The City of Osseo is seeking banner artwork to apply to City-owned light poles as a public art and beautification project.

Deadline extended! Entries are now due 3/26 at 4:00 pm.

Download an application packet: http://www.discoverosseo.com/files/4015/2166/6626/Call_for_Artists_Final_Extended_Deadline.pdf

Banner Information

• This project’s focus is creating banner art for downtown light pole banners in the City of Osseo.
• The finished banners are 17.5 x 37.5 inches and hang vertically.
• The banners are changed seasonally. The “Summer” banners are displayed from late spring to fall, and the “Winter” banners are displayed from fall until spring.
• Selected artwork will be professionally printed digitally on a high-quality vinyl. This vinyl product comprises the banners.
• The designs should accommodate variability in the banner manufacturing process and may require modifications.
• The City will contract with a vendor to print the banners at the City’s expense. City staff will install the banners.

Images Submitted for Consideration

• Submitted artworks may include:
  • Digital versions of existing artwork
  • Artworks that are created digitally (e.g. photographs)
  • Digital images of three-dimensional artworks (sculptures, furniture, etc.) that can be converted to two- dimensional
• We are seeking designs that the public will perceive in a positive manner.
• We encourage artists to consider images that play with Osseo’s unique, historic downtown context.
• Images may include original text and poetry, or the artist may obtain the rights to use text or poetry from another source.
• No advertising, branding, or commercial images allowed.
• Works containing controversial images that are offensive in nature will not be accepted.

Responsibilities of Selected Artist(s)

• Submitted artworks may include:
• Artists may submit up to four (4) designs. JPG or PDF formats are preferred for submissions.
• Once selected, the artist must submit the final, high-quality image to the City.
• Selected artists are responsible for all costs related to providing the image in a quality format (see below) that can be resized and manipulated by the selected vendor for individual boxes. These artists’ costs may include, but are not limited to, photography, scanning, and graphic design expenses.
  • Image format(s) for selected entries:
    • Photoshop and Illustrator CS5 or below preferred; high-quality PDF are also acceptable
    • All raster files (either print files or linked files) must be 100-120 pixels per inch at 100%
    • Fonts must be converted to outlines. If fonts are not converted to outlines, please provide Macintosh or TruType fonts.
    • All files are printed as CMKY; please create files in CMKY, not RGB
• Artists will be involved with City staff and vendors in the approval of a semi-final layout of their image on banner.
• If images of real living people are included, the artist must obtain a release from these people for the images to be used in this way. The artist must also obtain all releases necessary for text or poetry.
• Selected artists shall sign the cover sheet for this scope of services that includes the Intellectual Property terms outlined in Section 10.

Schedule

• February 13, 2018 –Call for Artists Released
• Deadline extended! March 22 26, 2018 4:00 p.m. – Submission Due Date
• April 3, 2018 – Parks and Recreation Committee meeting to review submissions
• April 10, 2018 onward – Work with selected artist(s) on final design for fabrication
• May 2018 – Summer Banners installed
• Late fall 2018—Winter Banners installed

Proposal Due Date and Location
Proposals must be received no later than Thursday, March 22 26, 2018 at 4 P.M. (Deadline extended) Submission materials must be labeled Banner Proposal and delivered, in person or by e-mail, to:

Karen Broden, Administrative Assistant
City of Osseo
415 Central Avenue
Osseo, MN 55369

E-mail: kbroden@ci.osseo.mn.us

All questions regarding this RFP must be submitted in writing to the above address/e-mail.

Proposal Format and Submission Materials

Send one (1) copy of written materials or electronic PDF files that include, in this order:

A. Cover Sheet: Completed copy of the attached cover sheet, signed by the artist.
B. Digital Image Submissions: Up to four (4) designs per artist.

• Image guidelines: Each image must be a separate file, labeled with the applicant(s) name and a number. Do not include explanatory text in the image file. Printed photographs, brochures, slides, or web sites should not be submitted and will not be reviewed by the selection panel.
• Submitted image size: Images should be in a rectangular format, with a ratio of 1 wide to 2.14 tall. If your image is not rectangular, please mask your image to bring it to the appropriate size. JPG or PDF files are preferred.

C. Signed Permission Statements and Release Forms

• If works contain a text, a signed statement stating that: 1) You, the artist, own the copyright, or 2) the text is in the public domain, or 3) that you have contacted the copyright holder and they have given you a written agreement that you have permission to use the text; the written agreement must be provided along with the submission.
• Signed release forms and contact information must be included if works contain models, specific persons, or portraits of individuals.
• If the artist is under the age of 18, the permission statement must also be signed by his or her parent or guardian.

Selection Process and Criteria

The City of Osseo Parks and Recreation Committee will review all proposals received by the deadline, and make a recommendation to the City Council regarding final selection. The Committee and Council reserve the right to reject any and all submissions.

The following criteria will be used for evaluating and selecting designs:

• Stimulate excellence in urban design and public arts:
  • Is the image engaging and high quality in concept?
  • Is the image interesting and unique?
  • Does the image work within or play with the city’s unique, historic context?
• Enhance community identity and place:
  • Is the image meaningful to the city and its residents?
  • Is the image consistent with the existing Downtown Osseo context?
• Contribute to community vitality
  • Does the image draw in the viewer and provoke positive community ideals?
  • Does the image celebrate the city?
• Involve a broad range of people/communities:
  • Will a broad range of people connect with the image?

The artist submitting the selected Summer or Winter banner will receive $100.

General Information and Design Suggestions

• Artists are encouraged to submit designs for both “Summer” and “Winter” banners. The City reserves the right to select individual banner designs and does not guarantee multiple designs will be selected from one applicant.
• The City of Osseo logo may be used in banner designs.
  • PNG files of the logo can be downloaded at: https://drive.google.com/open?id=1OpTDRNLhPms-NnLGzAAj3VEW2xXznHys 
  • Fonts used in the city’s logo and other City signage include LHF Hensler 2 and ITC Giovanni Std Book. These fonts, or similar fonts, may be incorporated in designs; however, this is not a requirement. The City reserves the right to substitute fonts or logo in final designs.

Terms and Conditions

The City of Osseo shall possess and own the final Public Artwork design to be provided by the Artist. The Artist retains all other rights provided through the Copyright Act of 1976, 17 U.S.C. Section 101 et. seq. to the Public Artwork.

Since the artistic designs leading up to and including the final design and dimension of the Public Artwork are unique, the Artist shall not make any additional, exact duplicate reproductions of the final design and dimension, nor shall the Artist grant to a third party, the right to replicate the artistic designs and dimensions of the Public Artwork without the written permission of the City of Osseo.

The Artist grants to the City of Osseo and its successors or assigns, an irrevocable license to make two‐dimensional reproductions of the Public Artwork and the final designs to be used in brochures, media, publicity and catalogs or other similar, non‐commercial publications.

The Public Artwork wrap and designs developed under this contract shall be the exclusive property of the City of Osseo and will be surrendered to Artist upon the completion of the Public Artwork, or upon the cancellation, termination, or expiration of this contract.

If the Public Artwork prepared under this contract is work or service provided by the Artist using a proprietary system for which the Artist has proprietary rights, then the City of Osseo will not own or claim the Public Artwork as the City of Osseo’s exclusive property. The Artist represents and warrants that said work or service does not and will not infringe upon the proprietary or any intellectual property rights of any other persons or entities.

Download an application form: http://www.discoverosseo.com/files/4015/2166/6626/Call_for_Artists_Final_Extended_Deadline.pdf

DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS: THURSDAY, MARCH 22 26, 2018 AT 4 P.M.