Nature Quest Arts Contest

  Calling All Youth Artists! 

Prince George's County residents 18 years old and under. You are cordially invited to enter this year’s Nature Quest Art Contest. Explore your backyard, a local park, or other outdoor environments. Tell your nature story by drawing, painting, photography, mixed media, or through poetry.

DEADLINE for Submission: Friday, December 6, 2024, at 11:59 pm.

Finalists must bring their original artwork during the drop-off dates provided under the Important Dates & Deadlines section of this document. If the original artwork is no longer available, please reach out to Shaiday Dancy at shaiday.dancy@pgparks.com
 

Awardees are expected to participate in the opening reception taking place on Friday, January 17, 2025 between 6:30 - 9pm at the Harmony Hall Regional Center (10701 Livingston Road, Fort Washington, MD 20744).
 

Eligibility Requirements:

• This contest is open to Prince George's County residents that are 18 years old and under.
• ·Entries must be inspired by nature.
• Content of the work must be original. Use of another artist’s work is not eligible. 
• You may enter as many categories as you want! 
• Artwork must be wall admittable (able to be framed and hung on our gallery walls). Please keep in mind that work must be created/printed at sizes of 8x10 or 11x14 to be framed by our staff
   

Awards

For the categories of drawing & painting, poetry and photography a 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place prizes will be chosen from each age group. 1st place is awarded $300, 2nd place is awarded $200, and 3rd place is awarded $100. 

Please note that drawing and painting are all in the same category, and each grade level (elementary, middle, and high) will only compete amongst that group and category submitted to.
Elementary School: K - Grade 5
Middle School: Grades  6 – 9
High School: Grades 10 - 12

Important Dates & Deadlines:

· Submission Deadline: Friday, December 6, 2024 (received by 11:59 pm EST) 

· Jurying Period: Monday, December 9, 2024 - Friday, December 13, 2024 

· Artist Notification: Friday, December 20, 2024

· Drop off Original Artwork: Friday, January 10, 2025 at 7833 Walker Drive Ste. 200, Greenbelt, MD 20770 between the hours of 8:30 am - 5:00 pm or Monday, January 13, 2025, at Harmony Hall Regional Center Center between the hours of 8:30 am - 5:00 pm 

· Artwork Installation: Monday, January 13, 2025

· Exhibition Dates: Wednesday, January 15, 2025 - Wednesday, January 29, 2025

· Opening Reception:  Friday, January 17, 2025 Harmony Hall Regional Center

Questions?
               If you have any questions or would like additional information, please contact Shaiday Dancy at shaiday.dancy@pgparks.com 

For More Information Visit The PGParks Webpage: https://www.pgparks.com/activities-events/nature_old/nature-quest

The 2025 Nature Quest Art Contest is a program of The Maryland-National Capital Park & Planning Commission, Department of Parks & Recreation, Prince George’s County, Arts and Cultural Heritage Division.
 

Request for Qualifications: 

Department of Parks & Recreation, Prince George’s County

Wall Artist Roster

Empowering Artists, Transforming Spaces!

OVERVIEW OF THE OPPORTUNITY

The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission (M-NCPPC), Department of Parks and Recreation, Prince George’s County’s Artist Roster serves as a bridge connecting talented artists residing in the Greater Washington, Maryland and Virginia Metropolitan area to exciting commissions for wall art projects.

The M-NCPPC is actively seeking muralists, as well as artists proficient in mosaic tile, low-relief, and other installation media suitable for both temporary and permanent installations on exterior walls. We especially encourage artists that reside or have a studio in the Prince George’s County area to apply.

Selected artists will join our Wall Artist Roster, gaining eligibility for consideration in a variety of future opportunities facilitated by the M-NCPPC. While listing on the Roster does not guarantee a commission, those artists listed will remain on the Roster for a period of three years and may receive individual invitations for opportunities that arise through the artist selection processes as they occur.

The Wall Artist Roster is currently open for applications, and the M-NCPPC will be accepting submissions on a rolling basis. We retain the right to utilize this Roster alongside other selection approaches for future project commissions.

