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Request for Qualifications: 2024 Alley Art Project

The Rockwell Museum, a Smithsonian Affiliate, is seeking to hire an experienced mural artist to work with Rockwell Youth and Family Programs Educator, High School Learning Center (HSLC) and SUNY Corning Community College (CCC) students and staff to plan, design and paint a mural.

Key Dates

Application Due Date Extended: Friday, September 8, 2023

Artist Notification: Friday, September 29, 2023

Artist Agreement Contract Signed: November 1, 2023  

 

Download full scope and application 

Project Scope

The artist must have teaching experience, with a preference for direct experience working with teens. The artist co-teaches with the Rockwell educator and takes a leadership role in developing the design concept and creating a cohesive mural design that both represents the student artwork and honors the artist’s creative ideas. The development of the mural design is a collaborative and creative process that uses the Museum’s collection as inspiration and is connected to The Rockwell’s annual theme. The 2024 annual theme will be focused on the idea that things are often better together and greater than the sum of their parts.

The accepted artist will be required to sign a contract with The Rockwell, attend (Zoom/in-person) weekly mural design classes February/March/April (dates TBD), create a draft mock-up design to share with students for feedback end of March, produce a final mural design that will be submitted to appropriate agencies for approval in April, paint the mural on site in September with students and staff, and attend a community ribbon cutting ceremony. This is a ten-month commitment, although the guest artist will only be on site for 6 – 10 days in September, and possibly a couple of mural design classes (depending on artist location). After mural completion, the artist will coordinate with the Rockwell educator to apply a clear protective coat of paint. See Artist Guidelines and Project Dates & Timeline for details.

 Program Goals

• Feature and collaborate with a professional mural artist.
• Recognize the 16^th Alley Art Project mural in Corning, NY.
• Support public art projects and overall community aesthetics in Corning.
• Demonstrate the importance of community collaboration: The Rockwell Museum, guest Teaching Mural Artist, the High School Learning Center and SUNY Corning Community College.

Overview and History of the Alley Art Project

The Alley Art Project is a special collaboration between The Rockwell Museum, the High School Learning Center (HSLC) of the Corning-Painted Post Area School District and SUNY Corning Community College (CCC).

Each year, students create murals with professional artists and museum educators using The Rockwell’s own fine art collection as inspiration. The program supports students through the vigorous process of designing and producing public art–while cultivating a sense of pride, ownership and connection to the community. There is emphasis on developing citizenship skills and civic pride by sharing public art with the wider region. The holistic program integrates using the arts for exploration and expression without judgment, fostering safe dialogue and developing a stronger sense of self. More information is available at  https://archive.rockwellmuseum.org/alley-art/.

Building location: The 2024 mural will be located at SUNY Corning Community College (CCC) on the interior wall of the Schuyler Hall Maker Space, 1 Academic Drive, Corning, NY 14830.

Teaching Mural Artist Guidelines

The artist is responsible for creating a visual framework to allow the vision of the students to be clearly recognized in an aesthetic design that complements the building wall. It is essential for the artist to thoughtfully depict the students’ artwork and ideas in the final mural design, but also create a design that is representative of their own unique vision. A balance and blend of the artist’s original artwork with the student artwork incorporated into the design is essential. The hired artist must be willing to make adjustments and changes to the design in response to input and feedback from Rockwell staff, the HSLC and CCC for approval. Additional edits and adjustments may need to be made; this process can take several weeks and several rounds to finalize. The mural artist is then responsible for the execution and completion of the mural with students within the given time frame.

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Please submit the following information to Amy Ruza at ruzaa@rockwellmuseum.org to be considered for the 2024 Teaching Mural Artist position for The Rockwell Museum’s Alley Art Project.

 For questions or additional information, please contact Amy Ruza by email. Thank you!

• Resume
• Sample images of artwork
• Website URL where you are featured as a muralist and/or social media accounts
• Answers to the following four questions:

Why do you think you would be a good fit for the Teaching Mural Artist position? (200 word limit)

Please share your background. What inspires you as an artist? (200 word limit)

What is your experience working with youth on group projects? (200 word limit)

What are your strengths in community-based project work? (200 word limit)

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