NYC Department of Cultural Affairs Submission Manager

POST-9/11 FALLEN SERVICE MEMBER MEMORIAL OPEN CALL FOR ARTISTS

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POST-9/11 FALLEN SERVICE MEMBER MEMORIAL OPEN CALL FOR ARTISTS

The City of New York seeks artists interested in creating a public monument that honors the lives and legacy of the Service Members who died during combat activities in support of Overseas Contingency Operations (Operations Enduring Freedom, Iraqi Freedom, New Dawn, Inherent Resolve, and Freedom’s Sentinel combined) associated with the Global War on Terror. If you are such an artist, then please APPLY to this open call.

BACKGROUND

Overseas Contingency Operations represent the country’s longest sustained military conflict, directly claiming (as of May 15th, 2024 according to the Defense Casualty Analysis System) the lives of 7,064 U.S. Service Members – 5,464 hostile deaths, 1,599 non-hostile deaths, and one pending non-hostile death. More than 90 of these brave men and women were from New York City. We must never forget our Service Members who made the ultimate sacrifice in defense of our nation’s freedom.

Thanks to the advocacy of New York City’s Veteran community – as expressed through the NYC Department of Veterans’ Services (DVS) – a memorial will be developed to honor and tell the stories of those we lost during this era of conflict. The terrorist attacks of September 11th, 2001 and the military operations that followed forever changed the lives of all Americans. Therefore, in addition to creating a special space for reflection and remembrance, this memorial will also seek to educate everyday New Yorkers about the extraordinary sacrifice these local Service Members and their families made.

The memorial will also serve as a permanent declaration of “Thank you” and “Welcome Home” to our Post 9/11 Veteran community. The Post 9/11 Veteran community includes, but is not limited to: all who served, those sustaining hidden and non-hidden wounds, those who died for reasons that originated in military service who are not acknowledged by the Defense Department as being combat casualties, those who were not able to return home, the loved ones of all previously mentioned groups (Gold Star Families and Blue Star Families), supporters and allies. This project will serve as an eternal testament to their service by also creating a site for future commemorations and remembrances that engage the local community, Veteran Service Organizations, and New Yorkers who wish to learn about these hometown heroes.

The NYC Department of Veterans' Services' mission is to connect, mobilize, and empower New York City's Veteran community in order to foster purpose-driven lives for US Military Service Members — past and present — in addition to their caregivers, survivors, and families. Per the City of New York’s charter, DVS assists and informs Veteran community members on the following issues: healthcare, housing, benefits, culture, education, and employment.

A short list of qualified artists and artist design teams will be announced in September 2024. A final artist concept to be selected no later than early 2025.

REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS (RFQ)

An advisory panel composed of individuals who reflect diverse facets of New York City’s Veteran community will assess artist submissions and help create a shortlist of up to five finalists for consideration. This Request for Qualifications (RFQ) solicits artists and / or artist teams interested in being considered to design a permanent public memorial dedicated to the fallen Service Members of the Post-9/11 combat era who were from New York City.

PROJECT BUDGET

The project budget will range from $3 to $5 million and must include all project costs. Examples of costs are: artist’s fees, design services, community engagement, site preparation, engineering, fabrication, travel, transportation of the work to the site, insurance, permits, installation, documentation of the artwork, and contingency, etcetera.

WHO MAY APPLY

Professional visual artists or artist teams, working in any and all mediums, legally authorized to work in the United States, and who are at least 18 years of age, are eligible to apply. Employees of the City of New York, Committee members (as defined in the following section) and their family members are not eligible to apply. If applying as an artist team, please identify the team member who will serve as the Lead Artist.

Special attention will be given to artists and artist design teams that contain Veteran community members (ie: US Military Service Members – past and present, family members of those who have served, survivors, caregivers, supporters, etc.).

The Advisory Committee will screen the broader pool of submissions in order to identify a shortlist of candidates. The artist – or artist team – chosen to design the monument will be determined through the City’s Percent for Art commissioning process.

SUBMISSION AND SELECTION PROCESS

Each selection process is organized into two phases:

· Phase One is the RFQ, in which artists or artist teams may respond with samples of past work and supplementary materials to be considered for the Commission. The City, in partnership with an Advisory Committee comprised of Veteran and Military community stakeholders (the “Committee”), will select artists to proceed to Phase Two of the open call (the “Finalists”).
· Phase Two is a Request for Conceptual Designs. During this phase, finalists will submit a conceptual design for final review by the Committee. Finalists will receive a $1,500 honorarium – per artist or artist team – to support the completion of a conceptual design in response to the Request for Conceptual Designs. One artist will be selected by the Committee from Phase Two to finalize their design, fabricate and install the artwork in partnership with the City (the “Selected Artist”).

Phase One: Request for Qualifications

As part of Phase One, the City invites artists or artist teams to submit examples of past work for the Committee to review. Eligibility is based upon artistic merit as evidenced in previous work, though the artist or artist team need not have completed a prior permanent public commission.

There is no submission fee. Submissions must be made online through https://nyculture.submittable.com/submit.

Submission Materials

Artists must submit all of the following materials for consideration:

Statement of Interest (250 words max)

Provide a narrative description of your interest in the commission and your qualifications for undertaking such a project; how your art practice and process can be translated to this project and how you might approach this project. If you are applying as an artist team, then your statement of interest should reflect the work and approach of the team.

If you are a Veteran, Active Duty Service Member, or a Military or Veteran-affiliated family member such as a spouse or partner, parent, child or grandchild, sibling, relative (cousin, niece, nephew, aunt, uncle), Gold Star family member, or caregiver to a Veteran and/or Active Duty Service Member, then please clearly articulate this affiliation in your Statement of Interest.

Artist’s Statement (250 words max)

Provide a narrative description of your past work and current practice, including connections to submitted work samples, as relevant.

Resume or CV (2 pages max)

Provide a current resume or CV, highlighting artistic excellence, any teaching experience, community engagement work, and/or experience working with multiple stakeholders. Be sure to include any relevant public or private commissioning experience. If you are applying as an artist team, then combine your information into a two-page document that summarizes the team members’ qualifications. For example, a four-member team may choose to include a half-page bio for each team member.

