NJ Climate Resilience Community Based Public Art Projects: 2023

The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection and the New Jersey State Council on the Arts are seeking artists to create community-based art installations in New Jersey's coastal zone. Five community-based organizations (CBOs) have been selected and will be paired with artists specializing in environmental topics to develop and implement art projects that are artistically excellent and communicate to the public about coastal hazards impacts, risks, and actions to reduce climate impacts.

Artists must be age 18 or older and either current residents of New Jersey or live within 100 miles of the New Jersey state border. Any art form (visual, literary, performative, new media, etc.) will be considered as long as no new environmental disturbance results and no impact occurs to environmentally sensitive areas. Artists working collaboratively may apply as a team but must submit one application and accept the stipend of $13,000 as total funds for the project, including artist fees for all team members. Submissions must be able to be realized within the $13,000 project budget. Art installations are to be in existing public spaces located in the coastal zone and could include murals, light displays, installations, public performances, sculpture, or interdisciplinary art installations. Installations cannot result in environmental disturbance or impact environmentally sensitive areas such as wetlands, sand dunes, threatened and endangered species habitats, historic preservation sites, or marine habitats.

Applications must be submitted by September 26, 2022 at midnight via www.callforentry.org (CAFÉ) and should include work samples (minimum 3, maximum 8 images; up to 3 audio files; up to 3 video files) and a brief written description of the proposed project. Selected artists will be notified by November 21, 2022. Art installations are anticipated to be installed and public programs underway between Spring and Fall of 2023. The evaluation criteria include artistic excellence, potential to further program goals, potential for positive community experiences, artist's experience with community-based projects, safety and environmental considerations, project feasibility, CBO partnership ability, and proposal clarity.