The City of Ann Arbor Downtown Development Authority and Parks and Recreation is seeking to commission an artist or artist team to design a unique public artwork project:
Liberty Plaza
BUDGET:
$35,000
ELIGIBILITY:
Open to artists or artist teams residing in the United States of America
DEADLINE:
December 1, 2024, at 11:59pm EST
OPPORTUNITY
The City of Ann Arbor Parks and Recreation and the Ann Arbor Downtown Development Authority (DDA) are collaborating to fund a mural installation in Liberty Plaza to enhance the downtown experience for all people. They seek to commission an artist or artist team to design and paint the concrete walls in Liberty Plaza in downtown Ann Arbor, MI. The three-tiered sunken plaza creates a unique urban canvas for artists to design a mural. This project’s designs should be colorful, fun, and non-representational in subject matter.
PROJECT BACKGROUND
Liberty Plaza is a .26-acre urban plaza in downtown Ann Arbor, MI, located on the corner of Division Street and Liberty Avenue next to the Kempf House to the south and a private building and lot to the west. It was designed by Chuck Cares and constructed in 1977. The sunken plaza’s spatial and formal design qualities follow modern-era landscape design traditions and is composed of 3 levels connected by stairs and ramps. Each level is constructed of concrete walls of varying heights that create a unique opportunity for muralists to reinterpret and introduce new energy and interest in the plaza. The park’s spatial and programmatic relationship to neighboring buildings and lots has changed over the decades as retailers and restaurants have come and gone. The park is shifting its programmatic focus to use as a flexible event space available for rental while remaining a daily park for leisure, open to the public year-round. During the summer, Liberty Plaza hosts a free outdoor concert series, Sonic Lunch, on the upper level every Thursday from 11:30 AM to 1:30 PM. Ann Arbor Parks and Recreation plans to update the landscaping in 2025 with colorful, bright, and showy plantings in the park’s interior and green shrubbery on the perimeter.
Download Project Site Plan and Images
ELIGIBILITY
The DDA and City of Ann Arbor Parks and Recreation are seeking artists or artist teams who can commit to working in Ann Arbor as necessary to fulfill the responsibilities of this project. Any artist or artist team residing in the United States can apply, including applicants currently on a U.S. Visa. Applicants on a U.S. Visa must be able to legally work in the United States and provide documentation with their application.
TIMELINE
All dates except the submission deadline are approximate, subject to change, and are presented for guidance only.
- Call Submission Deadline: December 1st, 2024 at 11:59pm Eastern Time
- 3 Semi-finalists Selected: late December, 2024
- Semi-finalists Proposals Due and Interviews coordinated: late January 2025
- Finalist Awarded: February – March 2025
- Project Completion and Installation: Summer/Fall 2025
APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS
- Written Proposal Statement and Site-specific Concept Sketch (i.e. sketch, photo, rendering, or other)
- CV/Resume
- 3 References
- Artist Bio
- 5-10 Past Work Images. Videos are permitted.
HOW TO APPLY:
FOR QUESTIONS:
This Call-for-Art is managed in collaboration with the Downtown Development Authority of Ann Arbor by the A2AC’s Art in Public Program. Please direct your questions to:
artinpublic@annarborartcenter.org or call 734-926-4122