Fresh Arts is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering Houston artists with opportunities to build knowledge, amplify resources, and connect communities.

SUBMIT to Fiscal Sponsorship Application

Before you apply, please read the Fiscal Sponsorship FAQs and schedule a meeting with the Fiscal Sponsorship Coordinator before the 15th of the month by emailing fiscalsponsorship@fresharts.org. Applications have a quarterly deadline on the 1st of February, May, August, and November. Also, note that in order for your application to be reviewed by our committee, you must pay the $25.00 non-refundable application fee. To pay your fee, please visit our payment page.
 

Fiscal sponsorship applications are reviewed quarterly by a committee whose recommendations are subject to approval by the Fresh Arts board of directors. Please allow adequate time for the approval process before beginning to raise funds for your project.

(If you already have a budget, mission statement, and project description prepared, the application should take roughly 30-45 minutes.) Click here to download a budget template for your application

PLEASE NOTE: Fresh Arts is a small organization with limited capacity to support fiscally sponsored projects. When our program reaches capacity, we reserve the right to decline otherwise eligible applications or to temporarily close the application process.

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SUBMIT to Call for Creatives: Midtown Sign for Hispanic Heritage Month 2024


 


 

 REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

  • Deadline to apply: Wednesday, August 21, 2024  at 11:59PM
  •  Artist/Designer Honorarium: $1,200
  •  Applicant Notification: Tuesday, August 27, 2024 via email
  •  Questions: opportunity@fresharts.org
     

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PROJECT SUMMARY:

The Midtown Houston Cultural Arts and Entertainment District is seeking local artists and graphic designers to create an original and uniquely inspired design that reflects Houston's place in the history of Hispanic culture for the iconic Midtown sign in honor of 2024 Hispanic Heritage Month. 

The design should align with the theme "Pioneers of Change: Shaping the Future Together," capturing the spirit of innovation, resilience, and unity that defines the Hispanic experience. The selected design will be used to create a large-scale temporary public art display using 3M vinyl face wrap on the iconic Midtown sign in Bagby Park.

One selected artist will receive a $1,200 honorarium for their winning design and participation in a professionally recorded interview, tentatively scheduled for September 5th, about their work and inspiration. This interview will be featured on Midtown Houston's social media platforms.

Applicants will be asked to provide a brief letter of interest, up to 4 sketches of their proposed design, and relevant work samples. Submissions will be accepted from Thursday, July 18 through Wednesday, August 21, 2024. All artists will be notified of their application status on or before Tuesday, August 27, 2024, by email through the Submittable portal. The selected artist will be asked to submit a final print-ready design no later than 3 pm on Friday, August 30. 



 

PROJECT DETAILS:

  • What: Large-scale temporary public art display using 3M vinyl face wrap on the iconic Midtown sign in Bagby Park.
  • When: The sign wrap will be printed and installed by a third party on September 5, 2024. The public art installation will be on view from September 5, 2024, through October 2, 2024.
  • Where: The iconic Midtown Sign, located at Bagby Park, 415 Gray Street, Houston, TX 77006.
  • Who: The Midtown Houston Cultural Arts and Entertainment District.
  • Why: This artistic design project celebrates National Hispanic Heritage Month.


 

ARTIST PARTICIPATION:

The selected artist must be available to participate in an artist’s talk on installation day (September 5th). We encourage you to bring your family, friends, and work associates. There will be professional photography and video of the artist’s talk.


 

ADDITIONAL PROJECT INFO:

  • The Midtown Cultural Arts District will cover the entire cost of supplies and labor to install the project.
  • The selected artist will not incur any fees or responsibilities regarding the costs of this major public art installation.
  • Midtown Houston will cover the cost of professional photography, video, marketing, and promotion of the project and the artist.
  • All photography and video funded by Midtown will be the property of the Midtown Management District.


 

APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS:

  1. Contact Information: Required information includes name, email address, and cell phone (hidden from reviewers).
  2. Letter of Interest: Describe your interest in this project and how your design honors Houston's place in the history of Hispanic culture and reflects the theme "Pioneers of Change: Shaping the Future Together," capturing the spirit of innovation, resilience, and unity that defines the Hispanic experience.
  3. Proposed Design: Upload your proposed sketch or design (up to four attachments). The design does not need to be "print ready".
  4. Relevant Work Samples: Up to four (4) images of prior works that demonstrate your artistic style and the caliber of your work. Due to the blind voting process, please avoid including any identifying information such as name or handle.


 

REVIEW PROCESS + SELECTION CRITERIA:

Applications will be reviewed by an independent panel, which will include Midtown Houston representatives, and selected through a blind voting process. Selections will be based on the following criteria:

  • Project Alignment: The letter of intent and proposed design clearly communicate the artist’s interest in the project and align with the overall goals of the project to honor Hispanic Heritage Month.
  • Artistic Excellence: Submitted images demonstrate the caliber of the artist(s) previous work and artistic style.


