Monday, January 26, 2015

Mauldin Announces Public Art Trail, Seeks South Carolina Artists to Apply


The City of Mauldin’s Office of Cultural Affairs announces the creation of the Mauldin Public Art Trail at the Mauldin Cultural Center. This new program seeks to beautify the community with public art displays created by South Carolina artists for years to come. This year’s theme will be “Crossroads”.

The Public Art Trail lines the perimeter of the outdoor amphitheater at the Mauldin Cultural Center. A new work will be commissioned each year to fill the nine (9) pre-approved sites along the perimeter. All nine sites will be filled within ten years. For each year after the first ten years, the oldest artwork will be replaced, resulting in a new slate of nine pieces of artwork every ten years. Retired artworks will be relocated to other areas around the community.

In December of 2014, Mauldin City Council approved the Public Art Trail. The program is a partnership with the Mauldin Cultural Council, a nonprofit organization that supports the Office of Cultural Affairs. The Mauldin Cultural Council will lead the selection process with City input and present one artist and design for final approval.

The City has opened up a Request for Qualifications and Application on its website for interested artists. Artists, and all members of their team if applicable, must be residents of South Carolina during the duration of the project. The deadline for submission is February 27, 2015. The selection committee will choose two (2) finalists who will then be asked to develop conceptual designs. The final artist will be selected by mid- to late-April and given no more than 12 months for project completion. Total budget for the annual program is not to exceed $15,000 and must be inclusive of fabrication, artist fees, and installation.

The RFQ and Application are available online at www.cityofmauldin.org/oca. Contact the Office of Cultural Affairs at (864) 335-4862 with any questions.

The City of Mauldin is located in the Upstate of South Carolina and in the heart of Greenville County. It is the 17th largest city in South Carolina and one of the fastest growing cities in the state. Mauldin was first charted in 1820 and has grown to a population of almost 25,000. More information about the City of Mauldin can be found online at www.cityofmauldin.org.