ABOUT M-NCPPC PRINCE GEORGE’S DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION

The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission (M-NCPPC) is a bi-county agency established in 1927 and serves both Prince George's and Montgomery Counties in Maryland by providing long-range planning, park acquisition/development, and administration of the Prince George's County public recreation program.

The Prince George’s Department of Parks and Recreation is a well-respected leader in the field with an unprecedented six national gold medals for excellence. It operates and maintains more than 27,000 acres of parkland throughout the county, including land developed to provide parks, picnic areas, athletic fields, historic sites, community centers, and recreation facilities. In an effort to maintain the county's natural beauty, a large percentage of the land has been left undeveloped to serve as buffers and to provide natural open spaces. 

With cooperation and input from diverse communities throughout Prince George's County, the Department operates a comprehensive park and recreation system that offers programs and facilities designed to meet the needs and interests of patrons of all ages. Some of the amenities and facilities provided by the Department include art and nature programs, fitness and sports programs, live performances, more than 90 miles of hiker/biker/equestrian trails, outdoor festivals, self-improvement classes, summer camps, teen and senior activities, arts centers, tennis courts, ice rinks, a golf course, tennis courts, an equestrian center, an airfield, an aviation museum, and more.

Apply now to join the Department of Parks & Recreation, Prince George’s County-Wall Artist Roster and embark on a journey of artistic expression and community enhancement!

The current Roster is accessible to organizations and consultants upon request. To receive a copy of it, please send an email to Public Art Specialist, brittney.mcgowan@pgparks.com.  
 

APPLICATION MATERIALS:

• Completed application form via Submittable.com
• Resume/CV (up to 2 pages)
• Artist Statement (max. 500 words)
• Short Written Narrative (optional-max. 500 words)
• Two Reference Letters
• Artwork Samples (up to 10 images of past completed work)
• Image/File List

HOW TO SUBMIT

Submissions will be accepted electronically on the platform of Submittable.com. Any questions related to the submission process should be forwarded to the following email address: Public Art Specialist, brittney.mcgowan@pgparks.com.

    A member of the public art team will reply with an acknowledgement of all submissions it receives.

Harmony Hall Arts Center’s (HHAC) Main and Community Galleries are now accepting solo and group visual art exhibition proposals for the 2025 - 2026 season. Harmony Hall Arts Center’s season runs September - July. This call for entry is open to all Visual Artists living or working in the greater Washington D.C. Metropolitan area. 

Deadline for submissions is 11:59 PM, Saturday, February 1, 2025. There is no entry fee for submissions. The following submission guidelines apply: 

• All proposals must be submitted electronically through: 

https://m-ncppc.submittable.com/submit. 

· Artwork submitted cannot have been exhibited in any of Harmony Hall Art Center’s galleries within the last 2 years.

• The submission should include a cohesive body of work and must be original compositions by the artist(s).
• The HHAC Arts Advisory Board will determine which appropriate body of works will be selected and        exhibited. 
• All submitted work must be ready to be installed with appropriate hardware. Artwork with unstable bottoms (for three-dimensional works only), unstable frames or hanging material will not be accepted.
• Solo Show submissions must contain 5-10 high-quality images representative of the work with dimensions (height x width x depth). Each image is to be clear, well-lit and with a minimum of 300 DPI.
• Group Show submissions must contain images representative of work that will be in the Group Show. Dimensions, as mentioned directly above, must also be given.
• For Solo Shows Submissions there must contain a short (250 words maximum) biography of the artist as well as a well written Artist's Statement in MS Word format. 
• For Group Shows an overall artist statement of the group is required, along with individual well written biographies of each artist participating. 
• All exhibited work (even if sold) must remain in the gallery for the entire duration of the exhibition.
• Each solo artist/group will participate in a minimum of three events related to their exhibited work during their exhibition. These events will include an Opening Reception, a public Artist Talk, Brief Videos for QR Codes pertaining to each work selected (30 seconds maximum in length), or a Pre-Recorded Video where the artist(s) talks briefly about their body of work and demonstrating their artistic process that will be displayed on the Main Gallery’s projection system. 
• Artists are encouraged to market their Exhibition, Opening Reception, and selected Events of their choosing alongside Harmony Hall Arts Center. Any Marketing materials MUST be approved and will be provided by Harmony Hall Arts Center staff. 

