Call to Artists
What is the essence of New Orleans as our people and landscape adapt and evolve? Who are we within our local imagination? Who can we become as we continually adapt and change, while still preserving the history and memories that define New Orleans? Can we peel back the layers of New Orleans and express the complex truths that define our way of life? How do you experience and envision New Orleans today and in the future?
Arts New Orleans is pleased to announce our 2024 Call for Artwork for the City of New Orleans’ Percent for Art Program: “How You Doin’ New Orleans?” This call is for artwork that addresses the complexity of a great city maintaining and adapting its unique culture for relevance and sustainability in the 21st century. We are seeking artwork that reflects both the triumphs and challenges of living in and loving New Orleans as we look toward its future.
Whether you call New Orleans “The Crescent City,” “The Big Easy,” “The Birthplace of Jazz,” “The Most African City in the U.S.,” “The City That Care Forgot,” “NOLA,” “The City of Yes,” “Hollywood South,” “The Creole City,” “The Northernmost Caribbean City,” “The Paris of the South,” or some combination (or derivation) of the above, it’s no secret that New Orleans holds a singular position in the global imagination as a world-class city like no other.
No matter the moniker, one question unites us: Despite all the changes, how will New Orleans maintain its uniqueness in the future? What does that look like? Is it the food? Music? People? Spirituality? Diversity? History? Potholes?
Some questions to consider:
- What have we gained and lost in the past 25 years?
- Will we continue to incarcerate more of our citizens than most places in the world?
- Will we continue to have an ethnically diverse population?
- Will tourism continue to dominate our economy and transform our lifestyle?
- What will the physical landscape look like as climate continues to change?
- Will we be under water?
- Will we become the model of sustainability for the rest of the country?
Review the full call here
About the Percent for Art Program
Begun in 1986, the Percent for Art Program is the City of New Orleans’ public art collection. Administered by Arts New Orleans, the program is supported through city funding generated by 1.5% of eligible capital projects. The Percent for Art Program includes commissioning murals and sculptures, acquiring artwork for the city’s interior collection, community outreach and education, and maintenance of the collection. There are currently more than 400 Percent for Art artworks enlivening our city’s landscape. Artwork purchased through the Percent for Art Program will become part of the City of New Orleans permanent collection. The artwork will be hung in interior City-operated public spaces throughout New Orleans, such as City Hall, public libraries, fire stations, court buildings, and NORD community centers.
Racial Equity
The Arts Council is committed to centering racial equity in the selection of artists and artworks. Black, Indigenous, Latinx, Asian and other artists of color are highly encouraged to apply. Our overall goal is to distribute at least 60% of Percent for Art commissions and direct purchases to artists of color in order to more closely reflect the city’s demographics.
Venue and Exhibition Details
Rooted in New Orleans, Merchant House preserves the past by bridging vintage style with modern living. Get inspired with era spanning vintage furnishings, vintage apparel and artisan wares. Anchoring two renovated historic warehouses, the shop represents the continuation of 100 years of history of two warehouses in the Lower Garden District.
Merchant Hall is a blank canvas, offering 3,350 sq ft of flexible space, surrounded by vintage furniture, studios, retail, art, and food. A flexible activation space for community, culture and commerce. Additionally, there is a 750 sqft outdoor courtyard upon entrance into the main halls.
New Orleans is the embodiment of home, from the shotgun architecture to catching the second line on your porch. Arts New Orleans in partnership with Merchant House will be presenting the selected works to reflect the theme: “How You Doin’, New Orleans?”. Artwork will be curated alongside furnishings, offering an installation of home, the living room, in Merchant Hall. Our intention is for guests, artists, and locals visiting Merchant Hall to receive a glimpse of what it means to call New Orleans home.
Selection Process & Timeline
The application opens on August 22nd and closes September 19th.
- Artwork will be reviewed online initially by a selection committee.
- After initial review, finalists will be notified by email by October 3rd which pieces have been selected to move to the next round.
- Artists will be asked to bring the physical work to Merchant Hall October 7th and 8th between the hours of 10 am – 5pm. No substitutions or additions will be accepted. The exhibition will run from October 17th through December 2nd.
- Artists’ work will be installed by professional art handlers, and due to the timeline artists will not be able to contribute to the installation process. All decisions regarding installation, hanging, and arrangement will be made by Arts New Orleans and Merchant House.
- The exhibition opening event will be Thursday, October 17th @ Merchant Hall 6-9pm
- During the exhibition, the artwork will be juried. Community members will be invited to participate in the process by voting on their favorite pieces.
- Once final decisions are made, purchased artworks become a part of the City of New Orleans’ Percent for Art Collection. Artwork in the City’s PfA collection is available for display in City-owned facilities throughout New Orleans. Artwork that is not purchased by the Percent for Art Collection will remain on view and available for purchase (if desired by the artists) through the remainder of the exhibition. For artworks sold through Merchant House, a 20% commission will be added to the price listed in the application.
Funding
During this round of the direct purchase, Arts New Orleans will purchase up to $200,000 total.
Artwork will be purchased at $500, $750, $1,000, $1,500, $2,000, $2,500, $5,000, $7,500, $10,000, $12,500 or $15,000 levels.
Submission Guidelines
Priority will go to artists that reside in Orleans Parish. Because we understand that cost of living within Orleans Parish can be prohibitive, New Orleans metro area residents who regularly show in New Orleans through museums, galleries, co-operatives, or a monthly arts market may apply.
Artists may submit no more than 3 works of art total. The 3 submissions can be in any budget category. Artists are encouraged to submit a variety of sizes and prices.
- Accepted media includes, but is not limited to painting, photography, fine art illustration, mixed-media, and printmaking. Sculptures will be accepted if they are able to be wall-mounted.
- All artwork must be ready to hang by wire or d-rings. Framing is optional, but we do ask that you consider how best to present your artwork. Artwork must be ready to be displayed in public spaces.
- Artworks that include any profanity will not be accepted.
Application
Artists interested in applying will be asked to complete the following application through Arts New Orleans’ online Submittable system. Artists should prepare the following information and materials before submitting. Please view the full Call for Artists here.
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