EAST LANSING, Mich. — The East Lansing Arts Commission (ELAC) has released a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) from qualified artists for a public mural in downtown East Lansing.
The selected artist will create a public mural that is representative of the country’s cultural heritage and identities, including Black, indigenous and people of color as well as the LGBTQIA+ community. The mural should also celebrate the City’s commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion, the importance that art plays in defining a sense of place and community and the diversity of the East Lansing community.
The mural will be located in downtown East Lansing on the fourth and fifth floors of the Albert Avenue Garage, 218 Albert Ave., which is part of the Center City development. The mural will be approximately 23 feet tall and 53 feet wide and will be funded using Public Art Fund dollars through the Percent for Art program.
Interested artists have until 5 p.m. (EST) on March 23, 2021 to submit their qualifications. After the initial review of their qualifications, the East Lansing Arts Selection Panel will invite three to five artists to submit a full proposal. These artists will be compensated $500 for their proposals, whether their proposal is selected or not.
Details of the RFQ, including how to submit qualifications and the selection process, are available at https://www.cityofeastlansing.com/bids.aspx. Interested artists can also learn more about the RFQ at the Michigan Inter-Governmental Trade Network Purchasing Group website.
Installation of the mural is tentatively planned for summer 2021 and a dedication ceremony is tentatively scheduled for August 2021. Artists with questions about the public mural project can email hmajano@cityofeastlansing.com.
The City of East Lansing’s Percent for Art ordinance requires that one percent of the budget (up to $25,000) for new development projects be used to fund public art in the community. Developers can choose to propose and commission a public art piece on the site of their development, donate public art to the City or contribute funds to the City’s Public Art Fund. The City also contributes one percent of its capital improvement budget to the Public Art Fund each year.