Public Artist Workshop - March 22, 2011

Metro Nashville Arts Commission
P R E S E N T S
Public Artist Workshop
Howard Office Building Auditorium
700 Second Avenue South, Nashville, TN 37210

Tuesday March 22, 2011
8:30 a.m. registration
9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

* 9:00 a.m. - to 12:30 p.m. - Section One
* 12:30 – 2:00 p.m. - Lunch break – brown bag lunch
* 2:00 to 5:00 p.m. - Section Two

Attend one or both - Limited to 50 participants each
RSVP to 615-862-6721 or arts@nashville.gov

Emerge, created by Matt Young, Church Street at Capitol Blvd across from the Nashville Public Library


Section One: Making the Move to Public Art – Lynn Basa
Making the leap from studio work into public art practice can be daunting for artists at any stage of their careers. Lynn Basa shows artists where to find public art commission opportunities, how to effectively read calls-for-artists, and what goes into writing a winning letter of interest. Attendees will learn how to analyze a real-life RFQ using Nashville’s two current calls-for-artists before working individually on writing the all-important first paragraph of a letter of interest for their application. Joel Straus, public art master planner for Music City Center, Nashville's new convention center, and Metro Arts staff will introduce and answer questions about the current RFQs.


Section Two: Winning Public Art Commissions – Lynn Basa and Joel Straus
Very few artists have had the opportunity to see what other artists’ winning proposals look like. Through examples and class critiques, Lynn and Joel show participants the level of quality and detail expected from artists who advance to the finalist stage of the selection process. They include tricks of the trade to maximize competitiveness. Topics include: navigating the organizational hierarchy, getting quotes and samples from subcontractors, presenting one’s work in perspective renderings, overall portfolio appearance, interview preparation, and much more. This session assumes that participants already understand the basics of applying for public art commissions.

Lynn Basa
An artist living in Chicago, in addition to having completed numerous public art commissions, she is a painter. She teaches in the sculpture department at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and is the author of The Artist’s Guide to Public Art: How to Find and Win Commissions.

Joel Straus
Founded in 1996, Joel Straus Consulting (JSC) is an art consulting firm that specializes in planning, managing, and executing public art projects. In addition to providing master planning, administrative, and curatorial services, Joel Straus is a credentialed appraiser with a focus in appraising public artworks. Major projects include curating the art collections for the Washington DC Convention Center and the McCormick Convention Center in Chicago, Illinois.


For more information about the Metro Arts Commission visit:
www.artsnashville.gov