Call Summary
Charlotte Center for Legal Advocacy is requesting qualifications from emerging visual artists age 21+ local to the Charlotte-Mecklenburg region to create or sell art of any medium relevant to our mission for our new building at 5535 Albemarle Road, Charlotte NC. Qualifications will be reviewed on a rolling basis until May 2nd, 2021 at 5pm. Artists interested in the project should apply by that date. The project must start after July 1st, 2021 and be complete by June 30th, 2022 (fiscal year 2022). The Advocacy Center has $15,000-$25,000 available depending on grant funding for multiple projects from different artists or collectives. Artists who are Black, Indigenous, Latino, people of color, immigrants, women, disabled people, LGBTQ+, veterans, and artists who come from low-income backgrounds are especially encouraged to apply.
Contact
Meghan Rankins, Development and Pro Bono Associate
Email: meghanr@charlottelegaladvocacy.org
Phone Number: 980-202-7347
Project Description
Charlotte Center for Legal Advocacy is searching for artists to commission new work or purchase artworks of any medium including but not limited to murals, photography, painting, etc. that align with our mission below for our new building. Artists can submit qualifications individually or partner with other local creatives.
The Advocacy Center’s mission and vision statements are:
Our mission is to pursue justice for those in need.
Our vision is to build a just community where all people are treated fairly and have access to legal representation to meet their basic needs of safety, security, and stability.
In addition to reflecting our mission and vision statements, the selected proposals should encompass the following themes:
- Inclusivity and Welcomeness
- Justice for all in our community
- Hope and inspiration
- Diversity of our client base and community
- Including Black, Indigenous, Latino, and other people of color, immigrants, women, disabled people, LGBTQ+, veterans, and low-income individuals and families
- Intersectionality of Identity
- Ending Poverty
- Racial Equity
These artworks should represent the respect and esteem that The Advocacy Center’s staff and clients deserve—bridging gaps to address complex community issues such as access to healthcare, housing, and opportunity.
About Charlotte Center for Legal Advocacy
Charlotte Center for Legal Advocacy helps people in the Charlotte, North Carolina, region who cannot afford legal services, but desperately need them. Without legal representation in civil matters, thousands of families can lose access to financial security, healthcare, housing and opportunity.
The impact goes far beyond our neighbors in need. It affects our entire community.
Since 1967, our staff and pro bono attorneys have provided comprehensive civil legal services for our region’s low-income residents. We accomplish our mission through a variety of advocacy strategies, including individual advice and representation, community education and outreach, representation of groups, self-help remedies, collaboration with other agencies, community economic development, legislative and administrative advocacy, and impact litigation.
The need is everywhere.
That’s why Charlotte Center for Legal Advocacy is here.
- We were formed in 1967 as a part of the War on Poverty and are the oldest legal services program in North Carolina.
- We serve 3,500 families each year facing a crisis of safety, shelter, health or income. More than 300,000 people in our region are eligible for our services and in need of legal assistance but are unable to afford private lawyers.
- We are the largest provider of legal assistance in Mecklenburg County improving access to healthcare for low-income and vulnerable populations.
- We are the largest non-profit provider of representation in the Charlotte immigration court in all of North and South Carolina.
- We advocate on behalf of clients, resulting in policy changes at the local and national level.
When people with severe illnesses need healthcare coverage —
When homeowners are on the brink of foreclosure —
When disabled veterans cannot obtain their benefits —
When domestic violence victims seek protective orders —
When immigrants are in danger of exploitation —
There is a place to turn.
A place that has served for more than 50 years as a beacon of hope and a tireless champion for our diverse and growing population.
A place where legal staff and volunteer attorneys and advocates fight to protect the fundamental rights of all.
Justice lives here.
Learn more about our services and programs here.
Art Location Description
Artwork could be displayed around or inside of Charlotte Center for Legal Advocacy’s new building at 5535 Albemarle Road, Charlotte NC. The building is in East Charlotte near Central Avenue. The city of Charlotte’s greenway will eventually extend near the site. The Advocacy Center chose this location because of its proximity to our clients, particularly the Latino and immigrant community in Charlotte. See linked plans for dimensions and more details.
