The Power of the St. Croix Utility Box Mural Project was funded through the 2018 Great Idea Competition Grant from the Stillwater Area Foundation, with the partnership of the City of Marine on St. Croix, the City of Stillwater, and the Washington County Historical Society. This project seeks qualified artists and is requesting proposals from individuals/teams from the surrounding community to create two- dimensional murals on selected transformer cabinets located in Marine on St. Croix and Stillwater. The Power of the St. Croix Utility Box Mural Project will celebrate the St. Croix River and our local artistic talent, while mitigating the negative effects of unwanted postings on utility boxes. It will also create lasting pieces of art that will improve the appearance of downtown for residents and visitors alike. The idea to transform something that is unattractive the common, bland green or grey utility boxes into something beautiful is not new. Cities across the country, from Minneapolis to Fort Collins, have completed similar projects to beautify and enliven their downtowns. The theme of this project revolves around the St. Croix River, as it is the river that connects our towns and communities. The project coincides with the 50th anniversary of the Wild & Scenic Rivers Act protecting the St. Croix Riverway. Submissions should be themed around the River the natural beauty of the river or the history of the river and can be realist or abstract, photography or a painting. There are endless possibilities with this project!
Artists Rules and Instructions Please read the rules and instructions and make sure you are very familiar with them before starting work on your box. NOTE: The surfaces of the box will need to be properly prepared by the Individual artist. Artists are responsible for implementing proposal on their selected box. Specifications 1. Artists should be from the approximate area. 2. Artists need to submit renderings based on dimensions of the enclosed template and should include all sides. Note, actual boxes may be a different size or shape. Please draw your own template to match shape of your box as closely as possibly. Artist signature must not exceed 3"x5" in actual size. 3. Artwork in draft must closely resemble the art that will be installed on the box. 4. All submitted proposals will become city property. There is no guarantee of how long the artwork may remain on box due to maintenance or replacement. 5. Applicants should become familiar and know measurements of their proposed box and the location around it in order to contextualize their proposal. 6. Judging will remain anonymous. 7. Selected artists will be notified by email. A check will be mailed to you after the city has approved your design. 1
Eligible Proposals The artistic theme of these selected utility boxes will be the River. The boxes should become high quality artwork that will enliven the community. Proposals should be positive, original, and reflect that theme. Proposals will be ineligible if they involve: A breach of intellectual property rights (all artwork must be original) Trademarks, brands, business names, logos, or copyrighted images. Anything harmful to a third party Majority of proposal consisting of dark paints (darks paints can overheat a box) Artists can chose to paint their box, or use a vinyl wrap installed by a professional vendor. Each method s instructions are below: Vinyl Wrap Artists need to make sure they measure all sides of box, and note any labels, handles, indents, or attachments. Digital renderings of your work must be full size 100 dpi or half size 200 dpi. Below are qualified vendors working on this project: Resolution Graphics, Inc. Paul Miller 3770 Dunlap Street N Arden Hills, MN 55112 Office 651-697-1100 Paul.Miller@resolutiongraphics.com 2
Minuteman Press Printing Troy Miller 631 Hayward Ave N, Oakdale, MN 55128 orders@oakdalemmp.com Painting 1. The artwork must resemble the art that will be painted on the box. 2. Because the size of the boxes may vary, be prepared to measure and adjust your artwork to fit the size of the box. 3. Painting may begin any time after the proposal has been approved, but must be completed by August 31, 2018. 4. The property owner and its contractors must have access to the components in the box at all times. 5. During installation, artists may want to block off the box to keep the public from Disturbing wet paint. 6. When washing or painting the box, it should be done in a manner so that no moisture gets inside the box through any vents. There is sensitive electronic equipment inside the boxes. 7. The vents should not be covered as not to restrict airflow from the cabinet. 8. Door hinges should not be painted so as to not lock the door in place. 9. Artwork must not consist primarily of dark colors due to the potential overheating of the box. 10. The levers, hinges, keyholes, and meter readers on the box should not have any coating over them. 3
Instructions for selected Artists Once your artwork is selected, we will send you notification by email, along with a check in the mail. Prepping Utility Box: Follow these steps to prep your utility box. 1. Clean the surface of the box with biodegradable cleaner. 2. Rinse and allow surface to dry completely. 3. Sand the cabinet with a fine grade sandpaper until the surface feels rough. Be sure to wipe surfaces with a damp cloth to remove all dust/grit after sanding. It is recommended that the box be sanded prior to painting. 4. Apply one coat of metal primer on box. 5. After primer coat is completely dry, a colored base coat should be applied (Painting supplies based on similar project in different cities. Materials may vary by artists) Use only Acrylic Paint: Golden or Liquitex high-viscosity paint, lightfastness 1. Below is a comprehensive checklist of recommended supplies for the best painting outcome and your personal comfort. This may not be a complete list as all artists work differently and will require different supplies: Approved Utility Box Art signage to identify the artist while working Paint Stool or chair for comfort Buckets to hold water for paint brushes Paint brushes Painters tape, masking tape Cloth or plastic sheeting for protecting surrounding area Biodegradable cleaner Rags and/or paper towels 4