References

Provide the name, phone number and email addresses of two (2) professional references that have experience working with you as a partner or client on a creative project. Please indicate your relationship to each reference.

Work Samples

Provide 10 images of completed work. Images should be from 70 - 100 dpi. If you have video of your work that is relevant to this project (i.e. a kinetic sculpture or sound element), submit a PDF with a link to the video. Each video PDF link will count as one of your 10 images. Each video may be no longer than 3 minutes. If you are applying as an artist team, designate one artist to serve as team leader. The team leader will submit the team’s information, along with team member(s) images and resume/bio(s). Submissions from artist teams should reflect samples from each artist on the team, and not exceed the overall submission limit of 10 images.

Work Sample List

Provide a list of submitted works, including titles, dates, materials, dimensions, locations, and/or running times. Include 1-2 sentence descriptions as needed.

Phase Two: Request for Conceptual Designs

As part of Phase Two, the City will invite the selected Finalists to submit conceptual proposals for review by the Committee. Finalists will receive an honorarium of $1,500 for submission of a conceptual proposal regardless of the number of concepts submitted.

Percent for Art aspires to commission artwork of the highest caliber possible, and to set a national example for public art commissioning, while reflecting contemporary art practices. The conceptual proposals will be judged against the following criteria:

Appropriateness of each artist’s approach to the site’s architecture, function, & users;
Skilled craftsmanship;
Clarity of artistic vision;
Consideration of the cost and durability of the artist’s chosen materials; and
That the artist’s public commission is true to his/her/their sensibility.

PROPOSED TIMELINE

May 23, 2024 RFQ opens

September 2024 Shortlist of qualified artists selected and announced

November 2024 Conceptual Proposals reviewed, and finalist selected

January 2025 Design Development begins

Spring 2027 Estimated completion and dedication

QUESTIONS

If you are Veteran or military-affiliated individual who wishes to submit a suggestion to help guide or support this project, please email connect@veterans.nyc.gov

Please direct all inquiries regarding this open call to Percent@culture.nyc.gov

SHE BUILT NYC OPEN CALL FOR ARTISTS

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SHE BUILT NYC OPEN CALL FOR ARTISTS
The City of New York seeks artists interested in creating public monuments that honors women’s history. If you are such an artist, please APPLY to this open call.

BACKGROUND

In 2018, She Built NYC was launched to address the underrepresentation of women in the city’s public art collection by commissioning public monuments to honor women and women’s history in New York City. The four projects below were initially announced in March 2019, but stalled due to the COVID-19 pandemic in and never even got to the initial phase of planning. Thanks to the Adams administration, these four remaining projects are now being restarted, and an open call is being launched for artists to design them. She Built NYC will honor Katherine Walker in Staten Island, Billie Holiday in Queens, Elizabeth Jennings Graham in Manhattan, and Dr. Helen Rodriguez Trias in the Bronx. A fifth project honoring Shirley Chisholm in Brooklyn’s Prospect Park is already underway and received unanimous approval from the city’s Public Design Commission last year.

She Built NYC builds on the recommendations of the Mayoral Advisory Commission on City Art, Monuments, and Markers to expand the stories, histories, and narratives currently represented on public property in New York. These representations have historically failed to reflect the trailblazing women and non-binary individuals that have contributed to the City.

SHE BUILT NYC WOMEN DESCRIPTIONS

The women being honored in this round of new monuments are:

Katherine Walker (1838-1941)

Walker was the keeper of the Robbins Reef Lighthouse in Staten Island for 35 years. She is credited with saving the lives of at least 50 people and maintaining the light that guided countless ships to safe passage through Kill Van Kull, the shipping channel between Staten Island and Bayonne, New Jersey. One of the few female lighthouse keepers in United States history, she broke barriers in a male-dominated field and raised her two children at the lighthouse, rowing them back and forth to attend school on Staten Island. Walker’s story sheds light on the largely untold history of women working in New York City’s maritime industry.

The Katherine Walker monument will be included in the ongoing development planned for Staten Island’s North Shore being spearheaded by New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC).

Billie Holiday (1915-1959)

Born Eleanora Fagan Gough, Holiday is one of the most celebrated jazz singers of all time. Her career helped to define the New York emerging jazz scene and challenged racial barriers, becoming the first Black women to sing with a white orchestra. Holiday’s Strange Fruit, a powerful protest song about lynching, was named by Time Magazine “the song of the century.” Her career was recognized with a dozen Grammy Awards and induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

The Billie Holiday monument will be built at the Jamaica Performing Arts Center, near the clubs she performed in and the neighborhood she called home.

Elizabeth Jennings Graham (1827–1901)

Graham challenged racial segregation a century before the modern Civil Rights Movement. On July 16, 1854, the 24-year-old schoolteacher boarded a streetcar at the intersection of Pearl and Chatham Streets, in what is now Park Row, that did not accept African Americans as passengers. When the conductor confronted her, she refused to leave until forcibly removed by the police. The city’s African-American community was outraged by the incident, and Graham sued the Third Avenue Railroad Company, the conductor, and the driver. The judge ruled in her favor, holding that “a colored person… had the same rights as others.” In addition to winning $225 in damages, Jennings’s case took the first step toward ending transit segregation in New York. By 1860, all of the city's streetcar lines were open to African Americans because of her efforts. In her later years, Jennings continued to teach, helping to start the first kindergarten in the city for Black children.

The Elizabeth Jennings Graham monument will be built near the route of the streetcar journey on which she made her courageous stand.

Dr. Helen Rodríguez Trías (1929-2001)

Dr. Rodríguez Trías was a pioneer in reproductive rights, and HIV/AIDS care and prevention. Dr. Rodríguez Trías’s work often advocated on behalf of women and children, especially those in poor and minority communities. She became the medical director of the New York State Department of Health’s AIDS Institute and the first Latinx director of the American Public Health Association. Dr. Rodríguez Trías was a recipient of the Presidential Citizen’s Medal for her work on behalf of women, children, people with HIV/AIDS, and the poor. Among her greatest legacies are shaping regulations that govern informed content for sterilizations and empowering low-income and minority women through the women’s health movement.

