Call For Artists

Requests for Proposals (RFP) for Five Public Art Installations

In Downtown Cleveland, Ohio
1. Call Summary
2. The Awards
3. About Splash Cleveland
4. Project Intent
5. Project Summary & Timeline
6. Guidelines For Designs
7. Information About The Installation Sites
8. Eligibility
9. How To Apply
10. Composition Of The Selection Committee
11. Criteria For Selection
12. Final Selection Of Designs
13. Additional Information
Call Summary
Splash Cleveland is a new public arts project in Cleveland, Ohio. We create art and positive
messages that appear on sidewalks only when it rains. When the rain subsides and the sidewalk
dries out, these images will become completely invisible again. We are currently seeking five (5)
artists to create designs or original artwork for this project. This opportunity is open to all
residents of Ohio. The application deadline is 5:00 P.M. (EDT), August 31st, 2015.
The Awards
A total of five artists will be selected to realize their works at various locations in downtown
Cleveland. Splash Cleveland will provide the supplies needed to install the images at no cost to
the artists, as well as assistance during the actual installation process. For their contributions to
the project, one Grand Prize winning artist will receive a $100 commission, and four Runners-Up
will each receive a $50 commission.
About Splash Cleveland
The Splash Cleveland project is modeled after the successful Rainworks program initiated in
Seattle by artist Peregrine Church. The project seeks to paint the sidewalk at a select few
locations in downtown Cleveland with messages of positivity, humorous sayings, great quotes,
interactive street games, original artwork, etc., and are intended to promote feelings of optimism,
playfulness, sustainability, or a sense of community. These images, sometimes known as
Rainworks, are created by applying a high quality super-hydrophobic coating to the sidewalk.
When it rains, water is shed from the coated areas of the pavement producing a visual contrast
with the darker untreated areas. The image is therefore only visible when the pavement is wet;
when the rain ends and the sidewalk dries, it becomes completely invisible again. Two examples
of Rainworks in Seattle are attached to give an idea of how a Splash installation may look. For

additional information on the Rainworks program, please visit their website.

We will start off by creating one Splash image for each of the five distinct districts within
downtown: Civic Center, Gateway, NineTwelve (formerly known as Erieview), Theater, and
Warehouse. Each image will be no larger than 5X5 (25 square feet.) We have already worked
with administrators within numerous agencies of the City of Cleveland, and have successfully
secured official city approval for this project. If public reaction to the project is positive, our goal
is to later expand the project into other neighborhoods around Cleveland with the help of CDCs,
nonprofits, and other partners.
Splash Cleveland intends for these images to be temporary and to leave no lasting impact on the
citys infrastructure. To this end, we will use Always Dry (Wood & Stone Formula) by the
Nanex Company of Belgium. Seattles Rainworks artist, Peregrine Church, has tested numerous
coatings and found Always Dry to be the best product for this use. Once it has dried, the Always
Dry coating is completely non-toxic, non-flammable, environmentally safe, and biodegradable.
A Rainworks image also retains the same texture as the surface it is painted on, so it will not be
slippery or create any walking hazard. Once the coating has dried, it is completely invisible,
leaving no discoloration and no scent. Each Rainworks image will last for between four months
to one year, depending on the amount of foot traffic it has to endure; more abrasion means it will
fade faster. The image is most vivid during its first few weeks, and then slowly becomes subtler
until it completely fades away.
Project Intent

To promote our hometown of Cleveland! Sure we've been through some tough times, but
what city hasn't? Cleveland is a world-class city with a resilient blue-collar attitude, and we
wouldn't have it any other way. We think C-Town deserves some civic pride... and we're
going to help bring it!
Cleveland gets a lot of rain and gray skies. According to the National Weather Service,
Northeast Ohio has approximately 108 rainy days each year. But we don't melt in water like
the Wicked Witch... we're Cleveland Tough! So we hope that these works of art will serve to
invigorate and delight people around town, and to perhaps add a ray of sunshine to an
otherwise gloomy day. Maybe, just maybe, we can help turn rain into something that
Clevelanders will look forward to.
As a form of temporary public art, Splash Cleveland is a fun and inexpensive way to enliven
city streets for pedestrians and cyclists. If this project causes just one person to walk
somewhere instead of driving, then we've accomplished our mission. More feet on the street
are a good thing! It promotes healthy living, sustainability, and urban renewal in Northeast
Ohio's core while simultaneously reducing automobile traffic and pollution.
We want this to be a community-building project with lots of public participation! As such,
we aim to make Splash Cleveland as transparent and inclusionary as possible. Almost anyone
can submit a design proposal, and anyone can vote on the Grand Prize winning design. So
whether a person creates a design, votes for a design, or just spots one while walking around
downtown, they can know that theyve been a vital part of this project's success!

