UrbanArt Commission | Porter-Leath | The CLTV
Porter-Leath Interior Murals | Call to Artists
Release Date: Wednesday, February 3, 2021
Budget: $10,000 per mural ($30,000 total, inclusive of finalist design honoraria)
Deadline: Wednesday, March 17, 2021 at 11:59 pm
Eligibility: Any artist living and working within the Memphis metropolitan area. Artists are invited to submit collaborative work if desirable.
BACKGROUND
Porter-Leath’s mission is empowering children and families to achieve a healthy, optimal and independent lifestyle. The organization helps more than 10,000 children and families annually with programs designed to meet their developmental, health and social needs at the earliest opportunity. Porter-Leath programs include residential services, foster and adoptive care, early childhood and parent education, senior services and more. The depth of services offered is constantly expanding and being enhanced to give at-risk families the best possible care.
The CLTV is a black arts organization in Memphis dedicated to elevating black artists, empowering black communities and shifting the culture of Memphis. A cornerstone of this work is their gallery, workshop space and programming at The CMPLX in historic Orange Mound.
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. UAC also facilitates public art projects throughout the city working with various partners and clients to support artists and new experiences with art.
SITE SPECIFICS
Porter-Leath and The University of Memphis are partnering to launch a new, innovative Early Childhood Academy located alongside the Orange Mound neighborhood’s RedZone Ministries. The Academy is designed to help address a critical need for early childhood care in the Memphis community. The partnership will provide a research-based educational facility to serve over 250 children ages 6 weeks through 5 years old, where care is most crucial and underprovided in Shelby County. The Early Childhood Academy will feature state-of-the-art research and observation technology, wraparound services for children and families, child-centered and developmentally appropriate spaces for learning and training facilities for current and prospective early childhood practitioners. The site will be named the Porter-Leath University of Memphis Early Childhood Academy in Orange Mound and will highlight themes of partnership, connection, family, neighborhoods, and home while paying homage to the rich history and tradition of both supporting organizations, and the academy’s home in the Orange Mound community. The academy is built in a neighborhood inspired design, and each classroom has its own “front porch” which opens onto a shared, natural playspace that is inspired by the flora and fauna of Memphis.
SCOPE OF WORK
Porter-Leath, in partnership with The CLTV and UAC, is seeking three artists to create indoor murals, to be located inside the new Porter-Leath early learning education facility in Orange Mound. All three murals will be located inside the “Main St.” lobby area on the same wall. Each mural will have dedicated space of approximately 165 ft. (18’ wide x 9’ tall approximately). The murals will each be painted on polytab and installed by a separate contractor with additional funding - selected artists will be expected to design and paint the mural on the polytab material.
The selection committee has expressed interest in murals that:
Include bright, colorful images that are engaging for students
Speak to the impact of future generations and possibilities for the community
Be reflective of the close knit, resilient and vibrant community of Orange Mound
Reference historic places, events and/or people such as Melrose High School and the annual Orange Mound parade to pay homage to neighborhood history
Highlight the power of coming together for a common good as demonstrated by the partnerships behind The Academy
Reference the architecture of the new facility that evokes a sense of home
PROJECT EXPECTATIONS
A selection committee organized by Porter-Leath will review submitted portfolios, and will invite up to nine finalists to submit design proposals. All finalists will receive a stipend of $300 for their designs. The selected artist will be expected to work closely with Porter-Leath, The CLTV and UAC to execute the proposed murals.
The selection committee includes:
Timberly Hope - Early Headstart Policy Council President, Porter-Leath; Memphis artist
Karen Harrell - SVP of Early Childhood Services, Porter-Leath
Sally G. Parish - Associate VP for Educational Initiatives, University of Memphis
Nichole Brooks - Executive Assistant, Porter-Leath
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:
To apply to this call, go to www.uacmem.org/calls-to-artists. Click on the opportunity that you are interested in to view more details.
Clicking on the 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.
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.
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.
From there, you will be able to complete and submit your application.
If you have difficulty accessing the website, wish to submit in hard copy, or require any other assistance with your submission, please contact Shanette Parks at shanette@uacmem.org or 901.552.5039.
Please submit the following materials online by following the “Porter-Leath Murals” link at www.uacmem.org/calls-to-artists:
Up to 20 images of recent 2D and/or 3D art and design work
A cover letter introducing yourself and your work. Tell us why you are interested in this project, and whether you have a personal connection to the Orange Mound neighborhood or one of the project partners.
OPTIONAL:
Résumé or CV (not to exceed 2 pages)
Short artist’s statement (not to exceed 1 page)
INFORMATION SESSIONS
A virtual Artist Information Session will be held Wednesday, February 17, 2021 at 5:30 PM CST.
zoom link: https://us02web.zoom.us/w/87098708153?tk=JiITaaeZz1vbLIeUY74LrPF_QjsuT5W9kDoOREw0cHg.DQIAAAAUR3zQuRY4ZEd4VmNMdVIzYVhRUnhoRVp2Si13AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA&pwd=RzAwaVk2SUU5Mnh0ZFQ5MDZZWkwwQT09
Artists may also schedule a meeting with UAC staff to review their application and portfolio. This is highly encouraged for first-time applicants. Appointments are available until 1 week prior to the close of the call to artists. Contact Shanette Parks at 901.552.5039 or shanette@uacmem.org to schedule a meeting.
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.
For more information about this project, please contact:
Shanette Parks | Senior Program Manager | 901.552.5039 | shanette@uacemem.org
