URA Looks For Artists to Design Awards

The City of Rock Springs and Rock Springs Main Street/Urban Renewal Agency (URA) are inviting artists and makers in Sweetwater County to submit ideas for two annual award programs – The Downtown First Awards and Mayor’s Arts Awards. Each award has a unique logo, which may be incorporated in the submitted designs, but inclusion of the logo is NOT required. Finalist application materials will become the property of the City of Rock Springs and Rock Springs Main Street/URA.

Eligibility requirements are as follows:

• Applicant must be a current or former resident of the Sweetwater County, Wyoming.
• Applicant must demonstrate previous experience and expertise through a supporting portfolio submission (resume and images of current or previous work). If the Applicant does not have previous experience, s/he must provide references familiar with their work and capacity to complete a project of this kind.
• Applicant must be willing to meet project deadlines.
• Final artwork becomes the property of the City of Rock Springs and Rock Springs Main Street/URA.

While artists retain copyright, the City of Rock Springs and Rock Springs Main Street/URA will receive permission to use images of the awards for purposes such as publicity.

This is a call for proposals open to artists living in Sweetwater County, Wyoming. We are seeking two awards:

Downtown First Awards (6 total awards)

• Outstanding Business
• Spirit of Downtown Award
• Outstanding New Business
• Better Beautification Award
• Outstanding Individual
• Outstanding Volunteer

Mayor’s Arts Awards (4 total awards)

• Individual Award (2)
• Organization Award (2)

For each category, the organization will need the number of awards specified. The awards within each category can be similar or different but the organization would like different awards for each overall category (Downtown First Awards and Mayor’s Arts Awards). Awards may be glass, painting, photography, wooden, acrylic, metal or any other medium suitable for your design. Proposed artwork and designs should be reflective of Rock Springs. Either the artist may submit a design for the Downtown First Awards or the Mayor’s Arts Awards as each should be distinctly differently.

The artist may submit two separate entries, if desired, one for each category. On the submission, the artist needs to state which category his or her award proposal is for. Each award should have a place for a small engraved plate containing the date, category and winner. Such a plate should be incorporated into the artists’ design. Each award should be no more than $125. This amount includes all design fees, materials costs, labor for fabrication, completion, and delivery of the awards.

Artists interested in this project must provide the following information:

1. A portfolio containing a minimum of three previous works. If the Applicant does not have previous experience, s/he must provide references familiar with their work and capacity to complete a project of this kind.
2. Sketches of proposed commissioned awards
3. Proposed budget for each award and a total for the entire category
4. Which category is the award for – Downtown First Awards or Mayor’s Arts Awards
5. Timeline for production and/or development of the awards

Proposal can be submitted digitally via email to [email protected] or can be mailed to:

Rock Springs Main Street/URA
603 S Main Street
Rock Springs, WY 82901

In reviewing submission materials, the committee will consider the following:

• The quality of the proposed artwork.
• How well the artwork represents the specific award and how well it reflects Rock Springs.
• Affordability of the awards in the overall project budget.
• The artist’s experience working with the art process and ability to work with all individuals involved.

Selection Process

Application materials are due December 1, 2021.

The selection committee will review the proposals the following week. A specific timeline for development and production will be established upon selection of the finalist.

• Application materials due by December 1, 2021. (please follow application requirements, late submissions will not be accepted)
• Committee review of initial proposals: week of December 6, 2021
• Finalist Contacted: December 13, 2021
• Final awards due: January 21, 2022

This timeline is subject to adjustment. If you have any questions about the project or need more information on the selection process, please contact: Chad Banks, Rock Springs Main Street/URA, 603 S Main Street, Rock Springs, WY 82901, [email protected]; 307-352-1434