Art & Soul Civic Engagement Call for Artists

Project partners and the Town of Starksboro are reviewing applications and will soon be narrowing the field to three finalists. Thank you to all artists who expressed interest in the project!

The Orton Family Foundation (The Foundation) and the Vermont Land Trust (VLT) are partnering with the Town of Starksboro, Addison County, Vermont, on an exciting and novel approach to community engagement that emphasizes storytelling and the use of the arts to involve its residents in thinking about the future of their community. Through this engagement, Starksboro will begin a process of identifying and protecting its “heart & soul,” those attributes, special places, characteristics and customs that citizens treasure and that connect them to one another and to their town. If lost, these attributes would be widely missed. The arts will be used as a catalyst for collaborative, creative and deep explorations of the community’s past, present and future and through this engagement Starksboro will begin a process of identifying and protecting its community Heart & Soul.

The Foundation invites applications from Vermont artists interested in serving as an artist-in-residence in Starksboro, helping the community to translate its stories and values into works of art, which will in turn influence how the community thinks about and plans for its future.

I. Project Description

The Foundation and the Vermont Land Trust believe that by getting in touch with deeper community values and connections to place, citizens will be able to improve on traditional approaches to planning and make better decisions about the future of their communities. We hope to test whether projects that engage the community with different forms of art will act as a catalyst for articulation of the unique assets of a community, to influence community decision making. We envision an Artist in Residence program in Starksboro in which an artist works with local groups to create demonstrations of what the community celebrates – its environment, economy, landscape and culture. The demonstrations, whether works of art, video, theater, dance, poetry, etc., should, in its development and presentation, be the springboard for further thinking about the residents’ will to protect what is special to them about their home.

The arts can contribute unique opportunities, settings, and creative approaches to reach new and diverse participants (including more youth), stimulate public dialogue about town issues, and inspire action to make change. In this civic engagement initiative, the artistic process and art presentation should provide a key focus, catalyst, and forum for public dialogue on issues. The Art & Soul approach seeks to engage residents through storytelling, art making, and community discussions, events and celebrations. It is the transparent process of the art-making and the reflection and dialogue attached to its viewing that is most essential in this project. The emphasis on process not just product requires an artist that is inspired by and responsive to the public process and participation around the art.

For more detailed information on the community of Starksboro and its aspirations for this Art & Soul project, see Attachment A, Starksboro’s Art & Soul Community Application.

The Art & Soul project has three components:

1. Gathering stories in the community around what residents value most in the connections to each other, their community and the land. (Conducted by Middlebury College Professor John Elder in the fall of 2008)
2. Community arts projects led by a Vermont artist for local residents to explore and reflect on the values and aspects of their community they cherish most and wish to pass on to future generations. (Artist in Residence component)
3. Community dialogues to devise concrete actions to implement and sustain those identified values as the town grows and develops. (Fall 2009)

Part 1

Gathering Stories: The Heart of the Matter
From September through December 2008 a Middlebury College writing-intensive class lead by Professor John Elder will collect the stories of the town and bring them back to the community in vivid and useful ways. Interviews will focus on how residents’ love of the land, sense of place, and rural life influence their sense of community and their civic dialogue. Among the townspeople to be interviewed will be its elders; youth; landowners, farmers, and town officials, historians, and artists. Key questions will include both people’s most cherished memories of the town and their hopes and anxieties for the future. Taped archival interviews, YouTube videos, audio slide shows, booklets, and a digital community almanac with stories, sounds and images captured onto a digital map and available via the internet are all possible products of the story gathering.

A town-wide event on December 4, 2008 is planned at which the stories are read aloud, performed, students report on their interviews and follow-up projects, publications are distributed, and community videos are debuted as the culmination of the story gathering project.

Part 2

Conversation and Vision: From Stories to Art
From October 2008 through September 2009 an artist, chosen by and working with Starksboro, will build on the stories, and, through a different art form, engage more residents and elicit additional stories in different forms and voices. The goal is to include many and diverse members of the community, from decision making boards and land owners to schoolchildren, old timers and newcomers. Through conversation and art making the artist, with the community, will explore questions such as: Why do you live here? How does the working landscape affect your life? What are your favorite places? What are you proudest of? What one thing, if lost, would irrevocably change the quality of your life in this community? What are your hopes and concerns for future generations? Artists will be “in residence” or working in the community periodically over the 8 to 10 month period. Community celebrations will showcase the artworks and invite further dialogue on the stories and values emerging and the implications of the residents’ perceptions, beliefs and aspirations on the Town’s future.

