MANCHESTER, NH – Intown Manchester is seeking one or more artists to create a public mural of original art work on the north face wall of the Lamont Hanley Building. The Lamont Hanley Building is located at 1138 Elm St., Manchester. This opportunity is open to established mural artists living in the state of New Hampshire. The application deadline is Aug. 20, 2018 by 5 p.m.
A printable version of the complete RFP is embedded below.
The Award
A commission for the artist(s) selected will be determined once the art is finalized.
Project Intent
- The Lamont Hanley building is located at a major intersection and entry point to the city. The vision for this project is for a signature artwork of exceptional quality and enduring value located in a prominent public space with out overshadowing the billboard located on the wall. This site-specific art work should:
- Demonstrate Artistic excellence
- Enhance the side of the Lamont Hanley building, (north facing towards Bridge Street) with a distinctive aesthetic experience both highly visible and welcoming to pedestrians and bicyclists on both sides of Elm Street and at the four way intersection of Bridge and Elm Streets, as well as, those traveling by in passenger vehicles.
- Provide a recognizable identity for the city of Manchester and the neighborhood.
- Be an original art piece appropriate for outdoor installation able to stand up to severe weather, vandalism, graffiti etc. and be adequately and safely displayed and secured.
- Consider site limitations, i.e. billboard. Ground space on the site is limited and will require the selected artist(s) to consider the site’s limitations and the art element placement previously determined by the site manager from REI.
- Create a signature presence for the building, extending an outdoor park theme. This should be whimsical and/or colorful; incorporate an image or feeling of joy and happiness; reflect on the natural environment; or, highlight the important history of the city of Manchester.
- There should be five hidden items pertaining to golf and five hidden items pertaining to fly fishing as tribute to the building owners and company founders of Lamont Hanley.
- Provide excitement and interest for the community as a whole.
- Celebrate Manchester’s identity and rich heritage.
Information about the Site and Immediate Surroundings
The Lamont Hanley Building is situated on a flat lot at the corner of Elm and Bridge streets and public green space owned by the city of Manchester. The building is on the corner of a busy intersection entering the downtown area of Manchester, and is adjacent to the Bridge Street Bridge. There is a large billboard on this site and will have to be incorporated into the mural. Please note the billboard will change advertisers every three to six months. This is non negotiable. Attached to this RFP is the following:
Eligibility
The competition is open to established professional artists living in the state of New Hampshire. Only professional artists with reviewable portfolios are eligible to apply. While artists whose work is well represented within the City of Manchester are eligible to apply, the artist selection panel will consider artistic diversity as one factor in the selection process. The Commissioned Artist(s) will work with Michelle Hanley, owner of the Lamont Hanley building, REI Service Corporation, acting as site manager, and Intown Manchester, curator of the public art project. Applicants who wish to be considered for this project should have experience working within the public process, in public settings, as well as a proven ability to fabricate their own work or to work with fabricators. The artwork for this site must reflect the Project Intent as described above. The Commissioned Artist(s) will be required to provide evidence of appropriate liability, property damage, and workers compensation insurance while working on the site.
Intown Manchester is committed to excellence in environmental stewardship and in sustainable building practices. We encourage artists whose work addresses issues of sustainability to consider applying for this site-specific artwork competition.
How to Apply
Artists interested in this project must prepare and submit the following:
- Proposed Artwork Concept for the north side of the Lamont Hanley Building. This proposal shall include conceptual design drawings and or sketches sufficient to communicate the artist concept. It should include a budget and/or describe the specifications for the artwork related to the materials, installation requirements and maintenance guidelines.
- Letter of Interest, no more than one page in length, which explains your interest in the project. Please include your name, and contact information and state the format of you sample submittal.
- Artist Statement, no more than 200 words in length, describing your work.
- Current Resume. If submitting as a team, an individual resume should be submitted for each team member.
- A list of at least three professional references familiar with your work and working methods. The list must include complete addresses, telephone number and email address.
- Work Samples: The artists applying as a team should submit work of each individual artist’s work. All work samples must be submitted in JPEG format.
Criteria for Selections
- An initial proposal that reflects Project Intent as described in this document.
- A body of work reflecting artist excellence.
- Experience working in public settings.
- Experience fabricating and installing permanent artwork suitable for outdoor environment.
- References provided as part of this application which will be contacted prior to the final selection.
Intown Manchester is committed to reflecting the diversity and cultural richness of our community in our selection process. The selected artist(s) will receive a contract for the commission as determined by the REI which must be sufficient for all remaining elements of the project including fabrication, shipping, and installation. If you have any questions or need more information please call or email Sara Beaudry, 603-645.6285, sbeaudry@intownmanchester.com
