Your art in our community

The competition is open to all professional visual artists, aged 18 and older, with public art experience. Our Board, our staff, and their immediate family members, as well as our selection panelists and their immediate family members, are not eligible to participate. In addition to finished pieces, we’ll also consider proposed work based on previous examples of public work.

Each year, our ARTsites panel selects the host sites located throughout Howard County and narrows down the artwork submissions to 30 finalists. The individual sites then select the artwork to be installed at their locations from among those finalists.

We’ll provide an identification plaque for each work and promotional support for the exhibit.

To be considered for ARTsites, interested artists must apply online at submittable.www.hocoarts.org. Mailed entries will not be accepted.

The ARTsites application asks for the following information:

• Contact Information
  • Artist’s name
  • Address
  • Phone 
  • Fax
  • Email
  • Website
• Statement of Interest
  • A brief artist statement about your work, your interest in and/or commitment to public art, and any relevant experience you may have.
• Resume
  • A current resume highlighting experience with site-specific work and public art.
• Images
  • Digital images of up to six works that are available for consideration. You may include up to three images for existent work, or up to six images of models/concept drawings for proposed work.
  • If you are only submitting proposed work, please also provide at least three images of previous work to demonstrate your public art experience.
  • Each image should be named using the “LastName_FirstName_01” format, where the numbers directly correspond to the image identification list described below.
• Image List
  • A numbered image identification list indicating title, year created, materials, dimensions, approximate weight, and sale price (or insurance value if not for sale).
• Artwork Descriptions
  • A brief description of each submitted artwork, including all pertinent information (materials used, interactive or kinetic elements, presentation details, maintenance needed, etc.). Be sure to include a description of the installation method and requirements for each piece, including timeline, installation procedure, anchoring mechanisms, sculpture footprint dimensions, minimum dimensions, and any machinery/equipment necessary. 
• References
  • A document that lists names and contact information for two references familiar with your work.
• Additional Information
  • Provide any additional information about what sort of construction equipment you are willing and able to provide or elaborate on anything else you would like the selection panel to know.

There is no entry fee for artists to be considered for inclusion in ARTsites.

We’ll provide up to 12 artists with a $3,000 grant to cover the temporary loan, insurance, installation, de-installation, and repairs to the sculpture. If multiple pieces are selected from one artist, a separate grant will be awarded for each piece. Selected artists will receive two grant payments, one after the contract is signed and the sculpture is installed, the other after the sculpture is de-installed and the site is returned to its original condition.

The artist is responsible for: general liability insurance (selected artists will be given the option to be added to HoCo Arts’s ARTsites general liability insurance for a fee); insurance needed for installation contractors hired by artist; insurance to cover the artwork for vandalism or theft for the duration of the exhibition (or artist must sign an agreement that the work is on display at the artist’s own risk).

Artists selected to exhibit their sculpture will be responsible for:

• Signing a contract before the first portion of the grant is disbursed.
• Transportation and proper installation of the sculpture. (Please note: HoCo Arts does not have or provide an installation crew, nor do sites have appropriate staff for installations. Installation/de-installation and employment of any crew is the sole responsibility of the artist.) 
• Maintaining any applicable insurance limits for themselves or any subcontractors including, but not limited to, worker’s compensation, automobile, etc. during the construction and installation of the artwork and provide proof thereof. Any lapse in insurance is cause for the immediate termination of the contract.
• Maintaining insurance for damage or theft of the work for the duration of the exhibit or sign an agreement that the work is being exhibited at its own risk and the artist will cover the cost of any repair.
• Maintaining general liability insurance.
• Being available for information requests, educational interviews, etc.
• Removing their work promptly at the end of the exhibit.

Participating artists retain sole ownership and copyright of the artwork but must agree to grant HoCo Arts and participating site a royalty-free, world-wide, perpetual license to use any depictions of the work for educational, documentary and non-commercial promotional purposes.

A selection panel made up of HoCo Arts representatives, public art professionals, and at least one professional with expertise in planning and zoning, architecture and design, or construction, will be convened to review the applications and select the finalists and sites.

The panel will provide final selections to representatives from participating sites who will then choose the sculptures for their sites.

Artwork selection criteria include:

• Quality of work and originality as evidenced by the entry images or, for proposed work, concept drawings and representations of past public works.
• Ability of the artist to successfully complete the work based on comparable experience.
• Durability of work with regard to structural and surface soundness and resistance to weather, vandalism, etc.
• Public safety.
• Technical feasibility.
• Appropriateness of the work to a public venue.

The selection will be based on the application materials. The panel’s proceedings will be limited to panel members in order to ensure confidentiality of the selection process and open discussion of the merits of the applicants.

A 20% commission will be retained by the Howard County Arts Council on all sales of artwork that are part of the exhibit. Work is not required to be for sale.

• February – Artist & Site Applications Due
• April – Entry & Site Review
  • Notifications of Acceptance
• May – Contract Execution
• July – Deinstallation of Previous Exhibit
  • Second Award Payment
• August – Installation of New Exhibit
  • First Award Payment