature preserves, etc; Havana s outdoor recreation including hunting, and fishing; its gambling history, i.e. Little Reno; its cigar manufacturing; and its Native American history. The Call: Artists and artist teams are invited to propose murals and other visual art installations for the sides of buildings in downtown Havana, Illinois Innovative proposals are welcomed but must not impede road and sidewalk construction planned in the redevelopment area for 2019. All pieces should complement the natural, historical, and cultural aspects of the community. Downtown Havana offers a variety of canvasses with which to work. The sides of buildings, sidewalks, sitting areas, utility boxes, windows, and streetscapes are potential project sites for the future. In this first year, the committee will be selecting eight pieces for installation on the sides of buildings in the downtown redevelopment area. These pieces can include: -4 paintings, graphic designs, photographs and/or murals to be scaled for printing on vinyl or canvass for temporary (2-3 year) installations on the sides of buildings. The budgets proposed for the vinyl/canvass installations should include the cost to print the piece. Installation costs will be handled by the event organizers. - 4 paintings, images, photographs and murals that can be scaled and painted on the sides of brick buildings in downtown Havana. Paint and design costs should be incorporated into the budget proposed by the artist. -Other public art installations and medium proposals are welcomed, but must not impede road and sidewalk construction planned for 2019. - All pieces will be installed in an outdoor environment and should withstand the elements for a 2-3 year minimum timeframe. Other considerations: -One of the projects proposed should be a mural that incorporates community participation that is led by the artist. The design selected must be executed in a paint- 2
by-number style that allows participants from the Havana community to participate in painting portions of the collaborative mural. -All pieces should be family friendly. - Materials used must be capable of withstanding adverse weather conditions, high winds, extreme summer heat, freezing conditions, and high traffic environment for a minimum of 2-3 years. -Acceptance into the project gives organizers permission to use images in catalogs and other promotional and marketing materials. Since these installations will be the first in a series, they will hold particular importance and set the tone for future arts and placemaking projects in Havana. Each piece proposed should complement the overall character and atmosphere of the downtown core. The goal is to support a welcoming, walkable corridor that provides a historic narrative and visual backbone for the community and visitors alike. Site Details: Eight highly visible locations have been identified in the Downtown Redevelopment area. Images proposed for each location can include murals, photographs, graphic designs, light installations, and other imaginative ways to activate the streetscape of Downtown Havana. Four of the images will be painted directly on the buildings. Four will be vinyl installations adhered to the side of the buildings. The following eight sites are proposed for the 2018 installations. Market St. Boutique - 326 W Main St VINYL 3
The Main Room - 212 W Main St VINYL Mason County Democrat - 219 W Market St VINYL Havana Printing Co - 217 W Market St VINYL 4
Stinauer Family Dentistry - 312 W Main St PAINT Beer garden wall + Plum St wall - 200 W Main St PAINT 2 sides Side 1: Plum St wall - 200 W Main St Continued PAINT Side 2: 5
122 N Plum St PAINT Application Process/Review Criteria: The project process will involve: Step 1: Apply for the project by submitting the following to info@353court.com. Applications are due September 30, 2018. - A digital portfolio/resume/and/or CV, complete with contact information and artists statement. - A narrative/visual portrayal for each of the piece(s) you are proposing. Identify the building(s) of interest and its address, a description of the piece you are proposing and why, an articulation of the image size for each location, and a budget for your participation. You should also provide a description of the materials proposed and their ability to withstand the outdoor environment. - Digital versions of the images proposed. Maximum of 8 entries per artist. Each image should be labeled with image number, artist name, and entry title (ex: 1.Artistname.title.jpg) - 2 professional references, ideally from former project organizers. Step 2: Artists invited to meet the project organizers. Artists are invited to visit Havana, assess the buildings and meet with project organizers at 6:00 pm on either September 18 th or on September 25 th. These meetings are not required for participation, but will give the artists and the organizers a chance to meet, answer questions and discuss the scope and vision of the project. Please RSVP for the meeting you will attend by e- mailing info@353court.com. 6
Step 3: Submissions will be reviewed by a selection committee. The selection committee will be comprised of the local arts council including local elected officials, business leaders, community stakeholders and local artists. This committee will make its selection of artists/designers/artist led teams based on the portfolios and sample works submitted. Step 4: Artists will be notified of their selection for the project on October 14, 2018. Step 5: Installation arrangements will be made. Step 6: A big party will be thrown. Important dates: - Call to artists open September 4 30, 2018 - Submission deadline September 30, 2018 - Artist Selections announced October 14, 2018 - Final designs/images/files submitted November 18, 2018 - Installations completed December 16, 2018 - Art Opening Party To Be Announced. Compensation: Total commission for each selected artist/designer can be proposed by the artist and must be inclusive of artist s fees and related expenses for design and creation of the pieces to install. Project organizers will be responsible for the costs related to community participation in the project. Payment shall be made as follows: An advance payment 50% of the fee within ten business days following execution of an artist s agreement; the second payment of 50% of the amount upon completion, installation and final approval of the artwork/installation. 7