SMALL TOWN * BIG ART Calls for Artists to Apply to Work on Local Projects

Maui artists have the opportunity to apply for two separate SMALL TOWN * BIG ART opportunities through Nov. 21.

Developed through a 2018-2020 Our Town grant by the National Endowment for the Arts, this creative placemaking collaboration of County of Maui and Hale Hō’ikeʻike at the Bailey House Museum/Maui Historical Society aims to develop a public arts district focused on the distinctive sense of place, history and culture of Wailuku, Hawaiʻi.

The selected artist(s) will be commissioned to develop an innovative project that engages a diverse public audience. All professional artists and arts groups are welcome to apply.

Artist/s must apply via Call For Entry and Application Management for the Arts (CaFÉ), which is the industry standard call for entries submission and online jurying solution by and for artists specifically for the arts and the public art field.

In this round, there are two separate categories from which applicants may choose:

1. Public Art Inspired by Wailuku Storytellers, in which applicants select from a menu of three-minute audio recording excerpts and describe how they will bring it to life as an animated short, spoken word or musical performance, dance, work of short theater or other artistic medium. Up to six artists will be selected to participate in this SMALL TOWN * BIG ART project, which was inspired by the StoryCorps DIY Fundamentals Course. 
2. The Wailuku Wings Project, in which applicants describe how they will sculpt a large-scale set of standalone WINGS to inspire potential, inclusion, inspiration and discovery, while also remaining rooted in a Wailuku sense of place. One artist will be selected to participate in this SMALL TOWN * BIG ART project. 

To date, 18 public art projects have been led by 46 professional artists yielding 37 unique pieces throughout Wailuku Town that have directly engaged nearly 20,000 participants. Each project is connected to ‘ōlelo from Mary Kawena Pukui’s ‘Ōlelo No‘eau: Hawaiian Proverbs and Political Sayings, in connection with Hale Hō‘ike‘ike at the Bailey House/ Maui Historical Society. The program has produced numerous documentary films, a self-guided walking tour, the Ho’okama’āina mobile app, a free public art catalog and countless experiences to learn about, celebrate and explore historic Wailuku Town. 

Details regarding the program’s process, application criteria, budget and more are available at www.smalltownbig.org/rfp. Applications close at 11:59 p.m. in Mountain Time Zone (Denver, CO, USA) or 8:59 p.m. HST on Nov. 21, 2021.