The Dr. Helen Rodriguez Trias monument will be built in a public-facing area at NYC Health + Hospitals/Lincoln, where she was the head of the hospital’s pediatrics department and advocated for better medical care for the communities of color that the institution served.

REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS (RFQ)
An advisory panel comprised of individuals representing a broad range of expertise and backgrounds will assess the nearly 2,000 public nominations and create a shortlist of up to five finalists for commemoration. This Request for Qualifications (RFQ) is to solicit artists or artist teams who are interested in being considered to design a permanent public monument to the selected woman, group of women, or event in women’s history that significantly impacted New York City. The City will match the selected woman, group of women, or event from the shortlist to one public site, and the artist chosen to design a monument will be determined through the City’s Percent for Art commissioning process.

PROJECT BUDGET

The project budgets will range from $250K up to $750K and must include all project costs, including but not limited to the following: artist’s fees, design services, community engagement, site preparation, engineering, fabrication, travel, transportation of the work to the site, insurance, permits, installation, documentation of the artwork, and contingency.

WHO MAY APPLY
Professional visual artists or artist teams, working in any and all media, legally authorized to work in the U.S., and who are at least 18 years of age, are eligible to apply. Employees of the City of New York, Committee members (as defined in the following section) and their family members are not eligible to apply. If applying as an artist team, please identify the team member who will serve as the lead artist.
By applying, artists or artist teams could be considered for any of the upcoming 4 new memorials.

SUBMISSION AND SELECTION PROCESS
Each selection process is organized into two phases:

Phase One is the RFQ in which artists or artist teams may respond with samples of past work and supplementary materials to be considered for the She Built NYC commission. The City, in partnership with an advisory committee of outside arts and design professionals (the “Committee”), will select artists to proceed to Phase Two of the open call (the “Finalists”).

Phase Two is a Request for Conceptual Designs in which Finalists will submit a conceptual design for final review by the Committee. Finalists will receive a $1,500 honorarium for completion of a conceptual design in response to the Request for Conceptual Designs. One artist will be selected by the Committee from Phase Two to finalize designs, fabricate and install the artwork in partnership with the City (the “Selected Artist”).

Phase One: Request for Qualifications
As part of Phase One, the City invites artists or artist teams to submit examples of past work for the Committee to review. Eligibility is based upon artistic merit as evidenced in previous work, though the artist or artist team need not have completed a prior permanent public commission.

There is no submission fee. Submissions must be made online through https://nyculture.submittable.com/submit.
Submission Materials
Artists must submit all of the following materials for consideration:

Statement of Interest (250 words max)
Provide a narrative description of your interest in the commission and your qualifications for undertaking such a project; how your art practice and process can be translated to this project and how you might approach this project. If you are applying as an artist team, your statement of interest should reflect the work and approach of the team.
Artist’s Statement (250 words max)
Provide a narrative description of your past work and current practice, including reference to submitted work samples, as relevant.
Resume or CV (2 pages max)
Provide a current resume or CV, highlighting artistic excellence, any teaching experience, community engagement work, and/or experience working with multiple stakeholders. Be sure to include any relevant public or private commissioning experience. If you are applying as an artist team, combine your information into a two-page document that summarizes the team members’ qualifications. For example, a four-member team may choose to include a half-page bio for each team member.
References
Provide the name, phone number and email addresses of two (2) professional references that have experience working with you as a partner or client on a creative project. Please indicate your relationship to each reference.
Work Samples
Provide 10 images of completed work. Images should be from 70 - 100 dpi. If you have video of your work that is relevant to this project (i.e. a kinetic sculpture or sound element), submit a PDF with a link to the video. Each video PDF link will count as one of your 10 images. Each video may be no longer than 3 minutes. If you are applying as an artist team, designate one artist to be the team leader to submit your information, along with team member(s) images and resume/bio(s). Submissions from artist teams should reflect samples from each artist on the team, and not exceed the overall submission limit of 10 images.
Work Sample List
Provide a list of submitted work, including title, date, materials and dimensions, locations, and/or running times. Include 1-2 sentence descriptions as needed.

Phase Two: Request for Conceptual Designs
As part of Phase Two, the City will invite the selected Finalists to submit conceptual proposals for review by the Committee. Finalists will receive an honorarium of $1,500 for submission of a conceptual proposal regardless of the number of concepts submitted.

      - Appropriateness of each artist’s approach to the site’s architecture, function, and users;
      - Skilled craftsmanship;
      - Clarity of artistic vision;
      - Consideration of the cost and durability of the artist’s chosen materials; and
      - That the artist’s public commission is true to his/her/their sensibility.

QUESTIONS
Please direct all inquiries regarding this open call to Percent@culture.nyc.gov.

Public Artists in Residence (PAIR) 2024 Open Call: NYC Commission on Human Rights

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Public Artists in Residence (PAIR) 2024 Open Call: NYC Commission on Human Rights
Ends on Sunday August 25 at 11:59PM

OPEN CALL FOR ARTISTS: PUBLIC ARTISTS IN RESIDENCE (PAIR) 2024

NYC Department of Cultural Affairs & the Commission on Human Rights

The NYC Department of Cultural Affairs (DCLA) is seeking four (4) artists to join the Public Artists in Residence (PAIR) program in 2024. One (1) selected artist will be placed in residence with each of the following City agencies/offices: the Administration for Children Services, the Human Resources Administration, the Commission on Human Rights, and the Mayor’s Office of Equity & Racial Justice. This application is for a residency with the Commission on Human Rights (CCHR).

About PAIR
PAIR is based on the premise that artists are creative problem solvers. To that end, DCLA embeds socially engaged artists in New York City municipal agencies to utilize their creative, collaborative art practice to offer innovative solutions to pressing civic challenges. Launched in 2015, the PAIR program takes its name and inspiration from the pioneering work of artist Mierle Laderman Ukeles, the City’s first official artist in residence (1977), with the NYC Department of Sanitation. Since establishing the program, DCLA has embedded 24 artists in 15 agencies, including Kameron Neal at the Department of Records and Information Services, Tania Bruguera at the Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs, Yazmany Arboleda at the Civic Engagement Commission, among others. For a full list of PAIRs to date, click here.
All of the PAIR partnerships—some of which are still ongoing—vary greatly in concept, scope, duration, and populations engaged, and their successes are driven by the openness of the partner agencies and the artist-led, collaborative process that the PAIR program framework provides. Artists who are able to be flexible, adaptable, and can maneuver through different situations and populations are encouraged to apply.

