Drawing On Draper Public Art Project

CALL TO ARTISTS

PROJECT OVERVIEW
The Town of Blacksburg Public Arts Committee is seeking design submissions from artists who are local, regional, or familiar with the Blacksburg area. The Drawing on Draper project will provide a family-friendly, interactive engagement and creativity activity for the community in the pedestrian area of Draper Road. Designs will focus on the natural beauty of the area and consist of three life-size, simple, outlined coloring book pages connected by a painted stream on the existing asphalt surface.

There are four elements: three outline coloring pages and one central, painted stream element that will be created by the artist(s). Once the painted elements are complete, the community will be invited to draw in the outlined images with chalk, ensuring that the decorations are inviting and appropriate for all ages.

The overall, long-term vision for this project is to change the coloring pages over time to reflect different seasons or themes, while the painted stream will be a permanent, central continuity element for the project.

DESIGN PROPOSAL
Submitted designs should address the project theme of the natural beauty of the area.
Designs could include, but are not limited to: local flora and fauna, wildlife, and the natural features of local mountains and rivers. This section of Draper Road is a community gathering place with ample outdoor seating and nearby restaurants and cafes. The space already promotes cultural features with murals and a public piano. The project is intended to provide an activity that appeals to people of all ages and artistic abilities. The selection committee will evaluate submissions based on responsiveness to the theme and accessibility of the design to all users, especially children.

Submitted designs should abide by the following criteria:

• Color:
  • The stream element should be clearly representative of a water feature. The artist may use other colors and shades of blue that enhance the stream and represent wildlife.
  • The coloring pages should be white or a color that provides notable contrast with the underlying pavement.
• Size:
  • The stream element should be designed to be between 2 feet and 5 feet in width and approximately 300 feet in length from the College Avenue intersection to the end of the pedestrian area near Jackson Street.
  • The coloring pages should be 10 feet x 12 feet.

DESIGN GUIDELINES AND OTHER CRITERIA
To be considered, submissions must follow the criteria below:

• Artists may submit:
  • more than one design for the coloring page
  • more than one design for the stream element
  • up to four designs overall
• The Selection Committee may select one or more artists for the work depending on the submissions, availability of the artist(s), and the estimated time for installation.
• Each submission should include the estimated materials and costs for the element (stipend to be provided as noted below under Artist Benefits and Exposure). Please note that the stream element is intended to be a permanent feature, while the coloring pages may be more temporary. Materials should reflect these differences. For example, it is anticipated that marking paint would likely be used for the coloring page elements.
• Designs may not contain any references to a business, or promotions or advertisements of a business, including but not limited to websites, social media handles, QR codes, etc.
• Designs should be appropriate for audiences of all ages.
• Designs may not include references to Virginia Tech, including, but not limited to:
  1. Dominant use of the colors Maroon and Orange
  2. Official University logos
  3. University-affiliated landmarks
  4. University-affiliated phrases and trademarks
  5. University-affiliated mascots
• Designs may not include any breach of intellectual property, brands, or trademarks, or depictions of illegal activity.
• The Selection Committee may work with the artists to discuss modifications to selected designs if needed.
• If the final design differs greatly from the proposed design, the Town of Blacksburg reserves the right not to install the artwork.

TIMEFRAME

Stream Element: The stream element installation can begin on Tuesday, July 15; completion is anticipated by Tuesday, July 29. (before Steppin’ Out).

Coloring Book Pages: The coloring book page installation begins Tuesday, August 5; completion is anticipated by Friday, August 22.

ARTIST BENEFITS AND EXPOSURE

• The artist(s) will be compensated in the amount of $1,500 to paint the stream element and $500 for each coloring book page. A materials stipend will be provided as determined by the artist and the Committee prior to the start of the project.
• The project is located adjacent to several downtown businesses in a retail corridor. There will be opportunities for the artist(s) to socialize with the public to discuss their vision for the project

The Town will promote the project on social media, its website, and through other channels to encourage community participation and acknowledge the artist(s).

PROJECT LOCATIONS
The map below shows the proposed locations for the stream element and coloring book pages. It can also be found in the 'Photos' tab on the right-hand side of this page.