CALL FOR ARTISTS
INVITATION TO SUBMIT QUALIFICATIONS
For Public Art Opportunities Sponsored by:
The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission, Department of Parks and Recreation, Prince George’s County
Submission of Materials Accepted At: https://m-ncppc.submittable.com/submit
Deadline: 12 Midnight, Eastern Standard Time on Sunday, March 2nd, 2025.
Summary & Overview
The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission (M-NCPPC), Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR), Prince George’s County (PGC) is inviting artists and artist-teams with interest and professional experience in creating site-specific public art commissions, to submit their name and qualifications to an Artist Resource Listing, for outdoor public artworks to be created for a variety of historic sites throughout Prince George’s County. At designated intervals of the program, artist or artist-teams will be selected from the Listing, invited to participate and paid a fee to submit a competitive proposal for a specific site. The artist or artist-team chosen to move forward with the project will be contracted to design, fabricate, and install artwork for that designated historical site in Prince George’s County. The anticipated public art commission for each site will range from $15,000 to $150,000. Invited artists or artist-teams that are not selected for the specific project will be returned to the pool for potential invitations for other program sites.
Each participating site varies in its needs, goals, and specifications. Please reference the Project Scope Details for a brief description of each site’s background, themes, and distinctive characteristics. Although site-specific requirements may differ, this opportunity is part of a broader effort in Prince George’s County to incorporate Black and Indigenous voices into the fabric of historic interpretation, a theme that will be emphasized across all site locations.
Artist or artist-team candidates entering the final selection will develop a concept proposal for the requested site, presenting it to a committee comprising of members of the historic site staff and selected members representing the Department of Parks and Recreation, Prince George’s County. Once the finalist is chosen, the artist or artist-team will enter into a contract with M-NCPPC to work closely with the historic site’s project committee members to design, fabricate, and install the artwork.
About Department of Parks and Recreation, Prince George’s County
The M-NCPPC, Department of Parks and Recreation, serves Prince George's County in Maryland, providing comprehensive park and recreation programs, facilities, and services that support healthy lifestyles and responds to changing needs within County communities. The Department strives to preserve, enhance, and protect open spaces to enrich the quality of life for present and future generations in a safe and secure environment. The 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.
As part of their efforts to diversify the voices at historic sites across the county, the Department of Parks and Recreation, Prince George’s County will continue to highlight Black and Indigenous experiences, stories, and impact in their storytelling and interpretation. With cooperation and input from diverse communities throughout Prince George's County, the Department will strive to meet the needs and interests of patrons of all ages and backgrounds, including those from historically marginalized communities.
Public Artwork Goals & Themes
This public art opportunity is part of a larger initiative focused on activating the outdoor grounds of historic sites through interpretive panels, walking trails, and other amenities that reflect upon the untold historical narrative of enslaved residents of Prince George’s County. Please note that the artwork created may eventually be accompanied by other interpretive pieces in the future. Overall goals for the public art project include:
- Making a statement that attracts and energizes the local community’s interest in historic sites and their evolving storytelling.
- Setting a high bar of excellence for future interpretation and activation planned for outdoors in Prince George’s County.
- Engaging with the overarching goal envisioned for Prince George’s County historic interpretation, which is to capture the intersectional historic and modern-day significance of Prince George’s County.
Project Scope Details
Overview
The M-NCPPC, Department of Parks and Recreation, Prince Geoge’s County is looking for public artwork for six historic sites. Each site uniquely interprets history through a variety of lenses, and varies in audience, size, and specifications. As such, each site has its own section within Project Scope Details, that contains the following information:
- Site Description, Storytelling and Themes: What storytelling currently exists at each site and the lens through which the site interprets its history.
- Target Audience and Relevant Stakeholders: Who currently visits the site, target audience goals for the future, and who is involved in making decisions about the site.
- Artwork Site and Specifications: If specified, where the artwork will be located, desired experiences the team at each site is looking for, and what ideas they would like to see explored in the artwork.
- Planned Exterior Work: Each site is at a different stage of developing their outdoors interpretation. The artwork installation may overlap with planned exterior work at the site.
- Additional Details and Restrictions: Some sites are under easement, and have restrictions on where artwork can be placed, and what needs to be done in preparation for installation. Desired installation dates are identified.
