Chicora Community Art Mural Unveiling Set for March 6

A public art piece one year in the making is set to be revealed to the public at an official unveiling ceremony and reception on Thursday, March 6, 2014, from 4:00-5:00pm at the Tri-County Family Life Center, located at 1914 Reynolds Avenue in North Charleston. The 8’ by 12’ mural by Jonell Logan and Rashawnna Hawkins, titled The Gift We Give Ourselves, is the result of a collaboration between the City of North Charleston Cultural Arts Department, City of North Charleston Police Department, and Metanoia. The artists and collaborators invite members of the surrounding community and the general public to witness the unveiling and enjoy light refreshments at the reception.

This highly collaborative project combines art and community engagement to visually encourage and remind the area’s youth to aspire to reach their goals and also serves as a point of pride for Chicora neighborhood residents. “We were thrilled to partner with the North Charleston Police Department, the North Charleston Cultural Arts Department, and Tri-County Family Ministries to make our first mural on Reynolds Avenue a reality,” says Rev. Bill Stanfield, Metanoia CEO. “The two artists who did the mural really took the feedback of neighborhood residents into account and the second of these two artists, Rashawnna Hawkins, is actually a resident of the neighborhood herself. We feel positive public art is a very important part of any health community and we look forward to trying to get more murals going in the months ahead in our neighborhood.”

WHAT: Chicora Community Art Mural Unveiling and Reception

WHO: City of North Charleston Cultural Arts Department, City of North Charleston Police Department, Metanoia, and Tri-County Family Ministries

WHEN: Thursday, March 6, 2014, 4:00-5:00pm

WHERE: Tri-County Family Life Center - 1914 Reynolds Avenue, North Charleston

ADMISSION: Free; all are welcome to attend

This project was funded in part by the City of Charleston Office of Cultural Affairs and the City of North Charleston Cultural Arts Department through their joint administration of the Lowcountry Quarterly Arts Grant Program and the South Carolina Arts Commission which receives support from the National Endowment for the Arts and the John and Susan Bennett Memorial Arts Fund of the Coastal Community Foundation of SC.

2014 North Charleston Arts Festival design competition underway

2013 Festival Design Winner
'A' Train  by Linda Elksnin

The City of North Charleston is calling upon South Carolina visual artists to participate in the 2014 North Charleston Arts Festival Design Competition. The winning piece will become the official art design of the 2014 Arts Festival, taking place May 2-10, and will be featured on promotional materials and merchandise, including billboards, print ads, television commercials, program booklets, posters, apparel, online and more. The winning artist will receive $500 and be given the opportunity to exhibit other original works at the North Charleston City Gallery during the festival. In addition, the winning piece will become part of the City of North Charleston’s Public Art Collection, which is displayed throughout City Hall.

Applications are available online at www.NorthCharlestonArtsFest.com/apply. Submissions may be delivered in person to the North Charleston City Gallery on January 17 & 18, 2014, or may be submitted via email to culturalarts@northcharleston.org with a deadline of 12:00pm on Saturday, January 18, 2014. There is NO entry fee to participate. The competition is open to South Carolina residents ages 18 and older. Categories of work accepted are: acrylic, oil, drawing/pastel, watercolor and 2-D mixed media.

The North Charleston Arts Festival is organized and presented by the City of North Charleston Cultural Arts Department. The annual nine-day celebration of arts and culture highlights national, regional and local artists and performers in the areas of Dance, Music, Theatre, Visual Arts, Crafts, Photography, Media Arts and Literature. For over 3o years the festival has made quality arts programming affordable and accessible to the widest spectrum of the public, attracting over 30,000 residents and visitors from throughout the Southeast and beyond to experience 100+ free and modestly priced performances, workshops, exhibitions and activities in a variety of venues, including libraries, community centers, schools, civic auditoriums and parks. Named a Top 20 Event by the Southeast Tourism Society, the event has matured into one of the most comprehensive arts festivals in the state of South Carolina.

For more information about the North Charleston Arts Festival and other participation opportunities visit NorthCharlestonArtsFest.com, or contact the City of North Charleston Cultural Arts Department office at (843)740-5854 or culturalarts@northcharleston.org.

CALLING ALL LOWCOUNTRY GRAPHIC ARTISTS! North Charleston seeking designer for ODFJELL tank mural

ODFJELL liquid storage tank at 1003 East Montague Avenue

Clarification: The ODFJELL tank mural design must be digitally rendered. It‘ll be printed on vinyl, then mounted. It will NOT be hand painted.

