Call for public art proposals for Hui Moʻolelo: Lahaina program

Maui Public Art Corps, in partnership with the County of Maui, Hale Hō‘ike‘ike at the Bailey House/ Maui Historical Society and the Lahaina Restoration Foundation, has released a request for proposals for participatory public art projects. The deadline to apply is Sept. 8, 2024. 

For the RFP, the collective is seeking artist proposals that interpret stories from its Hui Mo‘olelo: Lahaina program as works of visual, performance or experiential public art. Upon selection by a community panel, artists will be paired with community members to integrate feedback into the initial proposal; actively shaping the resulting artwork into a site-specific, collaborative piece. The project development period includes a process of identifying a unique proverb from Mary Kawena Pukui’s ‘Ōlelo No‘eau: Hawaiian Proverbs and Poetical Sayings with cultural consultant Sissy Lake-Farm to provide historical and cultural significance of the specific Maui County installation site for ongoing educational efforts. 

Demonstrating significant community engagement is a key criterion for all proposals. 

Artists 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 system for the public art field.

There are FIVE separate categories from which applicants may choose:

1. Mural at King Kamehameha III Elementary temporary replacement campus: Select a Hui Mo‘olelo: Lahainarecording to interpret as a mural composition spread across the campus in ten sections measuring approximately 8 feet tall x  by 7 feet wide (Total area: approximately 8 feet tall x 75 feet long)
2. Pop-Up Performance: Select a Hui Mo‘olelo: Lahainarecording to interpret as a new work of performance art, to be performed free and to the public in the coming months.
3. Mural at Kaiser Permanente Lahaina Clinic: Select a Hui Mo‘olelo: Lahaina recording to interpret as a mural composition, painted on a temporary 60-foot barrier at the temporary clinic. 
4. Hui Mo‘olelo Animated Short Films: Interpret one or more of our Hui Mo‘olelo: Lahaina stories into short, animated films that utilize the recordings as a soundtrack.
5. Open Call: Select a Hui Mo‘olelo: Lahaina recording to interpret as a work of public art. Project description should include a specific site where you envision your work to be unveiled and opportunities for broad community engagement, in which your proposal is workshopped with community members to actively reshape/ refine the work based on their feedback. Visit our ART page for samples. 

Details regarding the initiative’s process, application criteria, budget and more are available at mauipublicart.org/apply. Applications close at 8:59 p.m. HST on Sept 8, 2024.