 

PROJECT TIMELINE:

  • July 18 - August 21: RFP Application Period (Deadline: August 21 at 11:59 PM)
  • August 27: Artist notified via Submittable.
  • August 30: Print-ready design due to printer.
  • September 5 (TIME TBD): Sign Wrap installation (by 3rd party) and artist talk. The selected artist will participate in a professionally recorded on-site interview about their work and the inspiration behind it.
  • October 2: Sign Wrap removed by a 3rd party.


 

TECHNICAL DETAILS:

The sign wrap will be installed by Got Signs by Xtickers Designs, Inc. The Midtown letters face wrap is 3M Vinyl Wrap. It is a full color digital print produced with OEM Mimaki Inks with True Solvent UV non fading inks 3M IJ180-V3 with 3M Matching Lamination ControlTac Technology. This will be professionally installed by certified technicians.

Acceptable design files for the application process include PDF and JPEG; however, the final design must be provided in high-resolution format (PDF, AI, PSD, EPS, TIFF). The selected artist will be given approximately one week from the date of notification to provide the final print-ready design. Additional technical requirements will be provided to the artist upon selection.


 

SIGN DIMENSIONS: The attached template is for artists to use to create designs on the midtown sign. Do not change the size of the template, it is already to scale.

The sign consists of the word “midtown” in metal/ steel lowercase letters that are approximately 8 feet tall and span approximately 81 ft across a raised concrete stage. There are multi-color LED lights below each letter, that are turned on nightly. 

We encourage you to do a site visit and view past installations for an understanding of the size and scale of the project.


 

DESIGN TIP: The best design fits on the letters. Keep that in mind when designing the artwork.


 

DESIGN REQUIREMENTS:

  • Please note the Midtown logo above the letter “i’” will not be covered with any artwork and it should not be included as part of the artwork or wrap process.
  • On the letter “n” at the bottom right leg of the letter the #midtownhouston must appear.
  • The artist must include their signature on their work.
  • We will include a QR Code on the bottom right leg of the letter “n”, the QR Code will link to the artist’s website which will include an artist’s bio, the artistic statement about the meaning of the sign, what the images on the sign represent and a short paragraph of information about the Midtown Cultural Arts District.

     

ELIGIBILITY:

  • Age 18 or older
  • Eligible to work in the United States
  • Local Houston-area artists and or graphic designers are eligible to apply.
  • Candidates are eligible regardless of race, color, ethnicity, religion, national origin, gender identification, military status, sexual orientation, marital status, or physical ability.
  • The artistic work or design must be your original work. You may not submit other people’s work or design.
  • One design per artist or designer please. If we receive more than one application all applications will be removed.
  • Neither Board Members or family members of the Midtown Management District, the Midtown Cultural Arts and Entertainment District, the Midtown Redevelopment Authority, TIRZ #2 or the Midtown Parks Conservancy are eligible to apply. Additionally, employees or family members related to Arts District (Fresh Arts) or their Board of Directors; Got Signs -by Xtickers Designs Inc.– employees or family members are also NOT eligible to apply.


 

WHAT MAY NOT BE FUNDED: The funding for this project is made possible by the Midtown Management District and the Midtown Cultural Arts District. This project is to take place in the Midtown Houston community at Bagby Park. It may not be virtual in nature. This project may not include obscene or profane material as defined in Section 43.21, Penal Code of Texas. https://statutes.capitol.texas.gov/Docs/PE/htm/PE.43.htm 


 

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ABOUT MIDTOWN HOUSTON:
Midtown Houston is a bustling inner-city community with prominent cultural landmarks, with vibrant walkable neighborhoods.  Midtown received a Cultural Arts and Entertainment District designation from State of Texas Commission on the Arts in 2012. Since that time, we have experienced exponential growth in our business, residential and cultural arts community with more than 90 arts organizations and four parks, we truly are the center of it all. Annually we host two flagship events Midtown Mistletoe Market and Midtown Art in the Park. We have also distributed $91,000 as part of our midtownHOU Arts Micro Grants Program to local artists and arts organizations. This year we are celebrating 12 years of bringing public art to Houston.


 

Additional information about Midtown Houston


Historical Context for Hispanic Heritage Month: 

Each year, Americans observe National Hispanic Heritage Month from September 15 to October 15, by celebrating the histories, cultures, and contributions of American citizens whose ancestors came from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean and Central and South America.

The observation started in 1968 as Hispanic Heritage Week under President Lyndon Johnson and was expanded by President Ronald Reagan in 1988 to cover a 30-day period starting on September 15 and ending on October 15. It was enacted into law on August 17, 1988, on the approval of Public Law 100-402.
 

The day of September 15 is significant because it is the anniversary of independence for Latin American countries Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua. In addition, Mexico and Chile celebrate their independence days on September 16 and September 18, respectively. This is a time to celebrate the heritage, history, traditions, and cultural diversity of Hispanic Americans whose heritage is rooted in 20 countries and territories: Spain, Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Paraguay, Chile, Argentina, Uruguay, Cuba, Puerto Rico, and the Dominican Republic.


Questions regarding this application should be directed to Fresh Arts at opportunity@fresharts.org


 

Fresh Arts