Public Art at PVDFest 2020

The City of Providence Department of Art, Culture + Tourism calls artists to submit qualifications and ideas for PVDFest 2020. Awardees will be given $10,000 to realize their temporary projects. This call is open to individual artists or artist teams that are 18 years old or older with a home or studio address in the Providence Metro Area (defined as all of Rhode Island and Bristol County, Massachusetts). Artists or artist teams that have received a PVDFest Public Art Commission in 2018 or 2019 are not eligible to apply for a 2020 commission.

No more than 9 artists/artist teams will be invited as finalists to submit design proposals. Finalists will be provided a modest design stipend for their proposals. PVDFest public art project sites have been pre-selected by the Department of Art, Culture + Tourism and the Art in City Life Commission. Finalists will be asked to design proposals specific to these pre-selected sites. No more than three artists or artist teams will be selected to install work at PVDFest 2020, with one installation per site. Selected works will be installed prior to the start of PVDFest 2020 and remain installed for up to four months after the festival concludes.

Public Art @ PVDFest 2020 will be sited at three locations: Civic Center Garage (Washington Street Façade, 165 Washington Street), City Hall Apron (25 Dorrance Street), and Empire Plaza (444 Westminster Street). All projects must be made fireproof, graffiti proof (washable), and waterproof unless material exposure to rain/water damage is deliberate and safe. Any free-standing structure will require at least 3 feet of clearance in all directions for ADA accessibility. Projects must maintain structural and visual integrity throughout four months of exposure to the elements. The estimated exhibition period is June 1 – October 31, 2020. Work samples should include a minimum of 3 and maximum of 10 total samples (images, audio, and/or video).