In addition to the artist “in residence,” similar explorations and community conversations will occur through the schools and with local youth. The art forms will be decided by the students, supported by teachers or community members. The student art will be integrated with the community presentations.

Part 3

Taking Action: From Art to Soul and Beyond
Townspeople identify ways to reflect the articulated values and aspirations sparked by the story gathering and art making projects in concrete actions, policies and choices shaping the future of their community and its land use. Starksboro is very interested in using the project results to inform a re-write of its town plan and ordinances. Other actions will emerge as well, with the direction and details of these actions growing out of the learning from the creative phase.

II. Project Goals

The project partners hope to accomplish the following:

• Incubate community- or region-specific grass roots conversations about heart and soul values, especially those associated with land, community spirit, local culture and hopes for the future.
• Test whether an arts-based heart and soul methodology can be successful in engaging new audiences in a deeper discussion of community values and identity, mitigating the divisiveness of many conservation discussions.
• Create a framework for reflection and discovery, creative expression and conversation, ongoing community dialogue and interaction, while remaining very flexible and responsive to local interests and prerogatives.
• Engage residents through art, music, dance, performance, writing, videography and/or other non-verbal forms of expression, using the arts to reflect on community identity, open a dialogue on difficult issues and push perspectives to new ways of thinking.
• Document lessons learned and the entire process, developing a case study to share with audiences regionally and nationally.
• Work with a Vermont community that is facing or about to face enough growth to potentially and fundamentally change the character of the town.
• Engage youth in multi-generational planning discussions and decisions.

III. Partner Roles

Role of the Foundation and VLT

The Orton Family Foundation works to build vibrant and enduring communities. It helps small cities and towns articulate, implement and steward their heart and soul assets so that they can adapt to change while enhancing the attributes they value most. Its staff has expertise in community planning, citizen engagement, planning tools application, project evaluation, and communications, and as an operating foundation, its staff will be directly involved as a partner in selected projects. The Vermont Land Trust is a nonprofit organization that works with individuals, organizations and communities to conserve land for the future of Vermont. Its staff has expertise in land conservation and community engagement.

The Foundation and VLT’s staff will not be involved in project implementation on a day-to-day basis but rather will serve in an “active advisory” role. In these roles, Foundation and VLT staff will be available to assist with project design and help to identify and provide citizen engagement tools. Additionally, as a project partner and source for funding, the Foundation and VLT will be involved with the approval of consultants and artists and the scope of their work. The Foundation and VLT will also work with local leaders to evaluate the project and to communicate results to local, regional and national audiences.

Role of the Community

The town of Starksboro, a designated project advisory committee, and partner organizations including Robinson School, are expected to play a major role in project direction, management and implementation. The Art & Soul project will have a designated part time coordinator to communicate with the public, partners, artists and others involved with the project. The community will take the lead on public outreach efforts, providing adequate facilities for meetings and for the artist-in-residence to carry out his/her work, and provide in-kind, staff, financial and/or other resources for the project as needed for successful completion.

Role of the Artist

The selected artist will execute one or more community arts projects with the support of the Starksboro team. The Artist is expected to spend a significant amount of time engaging community residents in artmaking activities and to develop a final, lasting product with the community. The Artist will also be required to participate in Art & Soul activities throughout the duration of the residency. Such activities will include, but not be limited to, project events and celebrations, video interviews, blogs, and other marketing and promotional tools, and facilitated public dialogues. The Artist will also be expected to contribute to the development of a case study and evaluation of the project. A contract between the Foundation and the Artist will reflect the intentions of this Call to Artists. Works created by the Artist in the context of this project will be considered “Works for Hire” and they and all their associated use and reproduction rights will be shared with the project partners and the Town of Starksboro. Artists will, however, be appropriately credited in all exhibitions, publications, and other documents pertaining to the marketing and promotion of the Project.

IV. Artist-in-Residence Budget

Artist Finalists will be provided with an honorarium of $750 to conduct a community visit on December 4, 2008 and a follow up interview with the town. The selected artist will have up to $21,000 available for this residency. Included in this funding will be artist fees and travel, fabrication, installation and documentation of the art, in addition to costs such as signage, insurance, postage and telephone calls. Payment will be made in three installments.

V. Selection Process

Professional artists experienced in working in community settings and engaging a diversity of audiences are being solicited by a Review Committee of Project Partners: the Foundation, VLT, Starksboro and the Vermont Arts Council. Artists are invited to submit an application for consideration (see Submission Process for specific requirements). The Review Committee will narrow the applicants to a list of pre-qualifying artists as Semi-Finalists. The Town of Starksboro will then review the Semi-Finalists and identify approximately three artists to invite for a community visit and an interview. The Town, with support from the Project partners, will select the artist to be “in-residence” in the community.