The following will apply to all sites:
- The M-NCPPC, Department of Parks and Recreation, Prince George’s County will work with the site to prepare the location for the artist, and if needed, foundational bases and other structural preparations may be provided by the Department of Parks and Recreation.
- In addition, The M-NCPPC, Department of Parks and Recreation, Prince George’s County will set and publicize an appropriate budget in the project solicitation documents issued to invited artist candidates, on a project-by-project basis.
- The following is up to the discretion of the invited artist, dependent upon the site’s abilities to provide them:
- If there are any supplemental structural, reinforcing, and/or blocking requirements for the artwork, the Artist will be responsible for identifying the requirements and furnishing them to the Historic Site for coordination.
- If there are any lighting requirements for the artwork, the Artist will be responsible for identifying the requirements and furnishing them to the Historic Site for coordination.
- If there are any power or control requirements related to the artwork, the Artist will be responsible for identifying the requirements and furnishing them to the Historic Site for coordination. Remember that not all sites can supply power to the artwork location.
Site Images
Access to addendums and historic site images.
Darnall’s Chance House Museum
SITE DESCRIPTION, STORYTELLING AND THEMES
Built in 1741 for merchant and entrepreneur, James Wardrop and his wife Lettice Lee, Darnall’s Chance House Museum focuses on history through a woman-centered and feminist lens. Interpretative tours and storytelling contrast the life of Lettice Lee, and the 18th century women enslaved on the property.
TARGET AUDIENCE AND RELEVANT STAKEHOLDERS
Darnall’s Chance attracts local community members from Upper Marlboro and Bowie through extensive programming that involves shifting the interior of the house as well as the surrounding grounds. Children and families attend programs such as the annual gingerbread house contest.
ARTWORK SITE AND SPECIFICATIONS
Darnall’s Chance has a small footprint and would like the artwork to share a space with the Colonial Garden (photos attached in the Addendum). Measuring 22’ deep by 27’ wide, the Colonial Garden would have supplemented the rations for the enslaved laborers and fed their enslavers. The garden currently houses three planting beds and an 18th century reproduction bench. The Darnall’s Chance team is inspired by the idea of sculptural work that is informed by the environment of the garden, such as an outdoor sundial and mosaic steppingstones.
PLANNED EXTERIOR WORK
Currently, there are plans to further develop the garden’s interpretation, which may factor into proposal development. Planned exterior interpretation in the Colonial Garden would include an A-frame interpretive sign. The internal designer is working on a period silhouette that would be applied to the wall, but that may be reconsidered if the artist’s proposal would use the same space.
ADDITIONAL DETAILS AND RESTRICTIONS
The artwork will need approval from the Maryland Historic Trust and Historic Preservation Commission, as the grounds are historic.
Marietta House Museum
SITE DESCRIPTION, STORYTELLING AND THEMES
Marietta House Museum is a former plantation site in Glenn Dale, Maryland and part of Parks and Recreation Department of Prince George’s County. The surviving Federal-era plantation house and outbuildings are reminders of the free and the enslaved families who once lived and labored there. Over the decades in the 18th and 19th centuries, the Duvall family enslaved over 120 individuals on Marietta land. The Duvall family patriarch at Marietta was U.S. Supreme Court Associate Justice Gabriel Duvall who simultaneously fought for the liberation of over 100 enslaved people, while enslaving men, women and children. Today, the guided tours at Marietta House Museum focus on this baffling paradox of wealthy and powerful planters who enslaved scores of families for generations and at the same time called for the freedom to pursue life, liberty, and happiness in the young United States of America.
TARGET AUDIENCE AND RELEVANT STAKEHOLDERS
The Marietta House’s yearly visitor count totals around 2,500. Families and school groups comprise most of the visitors. The Marietta team has 30 members on its advisory team and collaborates with non-direct descendants while working to identify possible direct descendants.
ARTWORK SITE AND SPECIFICATIONS
Marietta House would like the artwork to be located on the predicted location of the original slave dwellings. The team is looking for artwork that is contemplative and reflective, believing in the power of place to evoke history. It is desired that the art installation would be designed to commemorate the 39 people enslaved at the Marietta House by including their names. The artwork should play on the theme of “reflection”. Photos of the site are included in the addendum.
PLANNED EXTERIOR WORK
Marietta House is currently undergoing an assessment of its exterior grounds to improve its grounds accessibility and additional inclusive interpretation opportunities for visitors.
