Find Your Chair: Public Art Exhibit

CALL-TO-ARTISTS! Design ProposalsPlease be sure to scroll all the way down and read over all the information before applying as we have done our best to answer all your questions before you submit your application! This is an electronic agreement and by applying, you are validating and approving this agreement electronically. WHAT IS THE PROJECT?The Chain of Parks Art Festival is announcing an exciting new public art exhibit and competition leading up to the festival weekend! Up to 15 local and regional artists will create upcycled chair sculptures, to display throughout Downtown Tallahassee from March 19 – April 19, 2024. All sculptures will be transferred to the Festival for the exhibit conclusion and silent auction benefiting LeMoyne Arts on April 20 & 21, 2024.   The chair has been used since antiquity, although for many centuries it was a symbolic article of status and dignity rather than a functional tool for ordinary use. In art, a chair can symbolize community, the need for rest, hierarchy, loss, or the hope of a return. A chair can imply the absence of a loved one, as well as a place for comfort. A chair is a familiar object, not only used for function but also to represent one’s personal style. A chair can be a symbol of power from a king’s throne to a seat at the head of the table. A chair can become a familiar “friend” after a hard day and a place to relax while visiting with a loved one.  WHAT ARE WE LOOKING FOR? The jury is looking for functional, whimsical, creative, thought-provoking, unique, sustainable, weather-resistant, chair sculptures to be on display for 30 days and be auctioned during the festival weekend. We strongly encourage utilizing upcycled materials to help with our Greening efforts. Mixed media is welcome!  Design themes to be community-friendly, and focus on local nature, landmarks, colorful abstract designs, historic and life-cycle symbolism, and anything Tallahassee-friendly. In celebration of Tallahassee’s Bicentennial, any designs that specifically highlight Tallahassee landmarks, heritage, and culture will qualify to receive a Bicentennial Bonus prize. Artists are welcome to submit as many design concepts as they would like, to be reviewed by the Chain of Parks Art Festival Review Committee. This application is looking for design proposals at this time, we do not expect a completed piece.  Feel free to join forces and create your masterpiece with a partner or small group! Just make sure to add all their information to the application so we can give them proper credit within our marketing efforts. This information can also be emailed to powell@lemoyne.org once you start creating if you’re not sure right now.  LeMoyne Arts can provide traditional folding metal chairs and wooden chairs that are ready to be transformed into beautiful works of art! Artists can utilize these chairs as their base OR construct the piece from their own chair.  NEW! Artist Honey Hillard (in partnership with LeMoyne Arts) is going to help host an art party where artists can work on their chairs together! Thur, Feb 8th 4 - 8 pm, at LeMoyne's new Education Building: 131 N Gadsden St, Tallahassee, FL 32301. 

• BYO-Art Supplies
• Limited Space: RSVP to me@honeyhilliard.com
• Used metal and wooden chairs are available upon request ahead of time

PAYMENT DETAILS & BENEFITS: 
Each selected artist will receive a $100 stipend upon delivery of the sculpture and will also qualify for the $100 People's Choice Award and the $50 Bicentennial Bonus Prize for specific Tallahassee Bicentennial content. 
 
1.      $100 stipend to cover material and other expenses & a free chair base (if requested)
2.      Extensive exposure as a participating artist in the public exhibit3.      A chance to win “Best of Show” for the “Find Your Chair Exhibit” with $100 Award
4.      A chance to win the “Bicentennial Bonus Award” of $50 I'M NOT A SCULPTOR, HOW DO I PARTICIPATE?LeMoyne Arts can provide traditional folding metal chairs that are ready to be transformed into beautiful works of art! Artists can utilize these chairs as their base OR construct the piece from their own chair.  Please note: You may continue to edit your application until the deadline, just make sure you save your login information and work. Once you are ready, click “Submit”, and you will receive a confirmation email (make sure to check your junk folder for all related communication).  

The 24th Annual Chain of Parks Art Festival will be on April 20 & 21, 2024 FREE EVENT – No tickets are required Saturday, April 20: 10 am – 5 pm Sunday, April 21: 10 am – 4 pm Expect to have a first-class, fun-filled outdoor cultural experience at the Chain of Parks Art Festival, in downtown Tallahassee! View amazing, original, and one-of-a-kind works of art in a delightful Southern outdoor setting. Nationally ranked in the Top 100 Fine Art Festivals by Sunshine Artist Magazine for 11 years running, this annual two-day festival draws tens of thousands of people from the Big Bend Southeast region to see 150 artists who have traveled from all over the country to display their original fine art works. Known as the premier fine art event, visitors can view and purchase unique works of art while enjoying a weekend filled with a wide variety of live entertainment, mouth-watering culinary creations, libations served enthusiastically at the festival bar, local heritage re-enactments, family fun, interactive children’s art activities, professional chalk artists, and more! “The Chain of Parks Art Festival brings some of the nation’s top fine artists to the Capital City as a way to not only expand on the opportunity for regional art collectors but also introduce fine arts to those who may not have experienced it,” said Festival Chair Kelly Dozier. “The Festival committee and volunteers work hard to make this a fun and successful event for all, including the artists, and to be recognized among the top festivals in this way means the world to us.”

