Public Art Residency at Hartford Park

The City of Providence invites professional muralists to work with the Providence Housing Authority and Hartford Park residents to co-design and install a new original mural at Hartford Park. Awarded artists will receive a six-month residency beginning April 1, 2020 at the Hartford Park housing complex. The artist will be provided a $20,000 all-inclusive budget that includes artist fee for engagement, co-design and installation as well as materials. This budget may be increased pending approval of grant applications submitted by the Providence Housing Authority.

The residency program places artists in City facilities to engage directly with residents and staff. The goals of the Public Art Residency at Hartford Park are to connect residents with the arts and with one another, improve the appearance of the building(s) and residents' experience with a large-scale exterior mural on Whelan Road, provide residents with hands-on artmaking experience, and capture the essence of the theme "Past and Presence of Hartford Park." The majority of Hartford Park residents are Hispanic or Latinx. The artist will be responsible for ensuring Spanish speakers are available for engagement activities.

Eligibility: Applicant must be 21 years or older and hold a current Rhode Island home or studio address. This call is open to muralists only and to individual artists. Applicant must have demonstrated experience with a portfolio consisting of at least three successful outdoor murals, gallery exhibitions, public performances, or publications. Applicants must demonstrate experience with social practice including at least one successful art-based program such as instruction, fabrication of public art, or production of a performance. Spanish speakers are preferred. Providence residents and artists with previous lived experience in Providence public housing will be preferred.

Artists will be selected through a competitive, two-tiered process. Qualified artists must submit an Artist Statement, Resume/CV, cover letter, and three to five examples of relevant projects by January 15, 2020 through Call for Entry. The Art Selection Panel will review applications and limit the selection pool to no more than five artists. The five shortlisted artists will be invited to an in-person interview and asked to develop a brief presentation detailing how they will engage with Hartford Park residents, the site, and the grounds. The Art Selection Panel will recommend an awarded artist to the Art in City Life Commission for approval at the March 11, 2020 meeting. The commissioned artist in residence will be announced no later than April 1, 2020.