ADDITIONAL DETAILS AND RESTRICTIONS
Power, light, and hanging structures would be difficult to route to the artwork location. The area is shaded throughout most of the day and is near the ridgeline of the property.
Montpelier House Museum
SITE DESCRIPTION, STORYTELLING AND THEMES
The Montpelier House Museum was home to the Snowden family, started by Richard Snowden, an indentured servant from England. The Snowden family enslaved people for surface iron mining and ironworking. Today, the Montpelier interprets ironworking and slavery around the grounds and is developing a historical walking loop. The house focuses on industrial slavery and the cognitive dissonance of the simultaneous realities of the house and grounds as a peaceful space and a space where exploitation and abuse of people occurred.
TARGET AUDIENCE AND RELEVANT STAKEHOLDERS
Artists will work directly with the advisory committee, staff, and descendants.
ARTWORK SITE AND SPECIFICATIONS
The grounds are open for artwork, with suggested locations indicated in the site plan. The requirement is that the artwork must feature iron prominently in its design, whether it is made of iron or metalworks or references ironworking techniques. The artwork does not need to be concentrated in one spot
PLANNED EXTERIOR WORK
Before the artist begins their work, a historical loop will be created using a combination of landscaping and exterior signage. Refer to the addendum for the historical loop site plan, keeping in mind that the plan is under development and may change before the artist begins their work.
ADDITIONAL DETAILS AND RESTRICTIONS
The site is always accessible, as the gate is not locked. Cameras are present for security. They would like the artwork to be completed in time for America250.
Ridgeley Rosenwald School
SITE DESCRIPTION, STORYTELLING AND THEMES
The Ridgeley Rosenwald School (Colored School No. 1) in Prince George's County, Maryland, is a significant historical site among the 5,000 Rosenwald schools built for African Americans. This restored school emphasizes Julius Rosenwald's contributions to its establishment, while future interpretations will highlight the vital roles of women in the community, particularly focusing on the lives of Mattie Ridgeley Green and her sisters, who were dedicated educators.
The Ridgeley family is foundational to the school's history, having donated the land and played key roles in its preservation. The site also explores important themes such as bussing and segregation, special education, and the broader history of Prince George's County, making it a crucial resource for understanding the resilience and legacy of the African American community in the region.
TARGET AUDIENCE AND RELEVANT STAKEHOLDERS
Due to recent renovation and opening, they’re still exploring who their target audience is. Visitors so far include older folks and a group of individuals with disabilities. Possible stakeholders and community members include local black sorority members that volunteered for the school, former students and student families, people impacted by bussing, the Gray family, and individuals with disabilities.
ARTWORK SITE AND SPECIFICATIONS
The site is located within an industrial yard area, making it hard to find. The goal of the artwork is to attract people to the site, utilizing the two-acre lawn in front of the school. They envision the work to be interactive, engaging with black culture and history. The artwork should inspire kinetic movement. A possible theme could be about how the kids at the school had joy and good memories of the school, despite surrounding circumstances such as segregation.
PLANNED EXTERIOR WORK
Ridgeley Rosenwald is working on making the entire site accessible. They plan to build a garden in Fall 2024, and later potentially a walking or bike loop if the gate is dismantled.
ADDITIONAL DETAILS AND RESTRICTIONS
The school’s 100th anniversary is in 2027, which is when they would like the public artwork to be completed.
Riversdale House Museum
SITE DESCRIPTION, STORYTELLING AND THEMES
Formerly a 2,000-acre plantation owned by the Calvert and Stier families and inhabited by an enslaved labor force, Riversdale focuses on interpreting the lives of all who lived and worked at the historic property. Unique to the museum is archival data in the form of the diary of Adam Francis Plummer, an enslaved African American, as well as extensive Calvert family papers. Riversdale intentionally focuses on the lives of the enslaved and their children alongside those of their enslavers, as they were often underrepresented in storytelling. The Riversdale campus utilizes not just the house, but also its Visitor Center, cultivated gardens, and open-hearth cooking in the dependency as part of its interpretive experience.
TARGET AUDIENCE AND RELEVANT STAKEHOLDERS
The artist will be working with Riversdale’s internal team of 6-7. There is an active community that includes descendants, who recently held a family reunion. The visiting population includes school groups, scout groups, and descendants. Outreach is done to local community residents primarily through programming, such as period cooking demonstrations.
