NJ Climate Resilience Public Art Projects

The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection and New Jersey State Council on the Arts are seeking submissions from professional artists for the Coastal Risk Communications Campaign. This call is open to artists age 18 and older who are current residents of New Jersey or live within 100 miles of the New Jersey state border. The program seeks to engage 4 artists or artist teams to create original, site-specific artwork and related community engagement that addresses climate resilience and coastal flooding, particularly in New Jersey's coastal communities.

Selected artists will be paired with New Jersey Community-Based Organizations (CBOs) in coastal areas to plan, implement, document, and share their work with the community. Any art form—visual, literary, performative, new media, or other disciplines—will be considered, provided no new environmental disturbance results from the project and no impact occurs to environmentally sensitive areas. Installations must be located in existing public spaces within the coastal zone and could include murals, light displays, installations from community-collected trash, public performances, sculpture, or interdisciplinary installations. Artists should review the CBO Community Locations information before submitting proposals.

Each selected artist or team will receive a $7,000 stipend to cover project costs, supplies, travel, and artistic fees. Submissions must be realizable within this budget. Art installations are anticipated to be completed and community programs underway between June and August 2021. Submissions are due March 8, 2021 through www.callforentry.org (CAFE). Work samples should include 1-8 total samples (up to 8 images, 6 audio files, and/or 6 video files), along with a brief written project proposal. Artists will be notified of awards in late April.