Step 1: Artist Pre-Qualification

Artists submit their qualifications for consideration for the project by the deadline (see below). The Review Committee will evaluate these submissions and narrow the pool of submissions down to a group of pre-qualified Semi-Finalist artists.

Selection Criteria:

• High artistic quality of past work
• Ability and relevance to address the issues, opportunities, challenges and vision specific to Starksboro
• Demonstrated ability to engage residents in art-making processes around the issues
• Experience and ability to work effectively with a diversity of community leaders and groups, low income residents and multi-age audiences
• Ability to work within the proposed budget
• Ability to communicate effectively
• Direct experience with public projects and processes
• Willingness to become familiar with the issues and stories of Starksboro and ability to attend frequent project meetings
• Ability to work within a team context
• Ability to access appropriate resources when necessary (Resources might include historic preservation, artists, landscape designers, public history, educational institutions, planning and conservation commissions, community facilitators)
• Willingness to share his or her process and work on a regional, state and national level.

Step 2: Town Review of Semi-Finalists

With the assistance of the Project Partners, the Town will identify approximately three artist Finalists. 

Step 3: Community Visit and Interviews

Three artist finalists will be provided with an honorarium of $750 and will be asked to attend a Community celebration of storytelling on the evening of December 4, 2008. A community tour will be provided prior to this storytelling celebration. Following the December 4 event the Finalists will be invited for an interview with community residents.

Step 4: Artist Selection

Once the interviews are completed, the Community and Project Partners will choose the artist for the residency. The chosen artist will be awarded $21,000 (in three installments) for an 8 to 10 month residency that will begin in the winter 2009 and conclude with a culminating event in fall 2009.

VI. Eligibility

Vermont artists who are U.S. citizens and at least 18 years of age working in all disciplines including visual arts & crafts, performing arts, literary, and media arts in all forms are eligible for consideration. Proposals from artist teams will be eligible but only under the existing budget with no additional funding available.

VII. Proposed Project Timeline

September 2008	Art & Soul project launch
Sept-Nov 2008	Stories gathered through resident interviews
November 3, 2008	Postmark deadline for artist submissions
November 2008	Review Committee selects pre-qualifying Semi- finalist artists and Town identifies three Finalists
December 4, 2008	Finalists attend Community Storytelling event
December 2008	Community site visits and interviews with Finalists
January 2009	Artist-in-Residence selected
February 2009	Artist-in-Residence begins
September 2009	Artwork completed
October 2009	World premier fo artwork
October-December 2009	Community action conversations
January 2010	Implementation actions underway

 

VIII. Submission Process

Artists are asked to submit one original and six collated copies (seven sets total) of the following:

• Completed Cover Sheet
• Letter of Interest introducing yourself and why you are interested in the project. This should include any past relevant experience and how your qualifications meet the Criteria listed above. (max. 3 pages)
• Resume
• Name and contact information of two professional references

Please 3-hole punch copies of Cover Sheet, Letter of Interest, Resume and Professional references in the left margin so that staff may assemble submissions in a 3-ring binder.

In addition, artists should include:

• Artistic Support Materials demonstrating their own artwork in the formats below
• Visual & Craft Artists please submit up to 10 digital images (.jpg) on a CD
• Performing and Media Artists please submit samples of work on CD or DVD
• Literary Artists please submit 6 collated copies (7 sets total) of no more than 15 pages of a manuscript (double-spaced).
• A self addressed stamped envelope (SASE) for return of Artistic Support Materials (ONLY).

All submissions must be postmarked no later than November 3, 2008 or hand-delivered to the Foundation office no later than 4:30 p.m. on November 3, 2008.

The Foundation and VLT staff will not be involved in day-to-day project implementation, but rather will serve in an “active advisory” role. In this role, Foundation and VLT staff will be available to assist with project design and help to identify and provide citizen engagement tools. Additionally, as a project partner and source for funding, the Foundation and VLT will be involved with the approval of consultants and artists and the scope of their work. The Foundation and VLT will also work with local leaders to evaluate the project and to communicate results to local, regional and national audiences.

Orton Family Foundation
ATTN: Art & Soul Call for Artists
P.O. Box 111
152 Maple Street
Middlebury, VT 05753

After a submission is received, no additions or changes may be made to it. Late or incomplete submissions will not be accepted, nor will submissions transmitted by facsimile machine or by e-mail.

The Foundation is not responsible for submissions lost in transit.