ARTWORK SITE AND SPECIFICATIONS
The Riversdale House Site is quite large, so the team is looking for artwork that would activate the grounds. The Riversdale grounds sit on a hill dotted with trees, enclosed by a fence. On the grounds is a kitchen garden and a dependency, a building close to the house where period cooking demonstrations are held starting in February, for Black History Month.
The team is open to large scale artwork and working with them to make the work come to life. The Riversdale team cites the Commemorative for Enslaved Peoples of Southern Maryland as a possible inspiration. The project is an immersive glass building with names etched onto the façade. They are inspired by the “ghost” concept, connecting the past and the present. Finally, Riversdale House has a strong connection to young people in the community, being able to watch them grow up over time, so artwork can potentially be kid-friendly or accessible.
PLANNED EXTERIOR WORK
There is no exterior work currently planned for Riversdale House Museum, except for the exterior house restoration. Riversdale will most likely undergo an assessment of its exterior site to improve its accessibility and additional inclusive interpretation opportunities for visitors.
ADDITIONAL DETAILS AND RESTRICTIONS
Events typically occur on the front lawn, such as Shakespeare in the Park, and Jazz Concerts. The artwork will need approval from Maryland Historic Trust and Historic Preservation Commission as Riversdale sits on historic grounds. Riversdale is willing to work with a longer timeline to get the work completed.
Surratt House
SITE DESCRIPTION, STORYTELLING AND THEME
The Surratt House Museum today reckons with its historical legacy as a former site of enslavement and its relationship to the Lincoln assassination co-conspirator Mary Surratt. While decentralizing the story of the conspirators, the Museum engages with stories of political violence, enslaved people who pursued their freedom, and the ongoing struggle for social justice. . The museum reframes the Lincoln assassination through the eyes of the people enslaved at the Surratt House, whom the assassination conspirators fought to keep enslaved. Critical to this rounded interpretation is the story of Rachel Hawkins. Six months after the state of Maryland abolished slavery, the newly emancipated Hawkins testified in defense of Surratt, her former enslaver. Hawkins's testimony contradicts facts now known to be true; likely fearing reprisal from supporters of the conspirators, putting the safety of her family first. Reframing conversations around the interplay between people and power, memory and history, the Surratt House helps visitors envision their role in shaping a more just future.
TARGET AUDIENCE AND RELEVANT STAKEHOLDERS
A large majority of visitors are Marylanders and above 30 years old. Surratt House is trying to attract more hesitant communities and school groups, figuring out how to teach the history of slavery in an age-appropriate way and remove barriers to visiting the site. The team wants their local community to understand where they live, and place their surroundings in context: What is behind the history of Clinton, Maryland?
ARTWORK SITE AND SPECIFICATIONS
Thematically, the Surratt House wants the artwork to help hesitant communities feel more comfortable visiting the site. They would like the work to be intersectional, addressing the nuanced stories told throughout the house. The piece may not necessarily only address slavery but also the indigenous population. They would like an artwork that develops in tandem with the tour or storytelling of the building.
The location of artwork may be spread across multiple locations. There’s an opportunity for interpretation that faces the road to catch the attention of passing traffic. If the artwork is moveable, the team is open to it being centered in the future green space (refer to Planned Exterior Work). Inspirations include ghost windows, and the site is open to projections and higher tech installations such as projections on the physical building.
PLANNED EXTERIOR WORK
Existing interpretive messaging mostly exists within the house, with a stone dedicated to the Surratt’s outside that will be changed. The site has a large expanse next to the house that will be overhauled, planned to be completed after the artwork. If the artwork is located where the later interpretation will be, it should be easily moved away and back.
ADDITIONAL DETAILS AND RESTRICTIONS
Surratt House is located along a busy road, mirroring the original purpose of the house. Therefore, it’s noisy from heavy freeway traffic. Traffic to and from the site comes from Ford’s Theater and Mudd House, both sites related to Abraham Lincoln. The easement doesn’t cover the entire region of the site. Most of the site is under easement save for the frontmost portion of the lawn. The viewshed is off-limits for work: nothing should sit in front of the trees in front of the house.
