Archive Mode. Call Ohio Percent for Art/University of Akron Crouse Hall Commission Announcement ended on 11/1/21, 11:59 PM. Call settings are read only. See Current Open Calls
Open To: Ohio and National Artists
Commission Amount: $203,000
Artwork to be Commissioned: Outdoor Sculpture
Entry Open Date: Monday, August 30, 2021
Entry Deadline: Friday, October 29, 2021
Project Summary: The University of Akron (UA) is inviting Ohio and national artists to submit up to eight (8) digital images of past sculptural work for the Crouse Hall Percent for Art Project commission. From the submissions, a group of semi-finalists will be selected to visit the campus, meet with the committee (comprising UA faculty and staff), and visit the artwork site location to create a site-specific artwork proposal. UA employees and their spouses are not eligible to apply for this commission, nor are students enrolled in any degree-granting program.
University History:
Established in 1870, The University of Akron offers more than 300 academic degree programs ranging from associate through doctoral degrees in the liberal arts, sciences, healthcare, engineering, business, education and more. Its beautiful metropolitan campus, located in the heart of Ohio’s fifth-largest city, is surrounded by more than 21,000 businesses, providing countless experiential learning opportunities to its more than 19,000 students hailing from around the world. With championship-winning NCAA Division I sports teams, more than 300 student organizations, and a top-ranked Student Recreation and Wellness Center, UA provides the full campus experience.
Project Background and Building History:
As the headquarters for UA's Departments of Geosciences and Physics, Crouse Hall is currently undergoing a renovation of labs and classrooms. Teaching, laboratory, and related research are conducted here by faculty and undergraduate and graduate students enrolled in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) courses in the building. The improved facility will house labs, faculty and administrative offices, and modern general-purpose lecture halls.
Mission of School or Site: The mission of the Department of Geosciences is to instruct more than 150 undergraduate students in the areas of earth resources, hydrogeology, paleoclimate reconstruction, climate change, sedimentology, geochemistry, and geobiology. Graduate students earn degrees in Geology, Earth Science, and Environmental Science as well as doing a wide range of research. The Department of Physics focuses on materials physics and utilizes a wide range of experimental, analytical, and computational techniques to study solid-state physics, including superconductors and graphene, soft matter physics, including polymeric materials, and biophysics. Physics courses are taken by students majoring in engineering, the natural sciences, mathematics, and education.
Artistic Goals of the Commissioned Piece:
The primary location for the commissioned artwork is the exterior green space near the northwest corner of Crouse Hall. The green space will be part of a heavily used footpath connecting two primary walkways at different grades, Buchtel Commons and Academic Way. The location, near the center of campus, will have strong student and faculty interaction. The artwork should establish a visual and physical connection to the building. There is a desire that the commissioned work will be science-related, abstract or representational, low maintenance, thought-provoking, and connect the teachings in the building to the larger campus-wide community. Two topics common to both geoscience and physics are "time" and "motion", and either might be an intriguing motif. In addition, the use of some local earth materials, if appropriate, would integrate the piece to the region.
Practical Considerations:
Artwork considered for the Crouse Hall project must be durable and suitably maintenance-free. The artwork site is the exterior plaza area that has high traffic by pedestrians. The commissioned work should not include electrical, lighting elements, or water flow. Images of the site are attached.
Selection Review Process:
Interested artists should complete the online form by visiting: https://ohiopercentforart-uacrousehall.artcall.org
In addition to the eight (8) images uploaded, artists are requested to submit the following documents:
1. a current resume (maximum four pages) & artist statement as one pdf
2. an image list in the order the images are uploaded
The Advisory Selection Committee will review submitted materials and will develop a list of semi-finalist artists that will be invited to meet with the committee for a site visit. After the site visit, the semi-finalists will create a site-specific proposal for artwork for the Crouse Hall project. Each semi-finalist will be offered a proposal fee in addition to an honorarium for their site visit. Artist proposals will be judged competitively by the Committee. Submitted proposals become the property of the University of Akron.
Ohio Arts Council Staff:
Kathy Signorino, Artist Programs and Percent for Art Director
614-728-6140 or kathy.signorino@oac.ohio.gov
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