Artist Fee and Materials
  PAIR funding per residency is $40,000: $20,000 for the Research Phase and $20,000 for the Implementation Phase. Funding is inclusive of related project expenses (e.g., materials, fabrication, participant stipends, etc.). All funds are paid directly to the artist, who is responsible for managing their own project budgets and submitting invoices on a timely basis. No additional funding is provided. We recommend that the artist take a $20,000 artist fee and use $20,000 for the project budget. However, it is up the to the artist’s discretion to use the fee as they see fit.
  NOTE: DCLA advocates strongly for fair artist wages. Given that PAIR awards are fixed, we strongly encourage individual artists to apply for PAIR rather than artist collectives that would have to share the award. Collectives are still welcome to apply, knowing the financial restrictions.
  In addition to the $40,000, the artist receives:

A desk at the partner agency, with office access based on regular building hours
Access to materials/supplies at DCLA’s Materials for the Arts

Artist Agreement and Intellectual Property Rights
DCLA understands the importance of artists’ intellectual property rights. Prior to the start date of each phase of the program, the selected artists will be required to sign two (2) Public Artist in Residence Agreements (one for the Research Phase and one for the Implementation Phase). These agreements include fixed provisions regarding intellectual property and make the following distinction: artist(s) own and maintain rights over artistic works developed during the program (such as visual art, performances and literary materials) that are not intended to be used by a City agency or program, subject to certain restrictions and the City’s license to use such artistic works. Materials developed specifically for City purposes (such as reports, promotional materials, and campaign content) will be owned by the City. Selected artists are strongly encouraged to review the Agreements with trusted legal counsel as soon as they are received to avoid delays.

PAIR 2024
PAIR 2024 will launch four (4) new residencies with the following partner agencies:

Administration for Children’s Services
Human Resources Administration
Commission on Human Rights
Mayor’s Office of Equity & Racial Justice

This is an open call for a Public Artist in Residence with the Commission on Human Rights. The other 2024 PAIR Artist Open Calls can be found here. Artists may apply to multiple open calls but can only be selected for one position. A separate application must be submitted for each agency.

About the Commission on Human Rights
The New York City Commission on Human Rights is charged with the enforcement of the Human Rights Law, and with educating the public on that same law. The New York City Human Rights Law is one of the most comprehensive civil rights laws in the nation. The Law prohibits discrimination in employment, housing, and public accommodations based on race, color, religion/creed, age, national origin, immigration or citizenship status, gender (including sexual harassment), gender identity, sexual orientation, disability, pregnancy, marital status, partnership status, among many others.
The NYC Commission on Human Rights uses law, education, and community engagement to tackle all forms of discrimination in housing, employment and public spaces. For over 80 years, our agency has addressed discrimination across all five boroughs. This focus is vital in our efforts to center equity in the day-to-day lives of all New Yorkers and is informed by the varied histories and lived experiences of the communities we serve.
Click here to learn more about CCHR

The Opportunities and Challenges

Diversity is one of our city’s strengths. In this context, the work of unifying communities, celebrating diversity, and challenging discriminatory actions and policies is essential.

The Commission understands, however, that many acts of discrimination are not reported by the most-impacted communities. Underreporting may occur for many reasons, including, but not limited to fear of retaliation from a housing provider or employer, or a perceived lack of support after discrimination has occurred. These barriers can be exacerbated for individuals based on race, national origin, ethnicity, immigration status, or language, as well as when individuals have experienced discrimination or mistreatment due to a combination of identity characteristics.

The Public Artist in Residence at CCHR will work with agency and stakeholders to address these dynamics as they are informed by our historical conjuncture and deepen connections across NYC’s communities. Through this residency, there is an opportunity to explore longstanding challenges in tackling discrimination, taking a fresh look at some of the root causes and/or barriers to reporting which can skew national and local data, and which may relate to individual and shared identities, and also explore solutions. The agency envisions the potential of art as a means to build bridges, create meaningful dialogue and understanding between communities impacted by discrimination and the Commission on Human Rights to cultivate a city where everyone can thrive.

This residency will take place following the Commission’s 2024 "TogetherNYC" Campaign and as a change to NYC law that seeks to limit housing discrimination against individuals impacted by the criminal legal system will go into effect.

The Call
  Interested artists must submit all of the following application materials:
  1. Framing Question or Area of Inquiry (100 words) Based on the background information provided by the Commission on Human Rights, what resonates with you, and what framing question or area of inquiry would you hope to address during the residency? Please note that this open call is not a request for project proposals or predetermined projects; we expect questions and areas of inquiry to evolve during the residency.
  2. Statement of Interest (250 words) How does your previous work and process of collaboration relate to your framing question or area of inquiry? Using examples from your past work, explain how your practice has intersected with the agency’s constituents and/or areas of focus. Describe a challenge that you previously faced during this work and how you addressed it. Please be specific.
  3. Artist Statement (250 words) Provide a statement describing your artistic practice.
  4. Resume or CV. Provide a resume or CV, highlighting artistic excellence and any community engagement work, foreign language skills, teaching experience, experience working with multiple stakeholders, and/or any experience related to the specific agency or challenge set forth in this call.
  5. References. Provide the names, phone numbers and emails of two (2) professional references. Please indicate your relationship to each reference.
  6. Work Samples. Provide up to 10 digital images of recent works and/or up to 3 links to video or audio with maximum lengths of 5 minutes. For literary projects, submit samples no longer than 2-3 pages of scripts, poetry, prose or other relevant materials.
  7. Work Sample List. Provide a list of submitted work, including title, date, materials and dimensions, or running times. Include 1-2 sentence descriptions as needed.
Selection Process and Evaluation Criteria
  Artist applications will be reviewed by a panel of representatives from DCLA, CCHR and invited professionals with expertise in contemporary art. The panel will review applications for completeness, eligibility, and quality, as well as:

Clarity of framing question or area of inquiry to address during residency.
Quality and relevance of the applicant’s prior work.
Evidence of experience creating socially engaged art and working collaboratively with communities.
Evidence of experience working at the intersection of art and politics and/or using art for social or political change.
Evidence of experience developing and engaging in a collaborative process with multiple partners with a high level of competency.
Evidence of flexibility, adaptability, and ability to maneuver through different situations and populations.

