CALL FOR ARTISTS

Project Description
Up to 10 artists will be selected to design original (no AI-generated content) vinyl art wraps for up to 10 different traffic control cabinets in Downtown Harrisonburg, VA. This art will be displayed beginning in Fall 2024 and will remain in place for up to seven years, depending on the condition and longevity of the materials, necessary cabinet replacement/upgrade, and any unforeseen damage to the cabinet. 

Locations 
Traffic cabinets to be wrapped with artwork are located on Main and Mason Streets between Grace and Gay Streets in Downtown Harrisonburg, VA.

Style of Submitted Works
Subject matter must be appropriate to display in a public space, with no overtly religious, commercial, or political depictions; no nudity.

Artists are encouraged to consider:
- Colorful and vibrant designs/art;
- Repeating patterns and faux textures; and/or
- Varying viewpoints (ex, bird’s eye view vs. worm’s eye view).

Designs must NOT present a clear distraction to motorists. Examples of distracting designs might include:
- Improper color combinations;
- Tight patterns that appear to the human eye to move or vibrate; and/or 
- Script font.

ACV is accepting submissions from artists in all media including but not limited to photography, painting, collage, mosaic, digital imagery, etc. The wraps will cover all visible sides of the cabinets.

Artist Eligibility and Selection Criteria 
This invitation is extended to all artists age 18 and older without regard to place of residency. Artists are reminded that submitted art must speak to a large group of people of all ages from various cultural backgrounds, and must be appropriate to display in an outdoor public space.

Artist Selection
A juried panel will review all entries and select up to 10 artists to participate in the project. The panel will also assign a traffic cabinet location to each selected artist. Applicants will be notified of their acceptance status on or before May 16, 2024. All decisions by the panel are final.

Submission of Final Artwork by Selected Artists
Following selection, each artist will collaborate with City of Harrisonburg Public Works to ensure proper fitting of the design to the assigned traffic cabinet. Following these consultations, selected artists will be required to submit their final high-resolution designs to ACV in PNG (preferred), JPG or PDF format; Artists with the capability to create high resolution, full-scale vector files will be asked to submit final artwork in that format as well. For those who cannot create vector files, Public Works will collaborate with the artist on conversion of final artwork to vector format.

Installation
When the artwork has been completed to the satisfaction of Public Works, Public Works will submit final artwork to the selected contractor for printing each design onto a vinyl adhesive sheet. Artists are not responsible for fabricating the vinyl wrap or installing the final artwork on the cabinet. HDR bears responsibility for the entire cost of producing and installing the vinyl wraps. The City will have sole discretion regarding when to replace the material, and whether new art will be displayed, or the current version reprinted and redisplayed. The traffic cabinets on which the artwork will be installed are the property of the City of Harrisonburg.

Following installation of the art wraps, selected artists will be invited/expected to attend a dedication event (date TBD) in Downtown Harrisonburg.

Project Timeline

February 28, 2024 Request for Proposals opens
March 12, 2024, 5 pm ET Pre-proposal Online Info Session
REGISTER HERE! 
April 12, 2024, 5 pm ET Application deadline
May 16, 2024 Artists notified 
May 20-June 7, 2024 Artists, Public Works consult
July 1, 2024, 5 pm ET Final artwork due
July 8-19, 2024 Artists adjust designs, if needed
July 26, 2024 Artwork submitted to contractor
August-September 2024 Vinyl wraps installed
Fall 2024 TBD Dedication event

Entry Procedures

Each artist may submit one design for consideration. No entry fee is required.

To apply, complete the online Harrisonburg Traffic Cabinet Art Wrap Project application form and attach all required materials:

• Brief (125-word maximum) artist bio

• Resume

• Up to five digital images showing different views of the design. Images should be saved individually as PNG (preferred), JPG, or PDF files, and be at least 300 dpi. All digital images should be clearly labeled with name of artist, title of work, and image number.
  STYLE: Artistfirstlastname-imagename-imagenumber 
  EXAMPLE: StacySmith-BeautifulArtwork-1

• A drawing/sketch of how the design will appear on all sides of the cabinet.
  REQUIRED: Use the 360-degree flattened rendering for your sketch.

Selection Process
A panel of individuals representing diverse interests and expertise will review submissions and determine final designs. The following criteria will be used:

• Artistic merit of the submitted design.

• Appropriateness of artwork for public display.

• Creativity; use of color and design that appeals to the eye.

• Lack of elements likely to distract drivers. 

• Other criteria not outlined above may be considered as well.

Payments and Awards
Each selected artist will receive an award of $400 that will grant HDR/City/ACV full legal rights to reproduce and publicly display the art. The award will be paid in one lump sum within 30 days after receipt/acceptance of final artwork by the contractor engaged to fabricate the vinyl adhesive sheets. Both the artist and HDR are required to sign HDR’s Artist Agreement and the artist must submit a completed IRS W-9 form to HDR before payment is issued. HDR serves as fiscal agent for the project.

