Call for Artists to Share Eastside Tacoma’s Rich Histories
Eastside Community Center
Parks Tacoma is looking for an artist to create an original public artwork in digital format, curating and sharing community histories from the Eastside of Tacoma. The final digital project will be displayed on screens at the Eastside Community Center and on Parks Tacoma’s website. As recommended in the Eastside Community Center Art Brief, “Installations could be created in a variety of media, including but not limited to: videography, audio projects, visual artwork, photography, interactive technology, writing, and any combination in between. The context for this project was inspired by stories of community members’ grassroots work to create home museums and independent documentaries, as well as the need to preserve history in a community that is rapidly changing.”
After the initial application review, 3 finalists will be selected and paid $500 each to develop a preliminary proposal. That proposal will include a written description, budget, and concept images to be presented during an in-person interview. One artist or team of artists will be selected to complete this project. Organizations and groups are eligible to apply as an artist team. The project budget in each proposal should take into consideration participation stipends to pay history/culture bearers and arts/cultural performers who contribute to the project.
Deadline to apply is November 4, 2024.
The final product will be displayable media in digital format, between 15-30 minutes’ worth, and may be broken up into multiple short videos, audio tracks, etc.
- How to Apply
- Artist Eligibility Requirements
- Selection Criteria
- Project Background
- Contact Us
Send us the following items via Submittable:
- Contact and demographic info
- 4-6 work samples of past work, may be visual, video, audio, or other multimedia format
- Short answer responses:
- Give us your artist bio, describing your work and artistic practice (up to 200 words).
- Why are you interested in this project (up to 200 words)?
- Anything else you want to tell us (optional – up to 200 words)?
People who are members of historically disenfranchised racial, ethnic, cultural, and other identity groups are encouraged to apply.
Submit your Artwork- Applicant(s) must be 18 years or older
- Applicant(s) can apply as a single artist or as an artist team
- Organizations and community groups are eligible to apply as a team
- Applicants must live in Pierce County
- Applicants cannot be an employee, board member, council member, or commissioner of Parks Tacoma or City of Tacoma
- Strength of proposal
- Ability to create artwork responsive to a site and its community context
- Ability to work in a digital format (video, audio, images)
- Artistic quality as exemplified in proposal and past work
- Priority given to community members with roots or family ties in the Eastside neighborhood
- Priority given to projects that reflect hidden histories or stories from marginalized groups
- Ability to relate to multiple types of viewers, particularly young people
The Eastside Community Center (ECC) opened in October 2018. The new Center features a swimming pool, gym, public walking track, recording studio, community space, and houses the Boys and Girls Club on the Eastside. ECC is located adjacent to First Creek Middle School. The ECC Art Brief, created as the result of community outreach during the building phase of the ECC project, identified the opportunity for a Community History project, where “Multimedia arts installations will highlight different communities, their histories, and influences within the Eastside.” The end result may express the histories of specific ethnic community groups who have strong ties to the local area (ie: Indigenous, Eastern European, Southeast Asian, African American, Hispanic / Central American communities, etc) and provide an opportunity for these groups to curate their own exhibits as recorded in digital media.
For questions, please contact Planning and Asset Administrator, Claire Keller-Scholz at 253-344-6122 or [email protected]
Timeline
| October 14, 2024 | Opportunity Released |
| November 4, 2024 | Deadline for submissions |
| By November 11, 2024 | Finalists selected |
| November 14 or 19, 2024 | Site visit for finalists |
| By December 16, 2024 | Presentation of proposals & selection of final artist |
| May 31, 2025 | Project Completed |