Finalists will be asked to interview with the panel prior to final selection.

Applicant Eligibility
The selected artist should be deeply interested in NYC’s physical landscape and/or neighborhood planning and development, have demonstrated experience with social interventions through artistic practice, and have a desire to work specifically within government systems.
In addition:

Applications will be accepted from individual artists or artist collectives only (artists cannot apply for or receive funds on behalf of a non-profit organization or a for-profit entity).
Artists can apply directly without a fiscal sponsor.
Artists must be 18 years of age or older and residents of New York City.
Artists must be eligible to work in New York City.
Artists must not be enrolled in an academic program during the residency.

Timeline

Application Deadline: Sunday, August 11, 2024, 11:59pm. Applications must be submitted online via Submittable.
Artist Finalist Interviews: Beginning of October. Interviews will be conducted virtually and selected artists will be notified shortly thereafter.
Residency Start Date: Middle of October 2024. In person kick off meeting.
Residency End Date: August 2025

This open call does not represent any obligation or agreement whatsoever on the part of the City. The City is under no legal obligation to select an artist for the residency, and the City reserves the right to reject any or all applications, amend or withdraw this open call in whole or in part, and negotiate with one or more artist(s).

If you have questions about the application process or residency structure, please contact us at PAIR@culture.nyc.gov.

Public Artists in Residence (PAIR) 2024 Open Call: NYC Administration for Children’s Services

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Public Artists in Residence (PAIR) 2024 Open Call: NYC Administration for Children’s Services
Ends on Sunday August 25 at 11:59PM

OPEN CALL FOR ARTISTS: PUBLIC ARTISTS IN RESIDENCE (PAIR) 2024

NYC Department of Cultural Affairs & the Administration for Children’s Services

Residency Structure
   PAIR residencies begin with a required half-day orientation session, which kicks off a four-month Research Phase. This Phase is a time for the artist and agency to establish mutual trust through shared exposure to each other’s work and process—the artist shadows agency staff and attends meetings, trainings and site visits, and in turn the agency hosts an artist talk and visits the artist at their studio. The Research Phase ends with the artist proposing a project, designed in collaboration with the partner agency, to produce during the remaining months of the residency.
   The Implementation Phase of the residency is marked by approval of the project proposal and initiation of the work. The proposed project must be collaborative in nature and include at least one (1) public-facing event or component. Both DCLA and the partner agency will continue to provide the artist support during the project’s production for the duration of the residency.
   Throughout the residency, the artist, partner agency, and DCLA have weekly virtual or in-person check-in meetings to assist in project development.

Artist Fee and Materials
   PAIR funding per residency is $40,000: $20,000 for the Research Phase and $20,000 for the Implementation Phase. Funding is inclusive of related project expenses (e.g., materials, fabrication, participant stipends, etc.). All funds are paid directly to the artist, who is responsible for managing their own project budgets and submitting invoices on a timely basis. No additional funding is provided. We recommend that the artist take a $20,000 artist fee and use $20,000 for the project budget. However, it is up the to the artist’s discretion to use the fee as they see fit.
   NOTE: DCLA advocates strongly for fair artist wages. Given that PAIR awards are fixed, we strongly encourage individual artists to apply for PAIR rather than artist collectives that would have to share the award. Collectives are still welcome to apply, knowing the financial restrictions.
   In addition to the $40,000, the artist receives:

A desk at the partner agency, with office access based on regular building hours
Access to materials/supplies at DCLA’s Materials for the Arts

Artist Agreement and Intellectual Property Rights

DCLA understands the importance of artists’ intellectual property rights. Prior to the start date of each phase of the program, the selected artists will be required to sign two (2) Public Artist in Residence Agreements (one for the Research Phase and one for the Implementation Phase). These agreements include fixed provisions regarding intellectual property and make the following distinction: artist(s) own and maintain rights over artistic works developed during the program (such as visual art, performances and literary materials) that are not intended to be used by a City agency or program, subject to certain restrictions and the City’s license to use such artistic works. Materials developed specifically for City purposes (such as reports, promotional materials, and campaign content) will be owned by the City. Selected artists are strongly encouraged to review the Agreements with trusted legal counsel as soon as they are received to avoid delays.

PAIR 2024
PAIR 2024 will launch four (4) new residencies with the following partner agencies:

Administration for Children’s Services
Human Resources Administration
Commission on Human Rights
Mayor’s Office of Equity & Racial Justice

This is an open call for a Public Artist in Residence with the Administration for Children’s Services. The other 2024 PAIR Artist Open Calls can be found here. Artists may apply to multiple open calls but can only be selected for one position. A separate application must be submitted for each agency.

About the Administration for Children’s Services
The Administration for Children’s Services (ACS) protects and promotes safety and well-being of New York City’s children and families by providing child welfare, juvenile justice, and early care and education services. In juvenile justice, ACS manages and funds services including detention and placement, intensive community-based alternatives for youth, and support services for families.

The Division of Youth and Family Justice (DYFJ) provides a wide range of services and programs for youth at every stage of the juvenile justice process. Our goals are to build stronger and safer communities and advance public safety by preventing juveniles from entering the New York City's juvenile justice system, to provide therapeutic treatment and services to youth in our custodial care, and to help youth develop the tools to leave the justice system for good. We strive to help families and young people by providing supportive services that are responsive to the needs of individual youth and families.

Click here to learn more about ACS

The Opportunities and Challenges
The Office of Juvenile Justice Programs and Services provides support across the Division by ensuring that youth receive comprehensive and consistent medical, mental health, case management, and social services throughout their involvement with the juvenile justice system, and developing and overseeing the Division's continuum of programming and services. These programs include a range of creative outlets including visual, musical and performing arts greatly embraced by the youth in our care. Building on this foundation, the Artist in Residence will have the unique opportunity to witness and nurture this brilliance, partnering with youth and working with them collaboratively.

