Say what you want about the Margaret Hunt Hill Bridge, its pending opening does seem to have brought more attention to the once-hinterlands on the west side of the Trinity River. Last week, The Dallas Contemporary brought street artist Shepard Fairey to town. This week, another plan in the works via the Ft. Worth Ave. Development Group. Artist/Magnolia Gallery curator/the Belmont Hotel’s Scott Horn sends word that the group is seeking submissions from an artist or team of artists to create a public art installation for Ft. Worth Ave. Here are some requirements:

 -Re-Use: Artists are encouraged to make use of recycled, re-used, and re-defined materials in keeping with the spirit of the incremental redevelopment of the neighborhood.
- Utility: The art is not required to fill a utilitarian role, but projects which fill a secondary purpose (shade, seating, bike parking, etc) are strongly encouraged.

Artists have until March 17 to submit ideas, which you can do here. More details below:

Spare Parts

A Fort Worth Avenue Art Initiative

Overview and Project Goals

 The Ft Worth Ave Development Group is seeking an artist or team of artists to create a site-specific work in the burgeoning area on Commerce/Ft. Worth Avebetween Eastus and Hardwick Streets.
Our goal is to support the ingenuity and DIY spirit of the area, and to encourage street life and pride along Fort Worth Avenue.  Re-purposed warehouses and Airstream trailers are laying the ground for vibrant street life to return to the Ave, and engaging public art will help catalyze the public to understand and embrace these changes.

Content

 -Re-Use: Artists are encouraged to make use of recycled, re-used, and re-defined materials in keeping with the spirit of the incremental redevelopment of the neighborhood.
- Utility: The art is not required to fill a utilitarian role, but projects which fill a secondary purpose (shade, seating, bike parking, etc) are strongly encouraged.

Location

-The installation(s) will be placed on private property along Ft Worth Avein the area between Eastus and Hardwick Streets.  The business owners in this area have agreed to host work on their property, and submissions can be situated in any of the areas listed below.
-Owners will not vote on selection, but will approve any installation on their property.
-The owners of the Foundry/Chickenscratch, the Mission Motel, the Dallas West Retail Trailers, and Butch McGregor’s warehouses and open space on the north side of the street have all signed on to this project.

Budget

-The project budget is $6000.  This amount is to cover materials, supply, labor, and installation costs.

Artist Eligibility

-All artists must be at least 18 years of age, and reside within 100 miles of Dallas,Texas.

Selection Process

- The Selection Panel for this project is comprised of Kay Kallos (Office of Cultural Affairs, Dallas), Bernardo Diaz (SMU), VET (NEA Artist), Wanda Dye (UTA), and Sarah Jane Semrad (KXT, La Reunion TX)
- All submissions will be reviewed by the Panel.
- Three submissions will be selected for as finalists, and will present their projects to the Selection Panel in person.
- Each of the three Finalists will receive a $100 stipend to cover additional time spent on project details.

2012 Timeline

March 17 — Initial Proposals Due
March 19 – Finalists announced.
April 5 – Finalist presentations
April 6 – Award/Commision
April 5 to May 31 — Fabrication.
June 1 to June 15 — Installation

Submission Requirements

1. Letter of Interest: Please describe your interest in the project and your approach towards the installation. Please include a description of the location, the scale of the installation, materials to be used, and requirements for long-term (5 years) maintenance and care.  Letter should be one page.

2. Resume/CV: Please include a professional resume or CV, along with a brief bio and artist statement.

3. Image of proposed work:  Please include a rendering, sketch, photo, or other visual representation of the work for review.

4. Images of past work.  Please include relevant images of past artworks.  Images can be submitted via CD, or hyperlinks to online photos are acceptable.

Mailing or Drop-Off Location:
The Belmont Hotel
Attn: Scott Horn
901 Fort Worth Avenue
Dallas, TX 75208

Electronic Submissions Here:
http://bit.ly/zDHpYP

-Please refer all questions to:
Scott Horn
art@fortworthavenue.org
214.683.9134

The purpose of the Fort Worth Avenue Development Group is to improve the West Commerce/Fort Worth Avenue corridor and maintain a high quality of life for the area’s residential neighbors, property owners and businesses.
Learn more at fortworthavenue.org