Splash Cleveland is a way to showcase the talents of the arts and design community in
Northeast Ohio. Five creative individuals will receive exposure for their work, a little name
recognition, as well as a little bit of cash.

Project Summary & Timeline

1. Artists and other creative individuals will submit design proposals for a Splash image.
Estimated Completion Date: August 31st 2015
2. A Selection Committee will review all submissions to ensure that they comply with the spirit
of the project and the guidelines set herein.
Estimated Completion Date: September 5th 2015
3. We will hold a public vote to determine the Grand Prize winning design. The winning artist
will receive $100.00.
Estimated Completion Date: September 20th 2015
4. The Selection Committee will select four other designs as Runners-Up winners. These four
artists will each receive $50.00.
Estimated Completion Date: September 30th 2015
5. All five winning artists will work alongside the Splash coordinators to create stencils of their
design, and to then "paint" the design onto the sidewalk at a predetermined location in
Downtown Cleveland.
Estimated Completion Date: October 31st 2015
Guidelines For Designs
These pieces of public art will be installed on the sidewalk at five locations throughout
downtown Cleveland, Ohio. One image will be located within each of the five distinct districts
within downtown: Civic Center, Gateway, NineTwelve (formerly known as Erieview), Theater,
and Warehouse. More information regarding the five specific locations can be found below.
Since the goal of the project is to promote Cleveland, sustainability, community, and happiness,
any design submitted should:

Conjure a positive emotional response in passersby. This can be done using messages of
positivity, humorous sayings, famous quotes, interactive sidewalk games, original artwork,
etc. Alternatively, if you choose to create a site-specific design, you might choose to
highlight the importance of that site as a civic resource, or to help provide a recognizable
identity for that neighborhood.
Designs may be thought provoking or silly, serious or playful. You might choose to
Celebrate Clevelands identity and rich heritage, incorporate an image or feeling of water and
light, reflect on the natural environment, or highlight the importance of sustainability and
Lake Erie on our Cleveland watershed.
Provide excitement and interest for the community as a whole. Designs that incorporate an
interactive element are especially encouraged.
Enhance the sidewalk with a distinctive aesthetic experience that is both highly visible and
welcoming to pedestrians and bicyclists, as well as to those traveling by in passenger
vehicles.

Not include any profanity nor advertise any promotion, brand, or event.
Designs will need to be binary images. That is, they can only make use of two colors. Think
black and white, or positive and negative space. Note that this is not the same as grayscale.
Please consider the examples attached to this document to get an idea for why this is so
important. We also recommend that you view the full gallery of Rainworks designs that have
been created in Seattle to see how others have handled the challenge.
Consider site and size limitations. Ground space at each site is limited, so every design may
occupy an area of sidewalk no larger than 5 X 5 (25 square feet of pavement.)

Information About The Installation Sites

Splash Cleveland has secured city approval to install one Splash image in each of the five
distinct districts of downtown Cleveland. Furthermore, within each of the five districts we have
been cleared to choose any one out of three specific sites. Submissions may be designed to be
site-specific if you prefer, or you may choose to submit a design that is more location-neutral and
can be installed within any of the five districts. The Selection Committee will determine which
district each selected image is ultimately installed in. It will, however, take site-specific designs
into account during its decision making process. If you choose to make your design site-specific,
please do so based on the following list.
A. Civic Center District:
1. Euclid Avenue In front of the entrance to the Cleveland Public Library Eastman Reading
Garden (325-525 Superior Avenue)
2. East Roadway Near 200 Public Square
3. Intersection of St. Clair Avenue NE & West Mall Drive Near the Marriott At Key Center
B. Gateway District:
1. East 4th Street - From Euclid Avenue to Prospect Avenue
2. Prospect Avenue near East 6th - Near Barrio (503 Prospect Avenue)
3. Intersection of East 9th/Huron/Prospect - Near Paninis (840 Huron Road East)
C. NineTwelve District (formerly known as Erieview):
1. East 12th Between Chester Avenue & Walnut Avenue - Perk Park
2. Intersection of East 9th & St. Clair Avenue - Near The Galleria (1301 East 9th Street)
3. Intersection of East 9th & Superior Avenue - Near the Hampton Inn (1460 East 9th Street)
D. Theater District:
1. Euclid Avenue - Star Plaza near Dynomite Burgers (1302 Euclid Avenue)
2. Euclid Avenue - Near the Keith Building (1621 Euclid Avenue)
3. Chester Avenue - Near Hofbruhaus (1550 Chester Avenue)
E. Warehouse District:
1. St. Clair & West 6th - Near XO Prime Steaks (500 West St. Clair Avenue)
2. West 6th - Near Starbucks (1374 West 6th Street)
3. West 9th - Near Santorini & Mallorca (1382-1390 West 9th Street)

