Request for Public Art Proposals
Voices of Youth Mural Project
Postmark Deadline for Application: December 14, 2007

BACKGROUND:
BARAK, a non-profit community arts organization in Harrisburg, has partnered with The City of Harrisburg, The Harrisburg School District and The Greater Harrisburg YWCA to commission the creation of a series of indoor and outdoor murals. These works will be installed at multiple locations around the city.
This project is part of BARAK’s Voices of Youth Mural Program that began in 2006, and will bring elementary, middle, and high school students into a creative environment with professional artists that will encourage youth to use the arts as a means of positive self-expression and to provide them opportunities to gain recognition and attention for positive efforts.
We believe the project will reinforce the fact that public art contributes to the attraction and retention of the creative class, serve as an outdoor art gallery for citizens of all backgrounds to enjoy, and spur economic development and neighborhood revitalization.

PUBLIC ART OPPORTUNITIES
The project with the City of Harrisburg involves the creation of murals on the edifices of the water retaining structures in Reservoir Park during the summer of 2008. There are twelve archways circumferentially around each of two retainer towers. Each individual archway rises to an average height of 10 ft high with an average breadth of 42 ft 4in at its widest point. The artist will propose a reasonable number of archways that he would expect to have completed while working with the student apprentice artists from May through August, 2008. The themes for these murals will center around civic and community pride, youth, and community history. The artist’s fee (includes all costs related to the design, engineering, insurance, shipping, fabrication and installation of the artwork) for this project should not exceed $2500 per archway.
The Harrisburg School District projects involve separate indoor mural installations at two elementary/middle schools and one high school. The sizes will average approximately 12 ft wide x 8 ft tall (this is speculative with the final exact sizes to be determined later) The themes will also vary from civil rights at the high school to inspiration, education, and community in the elementary schools. These murals will be installed between March and May 2008. The artist’s fee (includes all costs related to the design, engineering, insurance, shipping, fabrication and installation of the artwork) for this project will range from $1000 - $3000
The final commission is for a mural that will be sited on a retaining wall affronting the YWCA. The expanse of the wall is approximately 150 ft and 15 ft high.  Situated in the historic Mount Pleasant section of the city of Harrisburg, the location is bordered within a main traffic corridor, Market and Cameron Sts. and is visible from many points by both foot and vehicular traffic. The theme of the project is Diversity and Eliminating Racism. This mural will be installed between April and June 2008. The artist’s fee for this project should not exceed $3500 (includes all costs related to the design, engineering, insurance, shipping, fabrication and installation of the artwork).
An artist may apply for a single or no more than two individual projects. A preliminary rendering of mural concepts will assist the project review panel in selecting candidates based on creativity, experience, and an overall sense of desired concepts. Although BARAK does not endorse restrictions on any particular artistic content, in making decisions, the project’s review panel will consider the fact that children and adults from many cultures and sectarian backgrounds will see and interact with this public artwork.
Due to the nature of the Voices of Youth Mural Program, it is very important that the artist, the participating youth (apprentice artists), the community in which the mural is to be installed, and the individual sponsoring organization be involved in the final decision of thematic content and design of the murals. The artist selected will demonstrate the ability to work within this team concept.

PROJECT GOALS:
            To mentor youth through the artistic process;
            To contribute to the visual interest and identity of the proposed sites;
            To create a mural that celebrates the Harrisburg community;
            To encourage youth to use art as a means of positive self-expression;
            To create a source of community pride;
            To raise a functional object to a higher aesthetic.

ELIGIBILITY:
This request for proposals is open to all artists, age 18 and over, regardless of race, color, religion, national origin, gender, or handicapped status. Artist teams are welcome to apply, including teams of artists from multiple disciplines.
INSTALLATION:
The artist will be asked to submit anticipated needs and site requirements for the art prior to commencing. The artist will be required to coordinate installation needs with BARAK and the sponsoring organizations. Artists are strongly encouraged to preview the work site prior to submitting proposals. BARAK and sponsoring organizations reserve the right to cancel or amend any or all of the scopes referenced in this document.
SELECTION PROCESS:
The Review Panel will evaluate artist’s submissions and either select an artist based on preliminary submission materials, interview short-listed applicants, or seek more detailed proposals. Selection criteria include: the applicant’s professional qualifications, ability to undertake the project, ability and experience working with students ages 10-17, and artistic merit as evidenced by the submitted materials. The artist(s) selected for the commission will be further required to develop the proposal for the approval by the review panel prior to the fabrication and installation phase. The artist selected will sign a contract with the proposed site organizations and must carry liability insurance.
TIMELINE:
Dec 14, 2007: Postmark deadline for application materials
Jan/Feb 2008: Notification of artist selection
Feb/March 2008: Contract preparation and execution
Feb - Apr, 2008: More detailed development of proposal and design review
Mar-June, 2008: Commencement of fabrication
Mar-August 2008: Completion of fabrication/installation

APPLICATION CONTENT:

• Application Cover Sheet (see below)
• Letter of Interest.  Please explain your interest in project (1 page max)
• Illustrations of Project Idea (2 page maximum, 8 ½ x 11” maximum size)
• Additional Visual Support Material and/ or Illustrations (i.e. past work that supports the project idea). Digital submissions on CD are allowed. JPEG file format at 72 dpi with a maximum size of 1024 (width) by 768 (height) pixels or in PDF format.
• Artistic and/or Professional Resume.  Please include a current resume of your education and professional accomplishments (2 page max). Teams must submit a resume for each member.
• Written Project Proposal  (2 page max)
• Fabrication and Installation.  Describe the anticipated fabrication and installation needs for the artwork. Be sure to include information that will help facilitate the artistic integrity of your work (The artist will work with BARAK and the City of Harrisburg to ensure work is properly installed).
• Preliminary Budget (Include a cost estimate; 1 page max)
• Proposal for maintenance responsibilities needed to preserve and protect mural.
• Three References.  Include client name, contact name and phone number

Note:
Please type application, clearly indicate your name, date and project name on all pages of application, and please do not staple any pages together. All materials submitted become the property of BARAK, Inc.

APPLICATION DELIVERY
Deliver 1 original + 4 copies (5 copies total) of completed application packages to:
 Wendell Murray
BARAK Voice of Youth Mural Program
301 Market Street 5th Fl
Harrisburg, PA  17101
(717) 724-2154
wcbdrama@comcast.net