Artscape 2023: Signs, Signals and Signifiers
Ends on
Artscape – America's largest free arts festival – returns September 22-24, 2023.
Artscape is back! The Baltimore Office of Promotion & The Arts is excited to announce the return of Artscape for its 38th year, after a three-year hiatus! The beloved Baltimore arts festival is where art lovers, families, and tourists come together to celebrate art, culture, and performance! Artscape is proud to showcase artists and makers, live concerts, visual arts experiences, performing arts, fashion designers, kid-focused activities, film, experimental music, improv and comedy, literary arts programming and culinary delights. We encourage artists and festival goers to embrace Artscape for what it is – a fully accessible, 100% FREE, world-class arts festival – right here in the heart of Baltimore City. Everyone’s invited to Artscape, let's celebrate the arts in Baltimore together!
ARTSCAPE
Artscape is AMERICA’S LARGEST FREE outdoor arts festival, rocking the cultural heart of Baltimore since 1982. The festival was designed as an Arts Fair that marketed Baltimore as a cultural hub, generated local community support for the arts, and stimulated economic development and investment in the Mt. Vernon/Bolton Hill neighborhood. In 2019 (the last time Artscape was held), Artscape featured more than 200 artist performers and over 100 visual artists and artisans.
For Signs, Signals and Signifiers, Artscape is seeking approximately five to ten mid to large scale public sculptures for the median of the 1200 block of Mt Royal Avenue. Artists and artist collaborative groups working in Baltimore and nationall
There are many ways to approach this theme and you are welcome to reach out to Lou Joseph at BOPA, ljoseph@promotionandarts.org, to ask any questions about your ideas and how to apply.
Options could include, but are not limited to:
Proposals for 2D art that would be printed and applied to billboard-like structures built by Artscape. (NOTE: This option does not require in-depth narratives about building and installation, just how your proposal relates to the theme. It has a flat $500 artist honorarium, printing and installation will be done by BOPA)
Proposals for sculpture made from literal signs, traffic signals, etc.
Sculptures referencing business signage, tourist signs, historical markers, etc
Mass-produced coroplast signs (like you see in medians and telephone poles around the city)
Or any other approach you can think of!
ARTSCAPE HOURS OF OPERATION
Artscape takes place rain or shine.
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 22 5PM - 10PM FESTIVAL OPERATIONS 9PM - 11PM ARTSCAPE AFTERHOURS
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 23 11AM - 5PM MAIN STAGE HOURS 11AM - 10PM FESTIVAL OPERATIONS 9PM - 11PM ARTSCAPE AFTERHOURS
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 24 11AM-5PM FESTIVAL OPERATIONS
Location: Midtown Baltimore and the Station North Arts & Entertainment District (Signs, Signals and Signifiers will be on Mt. Royal Avenue median, between Dolphin and Lanvale streets.)
ABOUT PUBLIC ART AT ARTSCAPE The Baltimore Office of Promotion & The Arts invites performing artists, and arts collectives, to propose public art pieces to be featured as Artscape. The deadline to submit applications is Friday June 30, 2023. Please read through the detailed criteria before submitting your proposal.
Applications are reviewed and selected by the Festivals Programming Coordinator with input from a committee of arts professionals.
Please note: applying does not guarantee acceptance.
GUIDELINES:
- Application should include: Project titles, artist or artist team name, main contact, contact info, short project description, full project proposal including the conceptual idea, how it ties to the theme and how exactly the piece would be built. (If applying for the billboard project, you can provide the image file or mockup (not a print-size file) of the image you would have printed to the full billboard size.)
- A proposed budget should be included in application. Project budgets the range of approximately $1000 to $3000 may be provided to each selected artist or collaborative group. Final funding amounts could be higher or lower based on review of proposals and discussion with the artists about construction, logistics and staffing. However, once a final budget is approved by BOPA, no additional funds will be allocated to artists for “overruns” including but not limited to supplies, staffing, logistics and fabrication.
- The public artwork should actively engage the audience and provide a unique and memorable experience for festival-goers.
- Artworks may be already existing pieces of pieces of work.
- Young children, and patrons with mobility and/or accessibility needs, should be considered when drafting your proposal. Please also consider if any accommodations will need to be made to ensure that the proposal is fully accessible.
- There are no geographic restrictions for applying. However, travel and accommodation costs are not covered by the honorarium.
RESPONSIBILITIES:
BOPA:
- Provides an artist honorarium
- Assigns a festival-appointed project coordinator and/or production assistant to serve as your festival-liaison and on-site contact.
- Provides a safe and secure festival and atmosphere.
- Provides an outdoor performance space.
- Marketing and promotional opportunities.
Artist(s):
- Fulfills artwork construction, installtion and de-installation schedules.
- Arrives prepared with equipment and supplies necessary to install artwork.
- Compliments BOPA's marketing efforts by promoting performances on their own social networks and/or websites.
- Procured a certificate of insurance, with BOPA and City of Baltimore listed as additionally insured.
- Is responsible for own parking/transportation.
- Has provided BOPA a completed IRS W9 tax form and invoice to receive payment
INFORMATION SESSION:
Artscape General Info Session (Zoom)
Date: 5/24/23
Time: 6pm
RSVP: https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZEqfu6tpzIjH9VDt6UNbKpSRMoxsB_zCMAq
Questions? Contact Lou Joseph, BOPA Prizes and Competitions Manager (ljoseph@promotionandarts.org)