By providing a platform for artistic expression and fostering creativity, the Artist in Residency can contribute to lasting positive change in the lives of young people within DYFJ through healing, self-discovery, and advocacy. This partnership offers a unique opportunity to bridge the gap between DYFJ and the public. Through art exhibitions, letter writing, remote opportunities or public events, the Artist in Residency can help raise awareness about the experiences of young people in the juvenile justice system and elevate their stories, experiences, and perspectives.

Building trust and rapport will be essential for the Artist in Residency to create a safe and empowering space for artistic production. A genuine interest in the experiences of young people in custodial care will be critical to success, as will patience and flexibility navigating the sometimes challenging constraints of the detention environment. No day may be the same, so adaptability will be essential as will the support of DYFJ staff who are dedicated to improving the lives of the young people they serve. The Artist in Residency will have the opportunity to collaborate with a passionate team who share a commitment to youth empowerment, advocacy and social justice. Some staff have been working in this field for decades, and this intergenerational collaboration can lead to the creation of meaningful and impactful art projects.

The Call
   Interested artists must submit all of the following application materials:
   1. Framing Question or Area of Inquiry (100 words) Based on the background information provided by the Administration for Children Services, what resonates with you, and what framing question or area of inquiry would you hope to address during the residency? Please note that this open call is not a request for project proposals or predetermined projects; we expect questions and areas of inquiry to evolve during the residency.
   2. Statement of Interest (250 words) How does your previous work and process of collaboration relate to your framing question or area of inquiry? Using examples from your past work, explain how your practice has intersected with the agency’s constituents and/or areas of focus. Describe a challenge that you previously faced during this work and how you addressed it. Please be specific.
   3. Artist Statement (250 words) Provide a statement describing your artistic practice.
   4. Resume or CV. Provide a resume or CV, highlighting artistic excellence and any community engagement work, foreign language skills, teaching experience, experience working with multiple stakeholders, and/or any experience related to the specific agency or challenge set forth in this call.
   5. References. Provide the names, phone numbers and emails of two (2) professional references. Please indicate your relationship to each reference.
   6. Work Samples. Provide up to 10 digital images of recent works and/or up to 3 links to video or audio with maximum lengths of 5 minutes. For literary projects, submit samples no longer than 2-3 pages of scripts, poetry, prose or other relevant materials.
   7. Work Sample List. Provide a list of submitted work, including title, date, materials and dimensions, or running times. Include 1-2 sentence descriptions as needed.

Selection Process and Evaluation Criteria
Artist applications will be reviewed by a panel of representatives from DCLA, ACS, and invited professionals with expertise in contemporary art. The panel will review applications for completeness, eligibility, and quality, as well as:

Clarity of framing question or area of inquiry to address during residency.
Quality and relevance of the applicant’s prior work.
Evidence of experience creating socially engaged art and working collaboratively with communities.
Evidence of experience working at the intersection of art and politics and/or using art for social or political change.
Evidence of experience developing and engaging in a collaborative process with multiple partners with a high level of competency.
Evidence of flexibility, adaptability, and ability to maneuver through different situations and populations.

Finalists will be asked to interview with the panel prior to final selection.

Applicant Eligibility

The selected artist should be deeply interested in NYC’s physical landscape and/or neighborhood planning and development, have demonstrated experience with social interventions through artistic practice, and have a desire to work specifically within government systems.
In addition:

Applications will be accepted from individual artists or artist collectives only (artists cannot apply for or receive funds on behalf of a non-profit organization or a for-profit entity).
Artists can apply directly without a fiscal sponsor.
Artists must be 18 years of age or older and residents of New York City.
Artists must be eligible to work in New York City.
Artists must not be enrolled in an academic program during the residency.

Timeline

Application Deadline: Sunday, August 11, 2024, 11:59pm. Applications must be submitted online via Submittable.
Artist Finalist Interviews: Beginning of October. Interviews will be conducted virtually and selected artists will be notified shortly thereafter.
Residency Start Date: Middle of October 2024. In person kick off meeting.
Residency End Date: August 2025

Public Artists in Residence (PAIR) 2024 Open Call: NYC Mayor's Office of Equity and Racial Justice

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Public Artists in Residence (PAIR) 2024 Open Call: NYC Mayor's Office of Equity and Racial Justice
Ends on Sunday August 25 at 11:59PM

OPEN CALL FOR ARTISTS: PUBLIC ARTISTS IN RESIDENCE (PAIR) 2024

NYC Department of Cultural Affairs & the Mayor's Office of Equity and Racial Justice

About PAIR

PAIR is based on the premise that artists are creative problem solvers. To that end, DCLA embeds socially engaged artists in New York City municipal agencies to utilize their creative, collaborative art practice to offer innovative solutions to pressing civic challenges. Launched in 2015, the PAIR program takes its name and inspiration from the pioneering work of artist Mierle Laderman Ukeles, the City’s first official artist in residence (1977), with the NYC Department of Sanitation. Since establishing the program, DCLA has embedded 24 artists in 15 agencies, including Kameron Neal at the Department of Records and Information Services, Tania Bruguera at the Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs, Yazmany Arboleda at the Civic Engagement Commission, among others. For a full list of PAIRs to date, click here.

All of the PAIR partnerships—some of which are still ongoing—vary greatly in concept, scope, duration, and populations engaged, and their successes are driven by the openness of the partner agencies and the artist-led, collaborative process that the PAIR program framework provides. Artists who are able to be flexible, adaptable, and can maneuver through different situations and populations are encouraged to apply.

Residency Structure

PAIR residencies begin with a required half-day orientation session, which kicks off a four-month Research Phase. This Phase is a time for the artist and agency to establish mutual trust through shared exposure to each other’s work and process—the artist shadows agency staff and attends meetings, trainings and site visits, and in turn the agency hosts an artist talk and visits the artist at their studio. The Research Phase ends with the artist proposing a project, designed in collaboration with the partner agency, to produce during the remaining months of the residency.

The Implementation Phase of the residency is marked by approval of the project proposal and initiation of the work. The proposed project must be collaborative in nature and include at least one (1) public-facing event or component. Both DCLA and the partner agency will continue to provide the artist support during the project’s production for the duration of the residency.

