Steel City Squash: Call for Artists
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The Art Supply Co. is pleased to announce a Call for Artists for a public art project for Steel City Squash in Pittsburgh’s Larimer neighborhood.
Artists of all experience levels are invited to submit samples of existing work to be considered for this project. Selected artists will be invited to participate in a paid design process where one artist will be selected for the commission of artwork on select exterior walls at Steel City Squash’s Larimer Education and Squash Center. The project is slated to be complete by early summer of 2024.
Location: 624 Larimer Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15206
Call Run Dates: November 6-December 4, 2023
Virtual Info Session: November 13, 2023 at 6pm EST
About Steel City Squash and the new Larimer Education and Squash Center
In 2014, Steel City Squash introduced urban squash to Pittsburgh. The organization was founded by Talbott Simonds and Tim Wyant, who partnered to establish Steel City Squash with help from the Hillman Foundation, the Heinz Endowments, and the University of Pittsburgh. This program joined the Squash and Education Alliance (SEA) as its 19th member in 2015 and continues to support the community through education, mentoring, community service, travel and the sport of squash. Since its inception, Steel City Squash continues to inspire and motivate students from 4th through 11th grade to excel academically and envision their future by providing consistent and long term support to students and their families to achieve their postsecondary goals, all while exposing them to the culture of the sport of squash.
Steel City Squash envisioned its new home to be designed and built as a local and national destination facility that will create multiple revenue streams to support its program, facilitate multicultural engagement, and contribute to long-term sustainability.
The building will contain classrooms, squash courts, and a college/career center. It will also contain a 500 - 1000 square foot fitness space with men's and women's locker rooms with day lockers and showers. It will serve as the permanent home of Steel City squash, the home courts of Chatham University's women's and men's Varsity squash teams, and allow for facility memberships to the local community and beyond.
Link to Steel City Squash website: https://steelcitysquash.org/
Project Summary
The Larimer Education and Squash Center will display a 2D or 3D artwork on the exterior of the building. The final commissioned artwork should honor the spirit of the Larimer neighborhood and the programmatic mission of Steel City Squash. This is a great opportunity for artists to showcase their creative energy across a large scale (28' 3" W x 34' 6"H - 1000 sq. ft.)
About the Call for Artists
Pittsburgh area artists and artist collaboratives are invited to submit their portfolios for consideration. Artists must complete the form below including examples of existing works along with a letter of interest by December 4, 2023 at 11:59 p.m. (EST).
Upon review of portfolio submissions, three artists will be selected and paid to submit formal Design Proposals including an original concept for the site along with a budget and any external vendor information. These artists will be paid a stipend of $1,000 for their Design Proposal and participation in a one-hour, in-person brainstorm with community and organization members in January 2024. TASC will organize the community meeting and ask artists to incorporate feedback from this meeting into their design process. TASC may ask the artists to present brief, in-progress presentations to the selection committee as their proposals are being developed. These concepts will be reviewed by the selection committee with up to two (2) revisions during the concept design phase. One artist or artist collaborative will be selected and paid for the final commissioned artwork. Final artwork must be a newly created work designed to fit the artwork location and material specifications provided by GBBN and TASC.
After the concepts are reviewed by the selection committee, one artist will be chosen from the designs and will receive project management and production support by the TASC team to complete their artwork. The final wall art for the Steel City Squash Center is scheduled for completion by early summer 2024.
Artist Guidelines
Artists working in any media format or style (i.e. sculptural, aluminum, hand-painted, figurative, abstract, pattern, natural) are invited to submit samples of their work. As the site is located in a public space open to a wide range of people, the program encourages positive, light, and community-centric themes. Artwork visuals must embrace these program goals and must not be controversial in order to be considered. Artwork that is offensive, lewd, or otherwise inappropriate (e.g. racist, transphobic, containing lewd imagery or profanity) will not be considered. Proposing artists unable to meet this requirement should not submit a portfolio.
Timeline:
Request for Qualifications: November 6-December 4, 2023
Open Call Q&A: November 13, 2023 at 6pm EST
Initial Artist Group Selection: December 2023
Final Designs Due: February 2024
Final Artist Selection: February 2024
Design and Production: Winter 2024
Installation and Public Opening: Spring 2024
Artist Eligibility:
18 years of age or older
Resident of wider Pittsburgh area (defined as the counties considered part of the greater Pittsburgh metropolitan area: Allegheny, Armstrong, Beaver, Butler, Fayette, Washington, and Westmoreland)
Artists, collectives, or designers working in any 2D or 3D media
Special attention will be paid to artists who have produced or installed large, exterior works, or that include a contractor to facilitate installation. Artists without contractors or installation experience are still encouraged to apply.
Must be able to adhere to the project schedule
Selection Process:
Artists and/or artist collaboratives may submit their work for consideration as defined below. A selection committee will review submitted portfolios and choose three (3) artists to submit design concepts for the site. These three (3) artists will participate in individual community sessions to engage with the programmatic and Larimer community allowing the artists to gain a better clarity around community goals, identity, and their engagement with the space. Artists will then create conceptual designs for the commissioned piece. These concepts will be reviewed by the selection committee with up to two (2) revisions during the concept design phase. One artist or artist collaborative will be selected and paid for the final commissioned artwork. Final artwork must be a newly created work designed to fit the artwork location and material specifications provided by GBBN and TASC.
Artist Fees and Project Budget
The initial three selected artists will be paid $1,000 after confirming participation and signing a contract by January 2024. Everyone will be notified of their status by February 2024. From the three design concepts, a final artist will be selected for the project. The maximum budget for project fabrication and installation, including artist fees, is $50,000. Final artwork selected must be a newly created work designed to fit the dimensions of the wall provided to the artist.
NOTE: Artist fees are in alignment with W.A.G.E. (Working Artists and the Greater Economy).
How to Apply:
Artists and artist-led teams interested in the project must apply through the online submission form below.
Please note that online applications will only be accepted through December 4, 2023 at 11:59 p.m. (EST). Submissions received after this date will not be considered for this project.
In the online submission form below you will be asked to supply the following:
Contact Info (if a team, choose one lead member to represent)
Artist Bio (if a team, please create a bio that includes information on all team members) (150 word max.)
Artist Statement (if a team, please include a statement that is relevant for your work as a team) (150 word max.)
Letter of interest (300 word max.)
Please describe your motivation for applying to this project. As a high-visibility installation to the community, please also address the potential impact and significance your work specifically would have at this site.
Work Samples (please upload work sample photos used in the work sample pdf as individual jpg or png files.)
Work Sample PDF including:
The Work Sample PDF should include no more than five (5) projects. For each work sample please include 1-3 images, dimensions, medium, year created, and budget. If the project is from years ago, please approximate what the project would cost today.
If the proposing artist has worked with building installations, please include technical specs and other details to describe the artwork fabrication and installation process. Indicate if contractors or fabricators were used.
NOTE: the work must be formatted as described above and creatives applying as a team must submit one joint artistic work sample set.
Website and Social media links (optional)
Demographic information (optional)
Artwork that is offensive, lewd, or otherwise inappropriate(e.g. racist, transphobic, containing lewd imagery or profanity) will not be considered. Proposing artists unable to meet this requirement should not submit a portfolio.
A submission acknowledges that the applicant:
Will sign a working agreement with TASC and its client.
Will allow their name and images to be used for marketing or promotional purposes by TASC and its client.