RequestforProposalsColumbiaWaterfrontGardensArtTourDeadline:8/14/09Overview

ThefivecommunitygardensoftheColumbiaSt.WaterfrontneighborhoodofBrooklyn,NYareissuingthisRequestforProposalstoartistsinterestedinshowingartworkduringawalkingtourofthegardensandsurroundingneighborhoodinSeptemberof2009.Thisprojectwillaimtobringtogethergardeners,artists,localorganizations,andbusinessownerswiththegoalofunitingthefivegardensoftheneighborhood,enhancingtheirvisibilitytothepublic,promotinggreenspacesandenvironmentalissues,providinganopportunityforartiststogainexposure,andpromotingtheneighborhoodasawhole.

TheGardens

TheColumbiaSt.WaterfrontofBrooklynisfortunatetohaveahighconcentrationofcommunitygardenswithinaveryshortdistanceofeachother.Therearefivegardenswithinapproximatelyeightsquareblocks,andthisoffersagreatopportunityforcollaborativeeventssuchaswalkingtours.Thefivegardensare:TheHumanCompassGardenTheAmazingGardenTheSummitGardenTheBackyardGardenCabriniGreenUrbanMeadowEachgardenoffersadifferentsettingandlayout,thusallowingforthiseventtoacceptproposalsfromartistsofavarietyofmediums.Fencesandgatesatthegardensmaybeidealforthehangingofpaintingsandphotos,whileopenspacesmaybeidealforsculptureorothermultidimensionalpieces.Furtherdescriptionsofthegardens,aswellaslinkstophotographsofthem,canbefoundinAppendixA.Amapofthegardenscanalsobefoundhere:GoogleMapofColumbiaStWaterfrontgardens(fullURLinappendix)

DetailsoftheEvent

Theeventwilltakeplaceoverthecourseofanentireweekend.Duringthatweekend,thegeneralpublicwillbeinvitedtowalkthroughtheneighborhoodand

stopateachgardentoviewtheartandenjoythespaces.Localbusinesseswillbeinvitedtoofferspecialsontheweekendoftheeventalso,inordertomaximizedrawtotheeventandofferavarietyofthingstodo.Certaingardensmayalsoofferrefreshments,lightfood,orcomplimentaryactivities(i.e.music)duringtheeventaswell.ThegardensarepartofGreenthumb,thecitywidenetworkofcommunitygardens,andthereforenothingcanbeofferedforsaleforaprofitontheirpremises.Therefore,weareunfortunatelyunabletoallowartiststosellpiecesdirectlyduringtheevent,butcanofferoneormoreofthefollowingoptionsinexchange:1)

Artistswillbelistedonallpromotionfortheevent,includingpressreleasestomediaoutlets,blogandinternetpostings,andflyersdistributedthroughoutBrooklynandotherpartsofNYC.2)

Artistswillalsobeallowedtobringbusinesscards,flyersorbrochuresfortheirgalleriesorotherupcomingshows,andbepresentattheeventtomeetpeoplethataretheretoviewtheart.Inmostcases,artistswillhavetheopportunitytodisplaythesematerialsontablesorotherprominentareaswithinthegardens.3)

Someofthegardensmaybewillingtoworkwiththeselectedartiststoestablishafundraisingarrangementinwhichtheartistscanselltheirart,recoupcostsforwhattheyexpendedonthepieces,anddonatetherestofthesalepricetothegarden.Thisoptionisallowedbecausethegardensareabletosellitemsonthepremisesforfundraisingpurposes.Pleasenotethatnofundingwillbeavailabletoassistartistsinpurchasingmaterials.Finally,individualgardenswillworkwiththeselectedartiststoallowaccessbeforehandforsetupofart,aswellasascheduleforwhentheartshouldberemoved.Somegardensmayonlywantitfortheweekend,whileothersmaybewillingtoshowitforlongerperiodsoftime.

Criteriaforselectionofartists

ApanelofgardenmembersandotherlocalstakeholderswillbeassembledtochoosetheartistsforthiseventbasedonproposalssubmittedinresponsetothisRFP.Selectionswillbebasedonthefollowing:‐

Aestheticoftheproposedartandhowwellitmatchestheaestheticofthegardenthatitistobeplacedin‐Experienceworkingwithoutdoorinstallationsanddurablematerials‐

Abilitytoworkwellandcommunicateeffectivelywithotherartists,gardenmembers,communitymembers,andotherstakeholders‐

Proventrackrecordofcreativity,professionalism,andworkonothersuccessfulprojects‐

Knowledgeorawarenessofissuesrelatingtotheenvironment,open/publicspaces,parks,andcommunities

‐

PreferencewillbegiventoartistswhoeitherliveorworkinBrooklyn,especiallythoseintheimmediateprojectarea(ColumbiaSt.Waterfront,RedHook,CarrollGardens)

Whattoincludeinproposals:

Contactinformation,includingname,address,phonenumber,emailaddress,andwebsiteorblog2)

Sketchesand/orpicturesoftheartthatisproposedtobeincludedinthisevent3)

Ashortdescriptionoftheartaswellastheconceptorideasbehindit(maximumofonepage)4)

Professionalresume,includingdescriptionofpastartshow,gallery,studio,orotherpublicartdisplayexperiences5)

Anyrelevantphotographsofpastartprojectsandshows6)

Shortdescriptionofpastexperiencesworkingwithteamsoronothercollaborativeprojects7)

Listoftop2gardenchoicesandpreferenceforfencespace,groundspace,orother.8)

Anylettersofreference,articles,reviews,orwrite‐upsthatstrengthenyourprofile,particularlyinreferencetotheselectioncriterialistedabove.Thisisnotrequired,butwillstrengthenyourapplication.

Submission

PleasesubmitallproposaldocumentsviaemailtoUrbanmeadow@gmail.com.Ifyou’dprefertomailhardcopies,pleaseemailtheaboveemailaddressandrequesttodoso.