Throughout the residency, the artist, partner agency, and DCLA have weekly virtual or in-person check-in meetings to assist in project development.

Artist Fee and Materials

PAIR funding per residency is $40,000: $20,000 for the Research Phase and $20,000 for the Implementation Phase. Funding is inclusive of related project expenses (e.g., materials, fabrication, participant stipends, etc.). All funds are paid directly to the artist, who is responsible for managing their own project budgets and submitting invoices on a timely basis. No additional funding is provided. We recommend that the artist take a $20,000 artist fee and use $20,000 for the project budget. However, it is up the to the artist’s discretion to use the fee as they see fit.

NOTE: DCLA advocates strongly for fair artist wages. Given that PAIR awards are fixed, we strongly encourage individual artists to apply for PAIR rather than artist collectives that would have to share the award. Collectives are still welcome to apply, knowing the financial restrictions.
In addition to the $40,000, the artist receives:

A desk at the partner agency, with office access based on regular building hours
Access to materials/supplies at DCLA’s Materials for the Arts

Artist Agreement and Intellectual Property Rights

PAIR 2024

PAIR 2024 will launch four (4) new residencies with the following partner agencies:

Administration for Children’s Services
Human Resources Administration
Commission on Human Rights
Mayor’s Office of Equity & Racial Justice

This is an open call for a Public Artist in Residence with the Mayor's Office of Equity and Racial Justice. The other 2024 PAIR Artist Open Calls can be found here. Artists may apply to multiple open calls but can only be selected for one position. A separate application must be submitted for each agency.

About the Mayor's Office of Equity and Racial Justice

Launched in October 2023, the NYC Mayor's Office of Equity and Racial Justice (MOERJ) is the City's centralized equity office that takes an intersectional approach to advancing change across our city. This new body expands on the city's extensive equity efforts and fulfills the promise made in November 2022, when New York City residents voted in favor of an office dedicated to racial equity.

MOERJ continues the innovative work of the NYC Mayor's Office of Equity while playing an integral role in the city's new racial equity planning process. This newly enshrined office includes NYC Her Future (NHF), the NYC Commission on Gender Equity (CGE), the NYC Unity Project (UP), and the NYC Young Men's Initiative (YMI) as well as multi-agency bodies like the NYC Pay Equity Cabinet (PEC) and the NYC Taskforce on Racial Inclusion & Equity (TRIE). Together, this body of offices and commissions engage New York City's diverse communities and constituencies to advance equity and create transformative change to promote racial justice within New York City.

Click here to learn more about MOERJ

The Opportunities and Challenges

Inequity impacts all New Yorkers, particularly in terms of racial disparities. We recognize that we are only as successful as our most vulnerable and underserved communities, and aim to serve them through policy, planning, research, and with the PAIR program, artistic production. Our goal is to leverage an artistic interpretation and approach that ensures the visibility of communities facing disparities, elevates an understanding of racial equity, distinguishes between equality and equity, and amplifies our vision to the public. With a focus to ensure a brighter future for us all, where all New York City residents succeed free of injustices, in partnership we hope to uplift the future vision where everyone thrives. Specifically, where everyone can live a healthy and fulfilling life free of racism, bigotry, sexism, poverty, violence, age discrimination, disability discrimination, transphobia, homophobia and other tools of oppression.

Through this partnership MOERJ like to leverage a range of storytelling techniques that convey both the commonalities and unique needs that exist across all walks of life. Using this varied approach, we hope to highlight a myriad of stories throughout New York City and to explore a more empathic lens into the way we experience our neighbors and varied cultures. We aim to foster a sense of inclusion, empowerment, and inspire meaningful dialogue and action towards a more just society. We seek to bring light to the harsh issues faced by marginalized communities and expand understanding around how we should all be actively invested in moving racial equity forward for the collective good.

The Call

Interested artists must submit all of the following application materials:
1. Framing Question or Area of Inquiry (100 words) Based on the background information provided by the Administration for Children Services, what resonates with you, and what framing question or area of inquiry would you hope to address during the residency? Please note that this open call is not a request for project proposals or predetermined projects; we expect questions and areas of inquiry to evolve during the residency.

2. Statement of Interest (250 words) How does your previous work and process of collaboration relate to your framing question or area of inquiry? Using examples from your past work, explain how your practice has intersected with the agency’s constituents and/or areas of focus. Describe a challenge that you previously faced during this work and how you addressed it. Please be specific.
  3. Artist Statement (250 words) Provide a statement describing your artistic practice.
  4. Resume or CV. Provide a resume or CV, highlighting artistic excellence and any community engagement work, foreign language skills, teaching experience, experience working with multiple stakeholders, and/or any experience related to the specific agency or challenge set forth in this call.
  5. References. Provide the names, phone numbers and emails of two (2) professional references. Please indicate your relationship to each reference.
  6. Work Samples. Provide up to 10 digital images of recent works and/or up to 3 links to video or audio with maximum lengths of 5 minutes. For literary projects, submit samples no longer than 2-3 pages of scripts, poetry, prose or other relevant materials.
  7. Work Sample List. Provide a list of submitted work, including title, date, materials and dimensions, or running times. Include 1-2 sentence descriptions as needed.

Selection Process and Evaluation Criteria
Artist applications will be reviewed by a panel of representatives from DCLA, MOERJ, and invited professionals with expertise in contemporary art. The panel will review applications for completeness, eligibility, and quality, as well as:

Clarity of framing question or area of inquiry to address during residency.
Quality and relevance of the applicant’s prior work.
Evidence of experience creating socially engaged art and working collaboratively with communities.
Evidence of experience working at the intersection of art and politics and/or using art for social or political change.
Evidence of experience developing and engaging in a collaborative process with multiple partners with a high level of competency.
Evidence of flexibility, adaptability, and ability to maneuver through different situations and populations.

Finalists will be asked to interview with the panel prior to final selection.

Applicant Eligibility

Applications will be accepted from individual artists or artist collectives only (artists cannot apply for or receive funds on behalf of a non-profit organization or a for-profit entity).
Artists can apply directly without a fiscal sponsor.
Artists must be 18 years of age or older and residents of New York City.
Artists must be eligible to work in New York City.
Artists must not be enrolled in an academic program during the residency.

