Applications for public art roster now open

Justin “Skip” Skipper, an artist from Orlando, sprays sealer on the mural “The Great Race” he painted on the north side of the Seminole Feed building on the Osceola Trak near Tuscawilla Art Park in Ocala, Fla. on Tuesday, June 1, 2021. The mural replaces the one that has been on the building for five years. The mural that Skip painted is part of the Ocala Cultural Arts division public art in city spaces project. According to a press release from the City of Ocala: The concept for the mural is built on the idea of the connectivity and use of OTrak through various forms of pedestrian transportation. The mural will include various pedestrians who utilize the OTrak and the nearby Ocala Skate Park such as cyclists, runners, walkers, skaters and rollerbladers. [Bruce Ackerman/Ocala Gazette] 2021.

The Cultural Arts and Sciences Division (CASD) announced on Wednesday, Feb. 2 that it is currently accepting applications for the Public Art Roster, which is a pre-qualified list of professional visual artists that serve as a resource for public art selection or are commissioned for art projects, both within the City of Ocala and without.

The Ocala Municipal Arts Commission (OMAC) reviews applications. Previously accepted artists may update their portfolio materials each year during the application period, but automatically remain on the list.

The roster of artists may be used in conjunction with an open call, invitational or as the sole resource for identifying appropriate artists/teams for select projects based on an accelerated selection process, need for a specific skillset or a curated opportunity.

There is no application fee. The deadline to submit is March 25, 2022.

Eligibility requirements include: must be a professional visual artist or artist team consisting of up to five artists; team members may not apply as individual artists and work must be submitted as a group portfolio; must reside in the United States or have the legal ability to work in the U.S.; public artwork should be well suited for public spaces and general audiences.

Applicants must be willing to work with a diverse group of project managers, stakeholders and professional conservators during the design and approval process. Artists will be expected to travel to the project site and work within a fixed budget, work with committees and potentially other artists working on the same project.

For more information and to apply, visit www.ocala.org/artroster or call the CASD at (352) 629-8447.