Back to Nature Wildlife Refuge Public Art Opportunity

The Orange County Public Art Review Board seeks an artist or artist team to develop artwork for the new Back to Nature (BTN) Wildlife Refuge Center located at Eagles Roost, an Orange County Green PLACE property. The project includes five new buildings that will replace existing portables at 10525 Clapp Simms Duda Road, Orlando, Florida. The values of nature, history, community and nonurban lifestyle should inform the art. $31,500 has been approved for artwork.

Back to Nature is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) public wildlife rehabilitation facility serving the Central Florida Region since June 1989. The facility rescues, rehabilitates and releases injured or orphaned Florida-native species and educates visitors about respecting and preserving the environment. The new Education Center will provide space for community meetings, and a new Visitor Center will be constructed. Possible locations for art installation or integration include interior and exterior walls of the Visitor's Center and Education Center, front porches, entry sign, common area walkways, and the approach along the driveway. Artwork should be permanent and durable with little maintenance needed. The artwork should reflect the mission of the facility and its role as an educational center where people can learn about nature and animals unable to be returned to the wild.

This opportunity is open to professional artists working in any media. Student artists may apply if they secure an experienced public artist to serve as mentor. Submissions require a professional resume, letter of interest outlining approach, and 1-12 images of finished works or conceptual drawings. A selection panel will review qualifications and images, and several artists will be selected to provide proposals and paid a $500 stipend each. Final artist selection will follow proposal review. Interested artists are invited to visit the site, open 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday. A special tour for interested artists will be offered Saturday, September 21, from 10 a.m. to noon. Submittals are due Wednesday, October 30 at midnight MST. Selected finalists will be notified Wednesday, November 6. Final proposals are due Monday, February 3, 2020, with artwork installation scheduled for Winter 2020/Spring 2021.