Timeline

Application Deadline: Sunday, August 11, 2024, 11:59pm. Applications must be submitted online via Submittable.
Artist Finalist Interviews: Beginning of October. Interviews will be conducted virtually and selected artists will be notified shortly thereafter.
Residency Start Date: Middle of October 2024. In person kick off meeting.
Residency End Date: August 2025

Public Artists in Residence (PAIR) 2024 Open Call: NYC Human Resources Administration

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Public Artists in Residence (PAIR) 2024 Open Call: NYC Human Resources Administration

Ends on Sunday August 25 at 11:59PM

OPEN CALL FOR ARTISTS: PUBLIC ARTISTS IN RESIDENCE (PAIR) 2024

NYC Department of Cultural Affairs & the Human Resources Administration

About PAIR

Residency Structure

Throughout the residency, the artist, partner agency, and DCLA have weekly virtual or in-person check-in meetings to assist in project development.

Artist Fee and Materials

In addition to the $40,000, the artist receives:

A desk at the partner agency, with office access based on regular building hours
Access to materials/supplies at DCLA’s Materials for the Arts

Artist Agreement and Intellectual Property Rights

PAIR 2024

PAIR 2024 will launch four (4) new residencies with the following partner agencies:

Administration for Children’s Services
Human Resources Administration
Commission on Human Rights
Mayor’s Office of Equity & Racial Justice

This is an open call for a Public Artist in Residence with the Human Resources Administration. The other 2024 PAIR Artist Open Calls can be found here. Artists may apply to multiple open calls but can only be selected for one position. A separate application must be submitted for each agency.

About the Human Resources Administration

The Human Resources Administration (HRA) is dedicated to fighting poverty and income inequality by providing New Yorkers in need with essential benefits such as Food Assistance and Emergency Rental Assistance. As the largest local social services agency in the country, HRA helps more than three million New Yorkers annually through the administration of more than 15 major public assistance programs.

Fair Fares NYC (FFNYC) is a City program created to help New Yorkers with low incomes manage their transportation costs. Using the Fair Fares NYC discount, eligible New York City residents receive a 50% discount on subway and eligible bus fares. Fair Fares NYC began in early 2019 as a program for certain eligible New Yorkers receiving Cash Assistance and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits. In Fall 2019, the program was expanded to certain CUNY students, student Veterans, and NYCHA residents who met the program's eligibility criteria.

Click here to learn more about HRA

The Opportunities and Challenges

The Public Artist in Residence at FFNYC will collaborate with agency partners to bring awareness of the program to the public and increase dialogue around transportation equity. This project would also serve as a vessel to increase the number of New Yorkers taking advantage of this opportunity. We hope to engage more New York City residents who may have misconceptions about the discount, namely that it is not available to undocumented immigrants or serves only those already receiving public benefits. The PAIR program would not only expand the visibility of this program, but also has a potential impact connecting New Yorkers to this tool toward self-sufficiency.

The number of clients that are currently enrolled in the FFNYC program is over 330K, however; the amount of eligible individuals who qualify and are not enrolled is over 500k. FFNYC conducts outreach events throughout the five boroughs and have partnered with other agencies to bring awareness of the program to throughout the city. These public events as well as other communications infrastructure can provide a platform for creative engagement and intervention. FFNYC strives to deliver opportunities and resources to the underserved communities by ensuring that low-income New Yorkers have access to mass transportation. Many people do not have the capability to drive, so public transportation offers the only option to help them get to their destination.

The Call

Interested artists must submit all of the following application materials:

1. Framing Question or Area of Inquiry (100 words) Based on the background information provided by the Administration for Children Services, what resonates with you, and what framing question or area of inquiry would you hope to address during the residency? Please note that this open call is not a request for project proposals or predetermined projects; we expect questions and areas of inquiry to evolve during the residency.

3. Artist Statement (250 words) Provide a statement describing your artistic practice.

4. Resume or CV. Provide a resume or CV, highlighting artistic excellence and any community engagement work, foreign language skills, teaching experience, experience working with multiple stakeholders, and/or any experience related to the specific agency or challenge set forth in this call.

5. References. Provide the names, phone numbers and emails of two (2) professional references. Please indicate your relationship to each reference.

6. Work Samples. Provide up to 10 digital images of recent works and/or up to 3 links to video or audio with maximum lengths of 5 minutes. For literary projects, submit samples no longer than 2-3 pages of scripts, poetry, prose or other relevant materials.

7. Work Sample List. Provide a list of submitted work, including title, date, materials and dimensions, or running times. Include 1-2 sentence descriptions as needed.

Selection Process and Evaluation Criteria

Artist applications will be reviewed by a panel of representatives from DCLA, HRA, and invited professionals with expertise in contemporary art. The panel will review applications for completeness, eligibility, and quality, as well as:

Clarity of framing question or area of inquiry to address during residency.
Quality and relevance of the applicant’s prior work.
Evidence of experience creating socially engaged art and working collaboratively with communities.
Evidence of experience working at the intersection of art and politics and/or using art for social or political change.
Evidence of experience developing and engaging in a collaborative process with multiple partners with a high level of competency.
Evidence of flexibility, adaptability, and ability to maneuver through different situations and populations.

Finalists will be asked to interview with the panel prior to final selection.

Applicant Eligibility

In addition:

Applications will be accepted from individual artists or artist collectives only (artists cannot apply for or receive funds on behalf of a non-profit organization or a for-profit entity).
Artists can apply directly without a fiscal sponsor.
Artists must be 18 years of age or older and residents of New York City.
Artists must be eligible to work in New York City.
Artists may not be currently enrolled in school.

Timeline

Application Deadline: Sunday, August 11, 2024, 11:59pm. Applications must be submitted online via Submittable.
Artist Finalist Interviews: Beginning of October. Interviews will be conducted virtually and selected artists will be notified shortly thereafter.
Residency Start Date: Middle of October 2024. In person kick off meeting.
Residency End Date: August 2025

If you have questions about the application process or residency structure, please contact us at PAIR@culture.nyc.gov.

NYC Department of Cultural Affairs