Commission of a Commemorative Artwork: A Call for Artists
The Grayslake Arts Alliance (GAA), in partnership with the Village of Grayslake, seeks an artist or artist team to complete a piece of outdoor public art in honor of Grayslake's 125th Anniversary. A purchase prize of $5,000 will be awarded and the winning entry will be unveiled within the Grayslake Village Center on August 15, 2020.
The piece is intended to celebrate Grayslake turning 125 years old. Grayslake has a long history, beginning with the Potawatomi people who called this area home. Early white settlers arrived in the mid-1800s and took up farming. Then, in 1886, the first subdivision called Grays Lake was platted. That same year, Wisconsin Central Railroad arrived. A fledgling downtown began to emerge and the railroad helped fuel growth. On May 9, 1895, voters formally approved the creation of the Village of Grays Lake. The name soon changed to Grayslake and a community was born. A one-room school house became the basis for the first Village Hall. Today, that structure continues to serve the public as the west wing of the Grayslake Heritage Center and Museum. Artists are encouraged to visit the Heritage Center to learn more about Grayslake history as inspiration for their artwork.
THEME When planning their submission, artists are strongly encouraged to include themes of Grayslake history. The sculpture should bring vibrancy to the Grayslake Village Center, speak to the location, and address the theme. This year's theme is "embracing change."
SPECIFICATIONS All artwork must be original, and in the form of an outdoor sculpture. There are no recommended materials, but the artists should consider the viability of the work's structure, appearance, and ability to be displayed for many years. All artwork must require limited to no maintenance. Artwork should be able to withstand yearlong weather conditions.
All artwork must be able to be installed on a concrete base no more than 6 feet wide, 6 feet long, or 6 feet in diameter. The sculpture may not weigh more than 2,000 pounds. The maximum size for this sculpture is 12 feet tall, the minimum size for this sculpture is 4 feet tall.
Dimensions listed above indicate minimum and maximum size as well as weight allowed in the installation area.
The Village of Grayslake reserves the right to reject a sculpture upon arrival if it is not of the artistic quality pictured in the proposal, and does not meet acceptable structural and safety standards.
Artists are encouraged to visit all of the possible sculpture installation sites.
Artist's responsibility:
Supplies, tools, and delivery of art to display area.
Design and completion of the finished piece by the deadline.
Transportation of artwork to the exhibition site.
Assistance and supervision of the installation of the artwork.
Proper preparation of art for installation.
Availability for public information, educational interviews and materials.
The artist is responsible for research, design, materials, displays (such as sculpture base), fabrication, transportation, shipping, cooperating with the Village of Grayslake for installation, project documentation, contingency to cover unexpected costs and any other expenses directly related to the artwork itself.
Village of Grayslake responsibility:
Site preparation and lighting will be provided by the Village of Grayslake within reasonable expectations unless lighting is an intrinsic part of the sculpture, in which case it must be included in the artist's proposal. The Village of Grayslake will be responsible for the installation of the artwork in consultation with the artist.
Notification:
Selected artist or artist team will be notified of their selection by email by or before April 7, 2020.
SELECTION BASIS The competition is open to practicing visual artists 18 years of age or older, residing in Illinois, and working with durable materials.
Selection panel members and members of their immediate families are not eligible. The top three designs will be chosen by a panel consisting of representatives from the Grayslake Arts Alliance, the Grayslake Heritage Center and Museum, and the College of Lake County. The final selection will be made by the Mayor of Grayslake and the Village Board.
SUBMISSION GUIDELINES AND DEADLINES Please read this section carefully.
An incomplete application could result in your work not being considered. Your name must appear on all materials. Proposals must be for a new, original work that can be completed and delivered by August 1, 2020.
Proposals should be a detailed representation of the final piece. Proposals for large artwork can be submitted in a scaled down format, either in the form of color drawing(s) or a model. Digital submissions will be accepted through the GAA website [http://www.grayslakeartsalliance/embracingchange-entry]. Non-digital submissions can be sent to the Grayslake Heritage Center and Museum, 164 Hawley Street, Grayslake, IL 60030.
There is no application fee.
Please include the following items:
Contact information including name, address, phone, email, and website (if applicable)
Submission artwork information including title, medium, measurements, and installation requirements.
Full-color preliminary concept drawing(s) or scaled-down model, which provides a strong representation and proposed dimensions of the final artwork. For digital submission (JPG or PNG), please label your file as follows: LastName_FirstName_Title_ImageNumber.jpg or png
Statement of your interest in this project and why you believe your work and approach would be appropriate. Also please state whether you could meet the goals of the project within the proposed timeline. Please state how you heard about this artist opportunity. For digital submission (PDF), please label your files as follows: LastName_FirstName_Statement.pdf
Artist Portfolio including three clearly titled and numbered digital (JPG or PNG only) images of previously completed artworks. Image files should be named as follows: LastName_FirstName_Portfolio_Title_ImageNumber.jpg or png
Current Resume should not to exceed two pages. For digital submission (PDF), please label as follows: LastName_FirstName_Resume.pdf
List of three references with their current contact information, including phone numbers and email addresses. This may include one or more people who have a relationship with the artist through their artwork (clients, collectors, gallery directors, educators). For digital submission (PDF), please label as follows: LastName_FirstName_References.pdf
TIMELINE The unveiling will occur on August 15, 2020, at the Grayslake Summer Days Festival. The winning artist will be expected to adhere to this timeline:
January 31 - Proposal deadline
March 1 - Top three artists selected
April 7 - Finalist notified, Installation meeting planned
June 1 - Progress visual due
August 1 - Artwork delivered
August 7 - Artwork installed
August 15 - Artwork unveiled
PURCHASE AND LICENSE AGREEMENTS
The winning artist or artist team will be required to execute an "Agreement for Commission of Public Artwork" at the time their proposal is selected as the winning design. After the artwork is completed and installed in a satisfactory manner, the artist or artist team will also be required to execute a "Bill of Sale and License Agreement" transferring ownership of the artwork and intellectual property licenses to the Village of Grayslake, as further described below. The Village of Grayslake will pay the $5,000 purchase price to the artist or artist team upon final acceptance of the artwork and execution of the Bill of Sale.
Upon purchase of the artwork, all right, title, and interest to the artwork will be transferred to the Village of Grayslake, including the rights to install, maintain, relocate, remove from display, or dispose of the artwork.
The artist or artist team must also grant to the Village of Grayslake: (i) a perpetual, irrevocable, exclusive, non-transferrable license to publicly display, reproduce, print, copy, edit, publish, and distribute the artwork or any photography, image, reproduction, or graphic depiction of the artwork, including for marketing and promotional purposes intended to promote or benefit the Village of Grayslake or any of its public purposes, or for sale or compensation, without payment of any royalties; and (ii) an irrevocable, exclusive, non-transferrable license to publicly display, reproduce, copy, print, edit, publish, and distribute the artwork or any photograph, image, reproduction, or graphic depiction of the artwork or other compensation for a period of ten years without payment of royalties. Subject to these licenses, the artist or artist team will retain copyright and reproduction rights, including rights to reproduce and distribute photographs, images, or graphic depictions of the artwork for personal or professional promotion or marketing purposes, but not for sale or other compensation during the term of the Village's exclusive license.