Eligibility
The competition is open to any resident, or group of residents, of the state of Ohio. There are no
requirements regarding past experience or portfolios. So any creative individuals, including both
aspiring and established artists, as well as both amateurs and professionals, are invited to submit
designs.
How To Apply
Anyone interested in this project must prepare and submit the following:

Proposed Artwork Concept. This proposal shall include design drawings, or conceptual
sketches sufficient to communicate the artists concept. To make it easy to scale the size
of the design, we recommend that you design in a vector based graphic design program
such as Adobe Illustrator or CorelDraw. If you do not have access to a vector based
graphic design program, you may use a raster based design program such as Adobe
Photoshop or Microsoft Paint instead. If your design is selected, Splash Cleveland will
then work with you to convert your design into vector form.
Please submit your design file in one of the following formats: AI, CDR, EPS, JPG,
PNG, PSD, or SVG.
An Artists Statement, no more than 250 words in length. This should include your name,
the design files name, and the title of your work. Use this to describe your work and to
specify the dimensions that you envision. Please remember that upon installation, it may
occupy an area no larger than 5 X 5 (25 square feet of pavement.) If you have chosen to
make your design site-specific, also be sure to include which location you would like
your design installed in.
Optional: You may include up to three selections of support materials such as reviews,
news articles, web links and other related information.

Submissions should be sent via e-mail to admin@splashcle.org. Please use the subject line
of Splash Cleveland Submission. Submissions must be received by Splash Cleveland by
5:00 P.M. (EDT) on August 31st, 2015. Submissions will not be returned.
Composition Of The Selection Committee:
The Selection Committee will be comprised of 25 members from among the projects partners
and funders. This will include representatives from the City of Cleveland, City Beautiful,
Community Development Corporations, museums, arts organizations, private companies, and
individual donors.
Criteria for Selection:
The design should reflect the Guidelines For Designs as described in this document. While
residents from all over the state of Ohio are eligible to apply, the Selection Committee will
consider location as one factor in their selection process, and preference may be given to those
who reside within the Greater Cleveland area. Splash Cleveland is committed to excellence in

environmental stewardship and sustainable urban planning. We encourage artists whose work
addresses issues of sustainability to consider applying for this artwork competition. Designs that
incorporate an interactive element are also especially encouraged.
Final Selection Of Designs:
Splash Cleveland will review all submissions to ensure that they comply with the spirit of the
project and the guidelines set herein. All approved designs will be entered into a public vote
contest, which will be open to voting for one month. The design that receives the highest number
votes in this public vote contest will be declared the Grand Prize Winner. By September 30th
2015, the Selection Committee will choose four more designs from among the remaining designs
as the Runners-up Winners; and determine the final installation location for each design. Each
commissioned artist will then work with Splash Cleveland and City Beautiful members to create
a site-specific stencil of their design and to install the design in its site, tentatively scheduled to
be completed by October 15th 2015.
Additional Information:
The selected artists will receive a Design Transfer Agreement, which you will find attached to
this RFP and on our website. Splash Cleveland recommends that you review this document prior
to submitting a design proposal. The selected artists will be required to execute this contract with
Splash Cleveland. Beyond formal notifications, Splash Cleveland and the Selection Committee
are not required to enter into any correspondence regarding their decisions.
Attached to this RFP is the following:

Sample Design Transfer Agreement

If you have any questions or need any additional information, please call Joel Robbins at (216)
302-8696 or email him at: joelrobbins@splashcle.org.