Gallery Programs

· Opening Reception: Typically, a Saturday or Sunday public event from 2-4 pm that debuts new exhibitions in both galleries featuring the artist’s/group’s body of work. Light refreshments will be provided.

· Artist Talk/Panel: During the Opening Reception, there will be a 20-to-30-minute talk given by the exhibiting artist/group panel about their works, its inspiration and their artistic process in the Main Gallery or John Addison Concert Hall. It is followed by a Q&A Session from those in attendance.

· Pre-Recorded Video: The video will be displayed on the projector in the Main Gallery. The video is meant to be around 5 minutes in length. It should include a brief introduction of the artist/group, the name of their exhibition, a brief talk about their body of work and ideally a demonstration of their artistic process. The Gallery Manager at Harmony Hall Arts Center will work with the exhibiting artists to create and format this video. Additional questions can be addressed by the Gallery Manager.

· Brief Videos for QR Codes: A brief introduction of the artist, name of the artwork, and its inspiration and/or artistic process. The Gallery Manager at Harmony Hall Arts Center will work with the exhibiting artists to create and format this video. Additional questions can be addressed by the Gallery Manager.

Media 

· The Main Gallery has 205’ of linear wall space. 

· Dimensions of the display cases vary in size.

· Six elevated uncovered ledges may also be available for use. 

Elevated Uncovered Ledges’ Dimensions (5 roughly square in shape & 1 rectangle, in inches):

25 x 27

25 x 27

25 x 27

25 x 27

25 x 27

25.75 (height) x 36 (width)

· There are a variety of Display Cases available for use. 

Display Case Dimensions (height x width x depth in inches):

20 x 36 x 24

20 x 39.25 x 22

28 x 25 x 25

20 x 33 x 21

20 x 22 x 24

Digital Files (excluding Video(s)

Digital files must be submitted in JPEG format. Please label all digital files, “Last Name, First Name, Title of Work.jpg.” Please make sure each image is 300 DPI as images will be used for printing if selected to exhibit. 

Stipend

Selected artists in the Main Gallery, who provide the service of loaning their art for an exhibition, will receive a stipend commensurate with the amount of loaned artwork. 

Artwork Drop Off 

If selected, all artworks must be delivered, at an agreed upon time, to Harmony Hall Arts Center at 10701 Livingston Road, Fort Washington, MD 20744. The Artist must complete the Artist Agreement Form(s) upon delivery. 

Sales, Insurance, and Policies

· Harmony Hall Arts Center (HHAC) staff will install the exhibit and the work must remain for the duration of the exhibit even if it has been sold. 

· HHAC reserves the right to reject any work that is not suitably presented at delivery. 

· Work not for sale should be clearly marked NFS by the artist(s) in advance of the exhibition. 

· Each work will be insured by the Maryland – National Capital Park and Planning Commission (M-NCPPC) Division of Risk Management for 75% of its sale value from only the agreed upon date of delivery to the date of pick-up. 

· A 25% commission will be retained by M-NCPPC from the sale of works during the exhibition. The buyer pays 100% of any sales plus a 6% sales tax to M-NCPPC. A check for 75% of the value will then be issued by M-NCPPC to the Artist within 30 days of the exhibition’s closing date. 

· M-NCPPC reserves the right to photograph works for archival and publicity purposes.

Beginning of Proposal Selection Notification Date: Monday, February 24, 2025.

For questions, please contact Amanda.Bohn@pgparks.com or call us at 301-203-6070. E-Mail communication is preferred.

Timeless Prince George’s

Timeless Prince George's intends to demonstrate the broad range of artwork being created in our county and to foster an inclusive spirit among the artists exhibiting together in the exhibition. 