Terms, Conditions and Reservation of Rights
This Call to Artists does not commit HDR to enter into an agreement with any artist and is not an offer for contract. At its sole discretion, HDR may reject any and all applications, may modify or terminate the application or selection processes without prior notice. The applicant certifies that the information contained in the application is true and correct to the best of his/ her/ their knowledge, and that the submitted artwork is the artist’s original creation, without the use of AI technology. HDR is not responsible for damage or loss of materials submitted. Failure to comply with all the requirements of this call to artists will constitute an invalid application. HDR reserves the right at any time to supplement, amend or otherwise modify this solicitation and to request additional information from any participating artists for any reason without prior notice. In addition, HDR reserves the right to accept or reject at any time prior to the commissioning of a work, any or all proposals; to waive any defect or technicality; and to solicit additional artists.

Please complete the online Harrisonburg Traffic Cabinet Art Wrap Project application form and submit - with all required attachments - by 5 pm April 12, 2024.

Questions?
Contact ACV Executive Director Jenny Burden at acvdirector@gmail.com or 540.801.8779.

FAQs for Artists

Q. Do Artists have to live in Harrisonburg to apply?
A. No. There is no residency requirement. Artists must just be 18 years of age or older.

Q. Do I need to use color in my design?
A. Yes. All designs must be in color. No black-and-white designs will be accepted.

Q. May I submit a mixed media work?
A. Yes. Visual artworks in any medium are acceptable, so long as they can be represented in - and are submitted as - high-resolution digital images, without the loss of integrity or quality. 

Q. Is there a particular theme my design should reflect?
A. No. Just be aware that selected artwork will be featured in an outdoor location along a public street; subject and content need to be appropriate for a public space and contribute to the aesthetic and cultural atmosphere of the City. Artists are encouraged to consider using colorful and vibrant designs/art; repeating patterns and faux textures; and/or varying viewpoints (ex, bird’s eye view vs. worm’s eye view).

Q. Are there any subjects, styles, themes that are off-limits?
A. Subject matter must be appropriate to display in a public space, with no overtly religious, commercial, or political depictions; no nudity. Any content violating copyright or other known legal ownership interest would be excluded from consideration, as would any representation of traffic signage, lights or signals. In addition, designs should not mimic or take the style of graffiti or contain elements contributing to driver distraction.

Q. Will my final artwork be the same dimensions as my proposed design?
A.  No. Selected artists will be given exact dimensions and a technical 360-degree flattened rendering for the traffic cabinet where their work will actually appear. The technical 360-degree flattened rendering template provided here allows artists to submit their designs without having to be overly concerned about exact fit. The final artwork will use the specific template provided to each accepted artist.

Q. Do I need to use the 360-degree template to submit my design?
A. Yes. Submitted artwork must conform to the shape of the provided template, which allows artists to create designs without having to ensure an accurate fit. Actual size and shape of traffic boxes will vary. Artists selected for the project will be given exact dimensions and a technical 360-degree flattened rendering for the traffic cabinet where their work will actually appear. Selected artists should be prepared to coordinate with the Department of Public Works to finalize the design.

Q. If my design is selected, can it be used anonymously?
A. Selected artists must be willing to represent their work by the artist's name. No anonymous designs will be accepted.

Q. I’d love to apply, but don’t have the capacity to create vector files. Am I out of luck?
A. Please submit your design proposal as PNG (preferred), JPG, or PDF by the April 12 deadline. If your design is accepted, the City of Harrisonburg Public Works Department can help you convert your final artwork to the required format. 

Q. What’s the deal with signing over rights to my work?
A. Each selected artist will receive an award of $400 that will grant Harrisonburg Downtown Renaissance (HDR), the City of Harrisonburg (City), and Arts Council of the Valley (ACV) full legal rights to reproduce and publicly display the art.

Q. If I’m selected, when will I receive payment?

A. The $400 per artist award will be paid in one lump sum within 30 days after receipt/acceptance of final artwork by the contractor engaged to fabricate the vinyl adhesive sheets. Both the artist and HDR are required to sign HDR’s Artist Agreement and the artist must submit a completed IRS W-9 form to HDR before payment is issued.

Q. Is the artist responsible for fabricating and installing the artwork? What about maintenance, once the art wrap is in place?
A. A contractor will be engaged to fabricate and install the art wraps, working closely with City of Harrisonburg Public Works. The artist is not responsible for fabrication, installation, or maintenance of the artwork.

Q. Will I need to design around screws, handles, vents, etc. on my assigned cabinet?
A. Selected artists will collaborate with City of Harrisonburg Public Works to ensure an exact fit of the final artwork. Cabinets may have vents, folds, screws, and handles in unique locations and may need to have holes cut in the wrap to accommodate those features. Artists are encouraged to make aesthetic use of the structures of the traffic boxes themselves as an integral part of the design. For example, note bleed lines and potential problem areas in case panels don’t continue in a clean fashion around edges and corners.