The Houston Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs (MOCA), in partnership with the Houston Public Library System, has announced a call for artists and art teams to create a public art work for the new Montrose Library.
Rendering of the exterior of the Montrose Library. Courtesy of the Houston Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs.
Currently under construction, the Montrose Library will be housed in the Montrose Collective mixed-use facility located at 1001 California St. in Houston. The library will have accessible technology and will feature designated areas for reading, children, teens, and meetings. The goal for the public art piece is to represent the story of the historically LGBTQIA+ Montrose neighborhood while referencing the library collection, services, staff, and community. Additionally, artworks should incorporate themes related to literacy, courage, soul, and collaboration.
In a press release announcing the call, Mayor Sylvester Turner said, “Integrating a new library location into a mixed-used development is a big step forward in meeting communities where they are. This artwork will live in the new Montrose Library to showcase the vibrant character and history of the area and to highlight and celebrate the rich diversity of our Houston neighborhoods.”
The artist selection process will be managed collaboratively by the Houston Arts Alliance (HAA) and MOCA. The indoor public art piece can consist of relief or sculptural elements, light-based media, and non-traditional installations, as well as murals and 2-dimensional works. The $85,000 budget will cover all costs needed to bring the work to fruition, including proposals, artists’ fees, design, engineering, permitting, insurance costs, lighting, software, travel, fabrication, and materials.
The call is open to artists and teams who are 18 years of age and older and living or working in the U.S. To learn more about and to be considered for this opportunity, submit your qualifications and artwork samples via the HAA Submittable page. The application deadline is Monday, January 9, 2023 at 5:00 pm.
For the first time, HAA will offer support for applicants who are Spanish-speakers. Para asistencia en espanol, haga clic aqui.
