Elgin Cultural Arts Commission extends deadline for public art installations

The City of Elgin Cultural Arts Commission announces its second annual "Call for Public Art."

The arts commission is searching for two new pieces of public art as part of the "new works program" as outlined in the city's Public Art Plan: one 2-D piece and one 3-D piece.

Specifications and applications are available online at cityofelgin.org/publicart.

Hard copies of the applications must be delivered to City Hall, 150 Dexter Court, Elgin, IL 60120, by 4 p.m. Friday, May 25.

Available locations for the 2-D work include the first floor of The Centre of Elgin's parking deck and the south-facing wall near Exhibition Hall of the Hemmens Cultural Center.

Available locations for the 3-D works include Newsome Park, Foundry Park, or a pedestal on Riverside Drive.

As part of the application, the artist must select a location from those available, and propose their new public art piece specifically for that location.

Artists must provide a completed application along with a narrative, design illustrations, budget, resume, work samples, references, and supporting materials (if applicable).

The honorariums offered are $6,000 for each of the two new pieces of public art.

Applications are scored blindly by the arts commission based on the following criteria: artistic excellence, technical competence, narrative support, appropriate relationship to the function of the site, and long-term feasibility.

To ensure installation feasibility, city staff will evaluate the top three pieces scored, and the arts commission will make a final determination based on the scores and recommendations by staff.

Winners of the honorariums will be announced in late spring.

After selection, production of the new works is expected to begin in early summer and be completed and installed in time for the annual Art Harvest event in October.

The Public Art Plan provides that the arts commission selects and installs two new pieces of public art, or "new work," each year.

In 2017, when the Public Art Plan was adopted, the arts commission selected and installed three new pieces of public art, all of which are located in downtown Elgin.

Two sculptures are located on the Riverside Drive Promenade and a mural is located on a wall of the Hemmens Cultural Center.

For information, contact Amanda Harris at (847) 931-6019 or harris_a@cityofelgin.org.