The City of North Charleston seeks to commission a graphic artist to design a large outdoor mural for a privately owned storage tank located at 1003 East Montague Avenue near the Olde Village area of North Charleston. Professional graphic artists residing in the Tri-County area (Charleston, Berkeley, and Dorchester counties) are invited to submit their qualifications for the public art project. A Mural Committee comprised of city officials, business leaders, and community leaders will select one artist to create the mural design. The total budget for this project has been set at $5000 and involves all costs associated with the project including, but not limited to: artist's design fees, materials, production costs, travel, documentation, and any permits, license, or insurance. The mural will measure 140’w x 40’h and will be fabricated on cast white vinyl and professionally mounted to the carbon steel tank. Interested artists should contact the City of North Charleston Cultural Arts Department at 843-740-5854 or culturalarts@northcharleston.org for the complete commission prospectus. Application materials must be hand delivered by 5:00pm on Friday, June 28, or postmarked by Sunday, June 30, 2013. Artists will be notified of the commission award by July 10, 2013.

The mural design must be created using Adobe Illustrator or equivalent graphic design software and incorporate the logo of the tank owner, ODFJELL. The final design must be completed by August 31, 2013, to allow the mural fabricator adequate time to manufacture and install the mural in September. The ideal design would create excitement and interest for the community, honor the history of the community, compliment the redevelopment initiatives of the community, and be appropriate to the location. Graphic artists applying for the commission must demonstrate the skill and ability needed to produce this type of commissioned design work. The selected artist must be willing to learn about the community and is expected to collaborate with city staff and the Mural Committee through a series of meetings to develop concepts for the mural and the final design. Communication and coordination with city staff, the Mural Committee, and the mural fabricator throughout the design and installation process is necessary to ensure quality and compatibility.

In order to be considered for the commission, graphic artists interested in this project must prepare and submit the following materials:

1. Letter of Interest describing specific interest in the project, potential approach, and any relevant past experience (1 page limit)
2. Current resume/CV
3. A minimum of ten slides, quality photographs, or digital images of artist’s work that accurately represent the artist’s aesthetics and style. All images must be accompanied by a brief description of the artwork, title, location, size, and completion date.
4. A list of three professional client references. The list must include complete address and telephone number for each reference.
5. A self-addressed stamped envelope should be included if materials are to be returned.
6. Optional application materials - the artist's web site may be listed and/or up to three additional materials may be submitted such as reviews, news articles, awards, or other related information.

The City of North Charleston reserves the right to reject all applications and/or adjust the project time line. Application materials should be submitted by the deadline to the City of North Charleston’s Cultural Arts Director, Ms. Marty Besancon. Hand-deliver to the Cultural Arts Department office on the second floor of North Charleston City Hall, located at 2500 City Hall Lane, or mail to City of North Charleston Cultural Arts Department, PO Box 190016, North Charleston, SC 29419-9016.

For more information about the ODFJELL tank mural commission, contact Marty Besancon at 843-740-5850 or mbesancon@northcharleston.org. To learn more about other programs and artist opportunities offered by the City of North Charleston Cultural Arts Department, visit http://bit.ly/culturalarts.

CALLING ALL ARTISTS! 2012 North Charleston Arts Festival design competition underway

The City of North Charleston is calling all artists to participate in the 2012 North Charleston Arts Festival design competition. The winning piece will become the official design of the 2012 Arts Festival and will be featured on promotion materials and merchandise, including advertisements, brochures, posters, apparel, online, and more. The 2012 North Charleston Arts Festival will be held May 4-12, 2012. 

The winning artist will receive $500, have their piece become part of the City’s Public Art Collection, and be given an opportunity to exhibit other works at the North Charleston City Gallery during the Arts Festival.

Applications will be online starting November 15, 2011 with a deadline of Saturday, January 21, 2012 at 12:00 noon. There is NO entry fee to participate. The competition is open to South Carolina residents ages 18 and older. Categories of work accepted are: acrylic, oil, drawing/pastel, watercolor and mixed media.

Applications Here 

Call the North Charleston Cultural Arts Department for more information at (843) 740-5854.

The North Charleston Arts Festival is organized and presented by the City of North Charleston Cultural Arts Department and numerous volunteers. The nine-day celebration of the arts is one of the most comprehensive arts festivals in the Lowcountry, providing over 30,000 residents & visitors with an array of performances, exhibitions, and activities. The festival maintains the spirit of a community celebration with the mission of presenting a comprehensive, multi-discipline event schedule that provides an array of performing, visual, media, and literary arts events for people of all ages and backgrounds. The festival is accessible to all with numerous free and moderately priced events.