Eligibility
All professional public artists and design professionals within the United States of America are encouraged to submit their qualifications to the Project Applicant Pool. Preference may be given to applicants located within the Greater Maryland, Washington, DC and Virginia area. Applicants must be at least 21 years of age old or older. Applicants must also indicate in their application any artistic experience in the media applicable to the art opportunities. Individual artists must demonstrate experience with successfully executed public art projects. In the case of artist-teams, the lead artist must demonstrate experience with having successfully executed public art projects, while other members of the team may be less experienced.
In summary, the artist and/or artist-team should provide the following information:
- Professional background and experience of the artist
- In the case of the artist-team: information about the lead artist and other members of the team
- Expressed interest in any specific project
- Scope and success of past public art projects relevant to the theme
- Uniqueness, quality, innovation exhibited in past projects
- Project related references
- Evidence of ability and capacity to plan, execute and complete public art projects
Selection and Proposal Development Roadmap
At the appointed time, an Artist Selection Committee comprising the historic site’s team, the Department of Parks and Recreation, Prince George’s County employees, and community stakeholders will review the materials of appropriate artists and artist-teams in the pool to select 3 candidates for each historic site to enter the proposal stage. Semi-finalist artists or artist-team members will be provided with more detailed project information and timelines to develop their proposals for review. The artist or artist-team will be paid a stipend of $1,500.00 to cover the costs of the proposal development stage.
After the three proposals are developed and submitted, each artist and/or artist-team will be required to present their design proposal for review by members of the Artist Selection Committee to decide the finalist with whom M-NCPPC will move forward to issue a contract for the project. Upon final authorization of the contract, the selected artist or artist-team will move forward to finalize designs and begin work on fabrication of the artwork/art installation. Along the way, periodic check-in meetings with the historic site’s team should be expected during the design, fabrication and installation of the artwork.
Project Schedule and Deadlines
Artworks for the overall project should be created with the intention of being permanently located on the designated site. Each site has a different deadline depending on its needs and goals. The M-NCPPC Department of Parks and Recreation, Prince George’s County envisions the project being completed over the next several years, with some projects having the potential of engaging a more extended timeline.
Below is a summary of key dates and milestones. Please refer to the Project Scope Details section for specific details and deadlines for each site.
Submission Deadline for Call: Sunday, March 2nd, 2025
- Artist or Artist-Teams are selected to create design proposals for each site: Will vary depending on the site.
- Final Artist or Artist-Team is selected and begins working with the historic sites to realize the project: Will vary depending on the site.
- Prince George’s County celebrates America250 and MDTwoFifty, with several sites aiming to have their artwork installed in time for the 250th anniversary of the U.S.A.
- Other sites will aim to have their artworks installed for their anniversaries, with dates varying based on site.
Submission Procedures
Qualifications for listing in the applicant pool must be submitted through the website. A complete submission to the pool must include all information and materials described below:
- Statement of Interest.
To the degree you can, please choose the specific sites in the order of which project you are interested in applying for. Explain your interest in this project opportunity, briefly explaining how you would approach or respond to approaching a theme and/or goal for this project. Up to 500 words. - Resume and contact information.
In a maximum of two pages, outline your professional accomplishments. If submitting as a team, please include resumes for each team member, with each resume being no longer than two pages. Please attach the contact Information for the Artist or Lead Artist (as applicable for a Team). - Work Samples.
Submit up to ten images of relevant artwork original to you or the members of your team. Please be sure to include all relevant description information for each artwork depicted, including size, material, year completed, budget and location. Work samples may include additional images of the same work from different angles or highlighting details. Several shots of 3-dimensional artworks at different angles are suggested. - References.
Provide contact information for three professional references, including name, affiliated organization (if appropriate), email address, phone number and relationship to Artist or Artist-Team.
Please Note: No actual artwork proposals will be accepted at this stage of the solicitation process.
Submission Deadline
Please submit all qualifications at: https://m-ncppc.submittable.com/submit
Contact
Alec Simpson
Public Art Coordinator
alec.simpson@pgparks.com
Brittney McGowan
Public Art Specialist
Brittney.mcgowan@pgparks.com
Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission
Department of Parks and Recreation, Prince George's County
7833 Walker Drive, Suite 200
Greenbelt, MD 20770
301-892-0348 (mobile)
301-446-3232 Voice
301-446-3233 FAX
30446-6802 TTY
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.