Blandin Foundation Mural Call for Artists – due January 3, 2019
Blandin Foundation has contracted with Forecast Public Art to facilitate a call for an artist/team to design and create a mural on the outside of the Blandin Foundation building. Artists are hereby invited to submit qualifications to be considered to participate in the design phase for the public art opportunity described below.
Blandin Foundation is a private foundation based in Grand Rapids, Minnesota, with a mission to be a trusted partner and advocate to strengthen rural Minnesota communities, especially the Grand Rapids area. Their vision is healthy, inclusive rural communities.
Mission
Be a trusted partner and advocate to strengthen rural Minnesota communities, especially the Grand Rapids area.
Vision
Healthy, inclusive rural communities.
Values
As stewards of the Blandin Foundation legacy, they commit themselves to a leadership role on these deeply held beliefs:
Inclusion is Vital – We recognize all people, voices and world views as essential to healthy community.
Relationships Matter – We encourage courageous dialogue, trust, and reciprocity among partners to create positive change.
Integrity is Core – Our actions are guided by honesty, transparency and trustworthiness.
Blandin Foundation has proudly made its home in Itasca County (north central Minnesota) for more than 75 years. This region was the “wood basket” of the Grand Rapids-based Blandin Paper Company when it was owned by Foundation founder Charles Blandin in the early 20th Century. We continue to stand with Itasca area communities as they design and claim vibrant futures in the 21st Century.
Blandin Foundation’s “home giving area” is Itasca County, plus Blackduck, Hill City, Northome, and Remer, and would like to honor these communities on the outside of their building. This mural will be highly visible, as the wall on Blandin Foundation building faces a major entry point into the city of Grand Rapids and highway 169, which sees heavy vehicle traffic. The building also sits on the edge of the Mississippi River, in the heart of downtown Grand Rapids. This Request for Qualifications is for an outdoor mural on the Blandin Foundation building, to be unveiled in fall of 2019.
Blandin Foundation would like to use this public art initiative to reflect the values on which it is based, honor the communities it serves, and reflect the identities of smaller, rural communities. One artist/team will be commissioned to create a mural which will be located on the outside of the building.
Budget: $70,000 [plus $1000 to 3 finalist artists/teams to present their design ideas in person].
Qualifications are due Thursday, January 3, 2019 at 4pm CST.
- Applicants must be experienced visual artists or artist-led teams.
- Lead artist must have professional qualifications to complete a mural project of this scale. Additional team members may have a variety of experiences.
- At least one member of the team must be currently based in the Grand Rapids area.
- Applicant/team must provide evidence of producing at least two commissioned public art projects of a similar scale and budget within the past ten years.
