Public call. for the creation of public artworks. Deadline: March 20, 2015.
Project Cartel is a public art project that aims to contribute to the development of Laval s culture and identity. The city s 50th anniversary celebrations in 2015 will be an opportunity to present six new works of art inscribed upon the territory, extending the horizon lines and opening up the landscape of the everyday to contemporary art. Cartel is committed to producing and presenting artistic creations that will be sources of emotions, encounters and reflection for everyone. A range of works will be exhibited in different participating areas of the city, representing the diversity of contemporary artistic practices. Verticale centre d artistes is the organization behind this project, at the invitation of the Corporation des célébrations du 50 e à Laval. Context The year 2015 will mark the 50th anniversary of the City of Laval, which was created August 6, 1965 with the merging of the 14 municipalities then in existence where the city now stands. The history of the island, however, dates back much further, to 1636 and the concession of Île Jésus to the Jesuits. The history of the city of Laval is laden with memories, from great achievements to the little stories of everyday life. The city s birth was the beginning of an exciting adventure, and today Laval boasts all the advantages of a large, modern city. With some 410,000 residents, Laval is the third largest city in Quebec. 1
Nature of the works and role of the artist Cartel seeks contemporary art projects that will inscribe themselves in a meaningful way on the urban and sociocultural landscape surrounding different public spaces in Laval, such as arenas, park facilities, community centres, etc. The chosen artistic proposals may be of different natures and formats, but they must adhere to the surface of the wall of the buildings (frescos, photography on various materials, bas-relief installations, wrapping/dressing, etc) and respect the nature of the exterior wall surface (brick, sheet metal, wood, steel, etc.) Being that all the surfaces are Municipal property, the works will be part of the Art Collection of the City of Laval, which will assure their conservation for the planned duration of the work. The Municipality is responsible for the cleaning of the surfaces. The final selection of the placement of the works will be made the jury. In addition, the selected artists will develop and implement mediation activities that will benefit the community. Compliance The works must comply with safety regulations applicable to public spaces and must not present any health risks. 2
Longevity and budget Cartel welcomes different media; the objective is to work together with the artists, respecting the lifespan of the works and the characteristics of the materials used. Category 1 3 mural works Longevity: 3 years min. Budget: $10,000 each Category 2 2 works, various media Longevity: 5 to 7 years Budget: $20,000 each Category 3 1 work, various media Longevity: 7 years and up Budget: $35,000 Budgets comprise all expenses included in the project s creation (artist fees and copyright; costs of producing plans as needed with the exception of Category 1, quotes and estimates of the work s production costs; technical support; costs of materials and services required for the conception, creation and installation of the work; transport, movement and safeguarding of the work during its installation; insurance; engineer fees as needed with the exception of Category 1), etc. A supplementary budget is expected for the conception and creation of cultural mediation. Admission criteria To be a professional artist To be available during the period covered by the project (May to September 2015) for the production and installation of the work on the site Note: Collaborations and collectives are admissible 3
Selection criteria Originality and public relevance of the proposed project Feasibility of the work Practicality of the maintenance plan and of the budget Experience in mural or public art (an asset) Ability and interest in cultural mediation Adaptability to different formats and types of wall surfaces Excellence and quality of prior work Selection process A jury will evaluate all proposals on the basis of the submitted applications and choose a shortlist of 12 applicants. These finalists will then be invited to submit a detailed proposal based on the jury s commentary and the location selected for their project. Following the analysis of these official proposals, six candidates will be chosen by the jury. Each final proposal must then be approved by the project s partners before the artist may be officially selected for the creation of the work. Please note that no fees or compensation will be paid following the call for proposals: only the six artists selected at the end of the process will receive artist fees and copyright. Timeline Deadline for submission of applications from artists: March 20, 2015 Selection of finalist projects by the jury: End of March, 2015 Approval of final plans by the partners: Week of April 20, 2015 Creation or installation of the works: June, July or August (varying according to the work) 4
Application package Interested artists must send an electronic application file, comprised of the following elements: Application form (click here to download) Project description (max. 1 page) Visual proposal Artist statement Up-to-date CV Visual documentation of prior works (10 photos in.jpg format) List of images Maintenance plan for the work Preliminary production schedule and budget Please provide a compressed file containing the above items (.zip file of a maximum of 10 MB.) The file should be sent to the email address art@verticale.ca no later than March 20, 2015. Incomplete application packages will not be considered. Contact person All questions relating to this competition should be sent via email to Ève Dorais at cartel@verticale.ca and include the applicant s name and the title of their project. 5
Verticale Verticale centre d artistes recognizes and welcomes the heterogeneity that characterizes contemporary art. The organization echoes the disciplinary decompartmentalization that is at the very heart of the emergence of new practices, privileging the diversification of the modes of production and dissemination of the visual arts, operating as much outside the gallery walls in communities, public spaces, social and media spaces as within spaces dedicated specifically to art. Verticale centre d artistes is a non-profit organization founded in 1991 by the Société des arts visuels de Laval, a group of artists incorporated in 1987 who undertook the task of establishing a self-directed artist s centre in order to facilitate the practice of the artistic professions in Laval and contribute to the development of contemporary art. Verticale centre d artistes fulfills its mandate, regionally as well as nationally, by offering both residents and visitors of Laval, specialized or not, accessible programming in different areas of interest of Île Jésus. Website: verticale.ca Corporation du 50 e anniversaire As a part of the 50th anniversary of the City of Laval, the mandate of the corporation is to plan, manage, coordinate, organize and promote the 2015 celebrations. La Corporation des célébrations 2015 à Laval wishes first and foremost to take advantage of the 50th anniversary to encourage the citizens of Laval to look toward the future, inviting them to join in the writing of a new chapter of their history. The corporation seeks to bring together and highlight the history, the vitality and the future prospects of Laval by contributing to the creation of stimulating projects for all its citizens. website : 50ans.laval.ca 6