Call for Proposals

The Department of Art History & Archaeology and xFoundry are pleased to announce a Call for Proposals for a temporary work of Public Art on our campus. The work will be installed at the E.A. Fernandez IDEA (Innovate, Design and Engineer for America) Factory, located at 4462 Stadium Drive (College Park, MD). This initiative stems from a course on Public Art, taught by Professor Abigail McEwen, and is led by twenty-four undergraduate students who are invested in bringing new and diverse art to UMD and who will serve as jurors. The commissioned work will feature in the 2025 edition of NextNOW Fest, organized annually by the Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center. 

We invite submissions that express multidisciplinary values of creativity,  innovation, collaboration, and inclusion that are central to the mission of xFoundry. We are particularly interested in colorful, forward-looking works that complement the building’s architecture and that have an interactive component (broadly construed). Submissions should be new and original works and may be in any medium. The work may be designed for installation in any public space on Floors 1-3 of the IDEA Factory, with a preference for a location that maximizes visibility and public engagement. 

Timeline:

• Oct. 4 Competition Opens

• Nov. 4 Competition Closes

• Nov. 12 Semifinalists (up to four) Announced

• Nov. 19 Semifinalist Interviews (virtual; 2-4:30pm); alternate date of Nov. 26

• Dec. 4-6 Award Announcement

• Dec. 10 Award Ceremony (in-person) at the IDEA Factory

• Spring 2025 Creation/Fabrication of Work

• Spring 2025 Collaboration with Public Art Interns and xFoundry Staff (media; communications)

• Summer 2025 Site Preparation and Installation in the IDEA Factory

• Sept. 2025 NextNOW Fest

Guidelines:

• Each semifinalist (up to four) will receive an honorarium of $500. Semifinalists must be available for a virtual, 30-minute conversation on November 19 or 26 (2-4:30pm).

• The selected artist will have access to workspace in the ALEx Garage (inside the IDEA Factory) in Spring-Summer 2025.

• The work must be installed by the end of August 2025. 

• The work will be loaned to the University for temporary display (installation period of 1-3 years, as determined by the University). 

• The work shall  be removed at the end of the installation period at the artist’s expense.  

• The work should not be a memorial.

• The artist must accept the risk of damage to the work (including vandalism). 

• The work must not pose risk of physical injury to the public or damage to University property.

• The selected artist will be required to sign an agreement with the University of Maryland outlining the terms of the engagement, and granting the University a license for certain use and reproduction rights.  

• The work should be suitable for a general audience and may not include any material or content that infringes the right(s) of any other party, or that violates any applicable law or regulation.

Proposals will be evaluated using the following criteria:

1. Feasibility (1-10 points)

   • Specific and realistic timeline

   • Clear and appropriate budget

2. Creativity and Theme (1-10 points)

   • Artistic excellence, originality, and innovation

   • Thematic and conceptual resonance with the mission of xFoundry

3. Location and Public Engagement (1-10 points)

   • Site-specific design adapted to the space of the IDEA Factory

   • Intentional orientation to the public, specifically to students, faculty, and staff who inhabit the IDEA Factory

4. Sustainability (1-3 points)

   • Manageable maintenance needs over the installation period

   • Environmental consciousness in regard to materials and energy requirements

Notwithstanding these criteria, all installations of works on campus are subject to prior approvals by the University’s Facilities Management department, which may be granted or withheld in its sole discretion.

Eligibility Requirements:

This competition is open to artists who are at least 18 years of age. Artists from all backgrounds and experience levels are encouraged to apply. Students enrolled in Public Art (ARTH262) in Fall 2024 and their immediate family members are not eligible to participate.

Artist Honorarium:

The artist will receive an honorarium of $7,500, paid in two installments (the second following the installation of the work). An additional award of up to $2,500 is immediately available for costs related to supplies, equipment, transportation and installation/deinstallation. All other costs shall be the responsibility of the artist.

Submission Requirements:

Submit the following via the form below with your:

• Name, E-mail Address, Mailing Address, Phone Number, and Website (if applicable)

• Title of Work, Medium, and approximate Dimensions (or running time)

• One-page Resume or CV

• One-page Artist Statement or Proposal

• Short Responses to the Following:

  • How does your work engage the public at the University of Maryland and at the IDEA Factory?

  • Describe the maintenance requirements of the proposed work throughout the display period (approximately 1-3 years)?

• Detailed Budget (including material, installation, and deinstallation costs)

• Supporting Images or Video (up to five files)

Please reach out to Abigail McEwen (mcewen@umd.edu) with questions about the site (potential locations, measurements, other building specs), the submission requirements, or the loan agreement. 

Project Background:

Students enrolled in Public Art (ARTH262), taught by Abigail McEwen, developed this RFP through in-class study and discussion as well as interviews with a range of campus stakeholders. We are eager to see more public art at UMD and envision this initiative as a pilot in a longer-term initiative to bring more art to our campus. 

This commission is supported by the Do Good Institute, Arts for All, xFoundry, and the Department of Art History & Archaeology.

The Department of Art History and Archaeology is a community of students and scholars that focuses on visual, material and textual expressions as a means to understand culture. We critically engage with the reality of living in a world of images, working across a wide range of histories, perspectives and values.

The Do Good Institute offers hands-on experiences, funding opportunities, engaging curriculum, and effective programs that prepare Terps with the skills, experiences and resources to Do Good throughout their lives. Public Art @UMD received a grant from the Do Good Campus Fund, which supports the substantial efforts happening across University of Maryland aimed at reimagining learning and serving humanity both inside and outside the classroom. 

Arts for All is a campus-wide initiative and one of the Five Bold Actions announced by Dr. Darryll J. Pines when he was invested as the 34th President of the University of Maryland on April 22, 2021. Through Arts for All we seek to ensure that the arts are woven into the very fabric of life at the University of Maryland and we support partnerships that foster creative and scholarly excellence among campus arts practitioners and scholars in ways that engage all parts of the campus and local communities in collaborative creative practice.

At xFoundry@UMD, we believe in empowering students to become agents of change, capable of addressing complex problems and making a tangible impact on the world. Students engage in immersive competitions and projects aimed at cultivating the mindset and skills of a founder. Through these experiences, students develop essential qualities such as adaptability, resourcefulness, risk tolerance, and resilience—attributes critical for success in any career.

The Organizers retain the right to cancel this Call for Proposals, change or delay the selection schedule, or select a different number of semifinalists.