YOUR APPLICATION MUST INCLUDE: 1.  A sketch/ design proposal. We encourage you to include supporting photo examples to help the committee understand your concept, i.e., images of your previous artwork, materials you plan to use, inspirational images, etc.2.  Artist statement and bio (in third-person tense), and high-resolution profile photo (to be used for marketing materials). If you are accepted but decide you cannot complete your chair sculpture, please let powell@lemoyne.org know as soon as possible so that a waitlisted artist can be invited to participate instead.  IMPORTANT DATES:1.      Application Deadline/Desing Proposal:  UPDATED to Friday, Feb.9, at 11:59pm 2.      Jury Result Notification: By Friday, Feb. 9 or sooner3.      Progress/Behind-the-Scenes Photos: Monday, Feb. 264.      Completed Sculpture Drop-off at LeMoyne Arts: Friday, March 16 between 11-6pm.5.      Chair Sculpture Public Exhibit: Tuesday, March 19 - Friday, April 196.      Chair Sculpture Silent Auction & Awards Voting: April 20 (10am-5pm) and April 21 (10am-2pm). Awards will be announced at 3pm on Sunday.  IMPORTANT PARTICIPATION GUIDELINES: 

•  Participants must be at least 18 years or older or be supervised by an adult guardian. Group collaborations are welcome! 
•  All work displayed MUST be original work by the artist or group collaboration and be consistent with the sketch/design plan submitted to the jury.
• The Chain of Parks Art Festival Team reserves the right to reject work that does not meet the vision & goals of this project. This is a family-friendly public art project; the subject matter should be appropriate for all ages.
• Trademarked or copyrighted images will not be accepted (i.e.; college logos, Disney characters, etc.) 
• Progress & behind-the-scenes photos are required. This is to ensure the successful execution of the concept, as well as providing content for a marketing story. Send content via Eventeny or to powell@lemoyne.org.
  • Behind-the-scenes photos that show the artist working on the piece are encouraged. Selfies are welcome!
  • Include 1-2 sentence descriptions of the behind-the-scenes photos so that folks can learn about your process. 
• All chair sculptures should be weather-resistant. Some of the public exhibit display spaces will be exposed to the elements and the chair sculptures will be outside during the festival weekend. 
• All sculptures must be secure and portable. Please avoid designs that are too heavy, delicate, or large to be relocated by a volunteer or art patron.
• While we will do our best to handle the chair sculptures with care, LeMoyne Art Foundation and the Chain of Parks Art Festival are not responsible for potential damage that could occur during the month-long public exhibit and festival weekend. Artists will be contacted if an incident does occur to allow time for the artist to make repairs.
• By applying, all accepted applicants give permission to LeMoyne Arts to use submitted images for exhibit promotional purposes. 

IMPORTANT PAYMENT DETAILS:

• Each selected artist will get a $100 stipend to create the piece. Payment will be received in the form of a check once the chair sculpture is delivered to LeMoyne Arts and approved by a committee member. 
• LeMoyne Arts reserves the right to reject the artwork and withhold payment if the artist does not execute their approved design. 
• During the silent auction and exhibit, there will be a $100 prize for the “People’s Choice”, awarded to the artist of the chair sculpture that gets the most votes during the Festival weekend. 
•  Designs that specifically highlight Tallahassee landmarks, heritage, and culture will qualify to compete for a $50 Bicentennial Bonus prize.
• The People’s Choice and Bicentennial Prizes will be awarded on Sunday, April 21, at 3pm. Payment will follow shortly after. 

Not clear on how to upload your photos? Here's a step-by-step guide: https://help.eventeny.com/hc/en-us/articles/8367772264987-How-to-Edit-Picture-Information-After-Application-Submission-as-an-Applicant WHO TO CONTACT:
For Eventeny application errors/ questions: support@eventeny.com­­ 
For project questions: powell@lemoyne.org We hope you will participate in this exciting public art project!