Seattle Public Utilities Climate Action Now Temporary Artworks Commission

The Office of Arts & Cultural Affairs in partnership with Seattle Public Utilities is seeking to commission up to four artists to develop temporary public artworks that creatively address environmental stewardship and the impact of climate change on water supply and drainage utilities. Selected artists will be encouraged to produce unique, visionary works that investigate issues and themes related to global warming.

Up to four artists will be selected to develop temporary public artworks in a variety of media to be exhibited or performed during summer 2009. Selected artists will create innovative work that actively engages the public, captures the essence of climate protection issues related to water and wastewater, and raises public awareness of environmental stewardship. Artwork topics could include unique interpretations of water conservation, water supply and/or drainage, protection of seawalls, user consumption/waste, or protection of watersheds and reservoirs. All projects will be installed and/or presented at select SPU facilities throughout Seattle, including Myrtle Reservoir, Jefferson Reservoir, Carkeek Park, Longfellow Creek Watershed, and Thornton Creek Watershed. Project budgets will range from $8,000 to $15,000 per artist. The selection panel will choose up to eight finalists to each create a proposal; each finalist will be paid $500 to develop a proposal for a specific site and budget.

Eligibility: Open to established artists who are residents of Washington. The Office of Arts & Cultural Affairs reserves the right to invite artists to apply who are residents elsewhere in the United States or Canada. Students are not eligible. Application requirements include 16 JPEG images, a letter of interest (not to exceed 2,000 characters), résumé, three references with contact information, and optional audio/video work sample (five minutes maximum on CD-R or DVD-R). Application deadline: 11:00 p.m. Pacific Standard Time, Monday, November 10, 2008. Optional audio/video work samples must be hand delivered by 5:00 p.m. or postmarked by November 10, 2008.