The building’s exterior has excellent opportunities for art. The exterior has stretches of brick wall between large windows for murals. The largest wall faces an open green space that will be landscaped and used for casual collaborative working, meeting, and presentation space. The campus also has two plazas ideal for outdoor art display. Murals and other exterior art will be seen primarily by The Advocacy Center’s staff, clients, board of directors, other legal professionals, and nonprofit community partners who visit or work in the campus. The campus exterior is viewable from Albemarle Road in the Fall and Winter, but trees block the view of the buildings in the Spring and Summer.
Due to the design of the building and ample usage of glass walls, the interior has minimal wall space but still has good opportunities for display, particularly in our client-facing spaces downstairs including reception, the client waiting room, and interview rooms. Wall space in the interview rooms will be shared with teleconferencing technology. Upstairs will be accessible by staff only and has some wall space around “spine walls” as shown in the attached design. Windows wrap the exterior of the building and office fronts are glass. Materials used should be able to withstand substantial light exposure.
View the exterior and floor plans of our building here. Potential display dimensions can be found here. We welcome ideas for creative usage of space that would allow for other display options outside of those marked.
Budget
Charlotte Center for Legal Advocacy has currently allocated $15,000 toward the commission or purchase of artwork. The Advocacy Center may select multiple artworks or invest in a singular proposal depending on quality, creativity, and cost. Budget would include purchase of existing artwork and/or total cost of creating new work including artists’ fees, materials, and installation.
Artist Eligibility
Artists selected for this project should:
- Be over the age of 21
- Emerging artists preferred, but not required
- Artists who are local to the Charlotte-Mecklenburg region preferred, but not required
- Artists who are Black, Indigenous, Latino, people of color, immigrants, women, disabled people, LGBTQ+, veterans, and artists who come from low-income backgrounds are especially encouraged to apply.
- Can be single applicants or part of an artist team or collective
Art Criteria
Successful artwork should:
- Follow thematic guidelines listed above
- Be appropriate for a non-profit, professional office
- Use durable and affordable materials that can withstand weathering and light exposure (art chosen will be a permanent installation)
- Be completed the project in fiscal year 2022
- Support the mission of our organization
Application Requirements
To apply, please submit the following to Meghan Rankins at meghanr@charlottelegaladvocacy.org by May 2nd, 2021 at 5pm.
- Artist Bio and Resume/CV.
- 3-4 examples of your artwork aligned with our mission and vision statements that are currently available for purchase. Please include title, dimensions, creation year, media, material and retail price.
- Alternatively, artists can submit existing examples of work that would serve as inspiration for a new proposal. Proposal should include details about concept, material, proposed dimension, and full budget to execute proposed work.
- A few paragraphs commenting on your ideas for the space, medium of art you would use, estimate price of the commission, and plans to involve the community of Charlotte in your piece. If you are proposing a new work, please outline any experience you have had with public art commissions
- Links to your website and/or social media handles
Selection process
Submissions will be evaluated by Charlotte Center for Legal Advocacy’s Art Committee. Artists interested in the project should apply by May 2nd, 2021. Submissions will be evaluated by Charlotte Center for Legal Advocacy’s Art Committee and selected artists will be notified by the end of May. Selected artists will be invited to the new building to see the space and opportunities for artwork.
Selection Criteria
Submissions will be selected based on the following criteria:
- Representation of the desired goals and themes of the artworks
- Interpretation of mission and clarity of concept
- Creativity and originality in interpreting mission.
- Consideration of the scope and criteria of the project
- Quality of the artwork and proposal
- Approximated cost of commission/artwork
- Priority given to emerging artists
- Priority given to artists local to the Charlotte-Mecklenburg region
Project Timeline
Projects should begin after July 1st, 2021 and be complete by June 30th, 2022, but ideally be completed during Fall of 2021 when The Advocacy Center staff will move into the new building.
Sources for Additional Information/Questions
If you have additional questions, email Meghan Rankins at meghanr@charlottelegaladvocacy.org
Learn more about Charlotte Center for Legal Advocacy at www.charlottelegaladvocacy.org