Timeless Prince George's is the 2025 annual exhibition of artwork by Prince George’s County Artists in the Prince George’s Delegation of the Lowe House Office Building, in Annapolis. It serves as a reminder to our lawmakers about the importance of the arts, and offers daily, moral support through the power of art as they work on our behalf throughout the legislative session.

ELIGIBILITY 

This call is open to all artists who are 18 years of age or older who live, work, study, or have a studio in Prince George’s County, Maryland. Due to the nature of the exhibition space, only two-dimensional artworks that can be safely installed on hanging cables will be accepted.

HONORARIA

Each artist selected to participate will receive a $100 honorarium in appreciation of his/her contribution. If you are not already registered as a vendor with M-NCPPC, please do so at this link: https://www.mncppc.org/register.html. Honoraria are paid near the end of the exhibition. All participating artists that are not yet registered as a vendor must do so online by December 30, 2024, to receive payment by the end of the exhibition.

JUDGING

Artworks for this exhibition will be selected by staff from the Department of Parks and Recreation, Prince George's County, Arts and Cultural Heritage Division. Selections will be made based on artistic merit, with an interest in showing a broad range of artwork and fostering an inclusive spirit.

EXHIBITION TIMELINE

Entry Deadline:

Sunday, December 22, 2024, 11:59 pm

Artists notified:

By Friday, December 27 , 2024

Artists drop off work at Arts and Cultural Heritage Division (ACHD) office, 7833 Walker Drive, Suite 200, Greenbelt, MD:

Friday, January 3, 2025, 10 am-5pm

Exhibition opens/Start of Legislative Session:

Wednesday, January 8, 2025

Public Reception at the Lowe House Office Building:

TBD- March 2025

Last day of exhibition/End of Legislative Session:

April 7, 2025

Artists pick up artwork from ACHD office, 7833 Walker Drive, Suite 200, Greenbelt, MD:

To be determined

SUBMISSION CRITERIA 

Applications must be submitted online at: m-ncppc.submittable.com

• Artists may submit a maximum of 3 images of artworks to be considered.
• Only two-dimensional artworks that can be displayed on a wall by hanging cables will be accepted, or high-quality images of three-dimensional works that are printed and framed.
• Images should be high resolution to see significant details.
• Submissions must include an image list with information on media, size, title, and price.
• Artworks must be recent, created within the past 3 years and not previously included in any annual Prince George’s Annapolis exhibition.
• (Optional) Artists may include an artist’s statement no more than one page in length.

EXHIBITION LOCATION AND HOURS 

Prince George's Delegation Lowe House Office Building, 6 Bladen Street Annapolis, MD, 21401

Call 410-841-3800 for hours of operation (generally Monday-Friday, 9am - 5pm)

DELIVERY & INSTALLATION 

Artists are solely responsible for transporting their artwork to and from the drop off/pick up location (Arts and Cultural Heritage Division office, 7833 Walker Drive, Suite 200, Greenbelt, MD). The artwork delivered must match the images submitted for consideration and must be delivered in good condition and properly prepared for installation- ready with a wire to hang on the rod and cable hanging system. Please direct specific questions about installation to Stuart Diekmeyer, Visual Arts Specialist. All artworks will be installed by Arts and Cultural Heritage Division staff and must remain on display for the duration of the exhibition.

SALES & INSURANCE 

The M‐NCPPC will retain a 25% commission on all art works sold during or as a result of the exhibition. Artworks in this exhibition are not covered by insurance and are loaned to the M-NCPPC for the purpose of this installation at the artists' risk.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION 

If you have any questions or would like additional information, please contact:

Stuart Diekmeyer, Visual Arts Specialist, 301-446-3251, stuart.diekmeyer@pgparks.com

Sandra Perez-Ramos, Visual Arts Assistant, sandra.perezramos@pgparks.com 

 
Prince George’s: Collective Ground is presented by The Maryland-National Capital Parks and Planning Commission, Department of Parks and Recreation, Prince George’s County, Arts and Cultural Heritage Division.