City of Memphis’ Percent-for-Art Program
UrbanArt Commission | uacmem.org
THE MOVABLE COLLECTION | CALL TO ARTISTS
Release Date: Wednesday, July 12, 2023
Budget: Works between $500 and $5,000
Deadline: Wednesday, August 23, 2023 at 11:59 pm
Eligibility: Any artist living and working within the Memphis metropolitan area. Artists may submit as a team if desirable. *Artists selected from the 2019 or 2020 Movable Collection are not eligible for this year's application process.
BACKGROUND
The UrbanArt Commission (UAC) works to create opportunities for artists and neighborhoods to connect and shape spaces through public art. Since 2002, UAC has managed the City of Memphis’s Percent-For-Art Program, which allocates funds annually to develop public art in connection to capital improvement projects. A portion of these funds support the Movable Collection, a publicly-owned permanent collection of studio work by local artists. The collection is displayed in municipal buildings, including City Hall, libraries, and community centers, where it can be appreciated by the public. Additionally, the collection serves as an archive for future generations of Memphians, representing the diversity of local visual arts, craft, and design.
Various Movable Collection works installed at the newly rennovated Cossitt Library
SITE SPECIFICS
UAC is partnering with the Memphis Public Libraries to create pop-up galleries of local art in branch libraries. With this round of purchases, UAC is prioritizing installation in the following library branches:
Whitehaven
Gaston Park
Bartlett
Cordova
Founded in 1893, Memphis Public Libraries have made it their mission to “satisfy the customer’s need to know.” In addition to books and e-books, the libraries offer career services, media production resources, literacy and ESL assistance, and daily programs for children and adults.
https://www.memphislibrary.org/
SCOPE OF WORK
UAC and the Memphis Public Libraries are seeking to purchase studio work by local artists for temporary display in branch libraries and permanent installation in libraries or other public facilities.
The selection committee is interested in building a collection that:
Includes a wide range of media (painting, photo, illustration, sculpture, etc.) and artmaking practices (fine art, design, craft and traditional arts, new media).
Features work by established, emerging, and non-professional artists.
Represents the demographic diversity of the Memphis arts community.
Consists of artwork that is well-crafted, visually engaging, and thought-provoking.
Is appropriate for display in all-ages public facilities.
The committee will select artwork based on artistic merit, professional or community recognition (if applicable), equity and inclusivity goals of the collection, and site-specific considerations. Applicants should submit existing artwork that is available for purchase; the committee will not consider unfinished work or proposals. Work must be ready to install, framed (if applicable), and should require minimal maintenance. UAC and the City of Memphis are committed to equity and inclusion in our work. People of color, LGBTQ+ individuals, differently-abled and neurodiverse persons, indigenous peoples, youth, seniors, and women are strongly encouraged to apply.
SELECTION COMMITTEE
Susan Berry, Memphis Public Libraries, Adult Services
Jessica Clark, Memphis Public Libraries, Public Service Department
Jessica Chaney, Memphis Public Libraries, Teen Services Coordinator
Efe Igor Coleman, Brooks Museum, Blackmon Perry Assistant Curator of African American Art and Art of the African Diaspora.
Jess Tinsley, Artist Representative
Therrious Davis, Artist Representative
PROJECT TIMELINE
Wednesday, July 12th, 2023 RFQ released
Wednesday, August 2nd, 2023 UAC Virtual Information Session
Wednesday, August 23rd, 2023 RFQ deadline
October 2023 Notify Selected Artists
APPLICATION GUIDELINES
UAC posts all open opportunities and accepts applications online through Submittable. Follow the steps below to apply to an open UAC opportunity through Submittable:
1. To apply to an open Request for Qualifications, go to www.uacmem.org/calls-to-artists .
Click on the opportunity that you are interested in to view more details.
2. Clicking on the blue Submit button will redirect you to our Submittable page, which
contains all of our current open opportunities. Click the Submit button next to the
opportunity that you wish to apply for, or if you are already within an opportunity, scroll
down to the Create your account / Have an account? Sign in form.
3. If you already have a Submittable account, click the Have an account? Sign in tab to
sign in to your account. If you don’t remember your password, use the Forgot? link.
4. If you don’t have a Submittable account, you must create one to apply. Create your free account by filling out the Create your account form. Fill in all information and click the Create Account and Continue button to continue with the submission process.
5. From there, you will be able to complete and submit your application. You can now use
this account login when submitting to all future UAC opportunities. Once you have
submitted your application, you will receive a confirmation email that confirms receipt of
your full application.
Please submit the following materials online at https://urbanartcommission.submittable.com/submit/267226/the-movable-collection-2023-call-to-artists :
Up to 3 images of work currently available for purchase, including title, date,
medium, dimensions, and price.
A brief cover letter or statement, introducing yourself, your work, and your
involvement in the arts in Memphis (200-500 words approximately; not to exceed (1/2 page)
OPTIONAL:
Résumé or CV (not to exceed 2 pages)
For more information about this project, please contact:
Richard Echols | Program Manager
901.881.8205| richard@uacmem.org
INFORMATION SESSIONS
UAC will host a virtual information session for interested artists on Wednesday, August 2nd, 2023 The virtual session will be recorded and a link made available to applicants who are unable to attend during that time. Interested artists who have not completed a public art project previously or not completed a mural at this scale are strongly encouraged to reach out to the UAC team in advance of submitting their application. Artists may also schedule a meeting with UAC staff to review their application and portfolio. Appointments are available until 1 week prior to the close of the call to artists. See project contact information below.
DISCLAIMERS
UAC is committed to equity and inclusion in our work. People of color, LGBTQ+ individuals, differently-abled and neurodiverse persons, indigenous peoples, youth, seniors, and women are strongly encouraged to apply.
Applicants will be notified as to the status of their application. Commissioning of artists by UAC and the pursuit of all UAC activities are implemented without preference to racial or ethnic origins, gender, sexual orientation, religious affiliation, disability, or age.
UAC reserves the right to modify this solicitation and to request additional information from participating artists.
UAC reserves the right to accept or reject, at any time prior to the commissioning of a work, any or all proposals when the acceptance, rejection, waiver or advertisement would be in the best interest of the project.
The UAC team will be responsible for all correspondence and communication by and between applicants and members of selection panels. Discussion regarding these projects by and between any applicant and any member of a selection panel outside of regularly scheduled meetings during the selection process may be grounds for the disqualification of the applicant. Such determination shall be at the discretion of UAC.