Please be ADVISED: Do not paint over any identification numbers/codes. if any, paint around them. Do not paint over keyholes or paint keyhole covers so that they cannot be opened. Do not obstruct vents. Do not use primer as your base coat on the utility box. Preserving your work: Allow paint to dry completely. It is recommended that acrylic paint have 24-48 hours cure time before varnishing. Use a cloth to wipe down the box before applying the clear coat to preserve your artwork. Follow the directions of the coating. Recommended: Apply two coats of Liquitex Gloss Varnish, each coat in the opposite direction, with adequate dry time in between. This is a permanent coat and will protect the paint from the environment, block UV, and will not amber. Let dry for a minimum of 5 hours. Apply a second coat. Ally to dry for a minimum of 5 hours. Apply a coat on top of this Liquitex Soluvar. This is not a permanent varnish, but is weather and UV resistant. This will enable better graffiti clean off if needed. The bottom permanent coat will protect paint from cleaning. 5
Stillwater Artist Application Introduction Thank you for participating in the Power of the St. Croix Utility Box Mural Project. This project was funded through the 2018 Great Idea Competition Grant from the Stillwater Area Foundation, with the partnership of ArtReach St. Croix, the City of Marine on St. Croix, the City of Stillwater, and the Washington County Historical Society. This project seeks qualified artists and is requesting proposals from individuals/teams from the surrounding community to create two-dimensional murals on selected transformer cabinets located in Marine on St. Croix and Stillwater. This is part of the Power of the St. Croix Utility Box Mural Project, which celebrates the St. Croix River and our local artistic talent, while mitigating the negative effects of graffiti and unwanted postings on utility boxes. It will also create lasting pieces of art that will improve the appearance of downtown for residents and visitors alike. We hope to recognize and celebrate the local artists of our community, and develop a positive artistic vibe to the City of Stillwater and Marine on St. Croix. All submissions must revolve around the theme of the river. It is up to the artist to interpret that creatively.
Mission The idea to transform something that is ugly- the common, bland green or grey utility boxes, into something beautiful is not new. Cities across the nation, from Minneapolis to Fort Collins, have completed similar projects to beautify and enliven their downtowns. Theme The theme of this project revolves around the River, as it is the River that connects all of our towns and villages. It will also coincide with the 50 th anniversary of the Wild & Scenic Rivers Act that protected the St. Croix Riverway. Submissions will be themed around the River. It could be the natural beauty of the river or the history of the river, it can be realist or abstract, it can be photography or a painting. There are endless possibilities with this project!
Stillwater Locations Please refer to the map below to select your box. North Lowell Park Locations South Lowell Park Locations
Thank you for your interest in participating in the Power of the St. Croix Utility Box Mural Project! We can t wait to see your work. Please make sure you have read the RFP and know the rules and regulations from the city prior to submitting your application. Submission Checklist- Don't forget to turn in all forms. Completed Application Artist name mailing address, e-mail address, website, and telephone number. Artwork Information Artwork title and brief description of submitted piece {100 words or less) of reasons or inspiration behind your proposal. (May be used in promotional materials.) Template Sample Proposals should be submitted on material as described under specifications using the provided box template design, and include all sides of the box. Include a color rendering with an accurate depiction of your proposed design for the box including signature. All submitted proposals become the property of the City of Stillwater. Work can be submitted via email or hardcopy. In email, your design should be on the template in this RFP
Name: Address (Please include your full mailing address where you would like your check sent): Email: Phone: Name of School or Organization (if applicable): Date Submitted Desired Box location (we will let you know if your first pick isn t available): Artist Bio Please attach a brief biography of yourself as an artist, including previous work if available. Why do you believe public art is an important part of the community?
Tell us how you proposal fits in with the theme of the St. Croix River? Artwork Information Please include Title of Submission, medium, submission description in no more than 100 words for each submission. (Rendering must be included in color provided showing all sides using template below, or your own). This will be used to promote your box. Please return your application with all questions answered and accompanying material to: Attention: Fitzie Heimdahl ArtReach St. Croix 224 N. 4 th Street Stillwater, MN 55082 info@artreachstcroix.org
Utility Box Design Template This is a typical utility box diagram representing the four sides and top. Please use it to sketch the images as it would be painted with directional arrows. Unique colors and bold graphics work well, along with bright images that can be seen from a distance. Detailed images in color of each side must be submitted on 8.5 x 11 paper. Actual utility boxes vary in size shape size and will have various vents, seams, doors, and handles. It will be the artists responsibility to become familiar with their box and its measurements. Artist Name: Artwork Title: Box Number: