We’ve purchsed a home which has a contemporary stype living room. One end wall is large and bare. Dimensions are 26’ wide and two store high ~ 18’. There is a loft at the other end for viewing/lighting options.
My though is to sponsor an art project at the local university. Wife, art department representative, and I would judge submission and select a “winner” who would do the painting/sculpture/other in exchange for a substantial payment to further his/her career. The project wouldn’t have to cover entire surface and I’m pretty open-ended on possibliites (performance art each Sunday afternoon would be out however).
We’d like something original in the way of decoration and a way to sponsor upcoming artists. Some other rooms might get the same treatment if a number of submissions strike our fancy.
Anyone else done something like this? Any suggestions on how to go about this or any pitfalls to avoid?
I have a cousin who was toying with the idea of doing something similar, although with an architecture slant. He acquired some property in an area that is now zoned for residential use, that has an old structure on it. I guess it is a 1910-ish industrial mill. He was thinking of a competition type thing for the students at an area architectural school to convert it for residential use I guess while keeping the industrial feel. I should ask him where this ended up, I haven’t heard anything in a while.
SO. I work at a college, although not specifically an art college. I do know of some community partnerships that have been interesting and successful. However, there are some issues that seem to come up over and over again that often lead to people being disappointed. Sometimes, it is that the department has a fairly specific structure to its academic program (and they’re not going to change it) that doesn’t necessarily fit with what the community person is looking for, especially if it is not an on-going project. Also, time can be a factor … if the students are expected to cover a variety of material during the semester, it could be very difficult for the winning student to execute his/her art work and still be doing the other assignments required in his/her classes. Personalities play a big part … a professor might love this sort of thing, or be not interested at all.
As a purely practical matter, there are liability issues. A school could determine that their insurance doesn’t cover any activities taking place in a private home, for example. And that would be the end of that.
Weirdly enough, I am thinking that the most attractive part of your plan (aside from the scholarhip money) isn’t so much about the opportunity to create art, but rather to provide a practice environment for the business side of things … working with a client, understanding the client’s goals, developing a proposal including a budget … that sort of thing. You might want to see if there is a specific class or professor that focuses on these issues. Your best bet might be to look for a partnership program that already exists at a college where you can apply to be one of the community participants.
One issue will be that you will be deciding the winner based on the concept or design, and then the student will need to execute. At what point will the student be paid? You will need to navigate the legal issues of whether any of this is wages, any of it is an independent contractor situation, or if it can legitimately be treated as a scholarship. If a college kid puts his back out while painting your wall, you’ll want to have thought of these angles beforehand. Or, what if you don’t like the execution of the design?
How will rights to the image be handled going forward?
You might look at just putting it out there as a request for proposal / independent contract situation. That might attract students who are a little more business/ execution savvy and would also give you an easy out if none of the proposals were anything you could live with.
Thanks HtS, and delphica; I hadn’t thought of the lawyers angle.
I would expect to retain rights as purchaser. The starving artist would get filthy lucre and additions to their portfolio. Perhaps right of first refusal in the event of a later sale.
I’ll propose a series of drawing/sculptures/paintings/projects that could be completed off site and over a period of time then hung/attached/transported into place.
I’ll get with the local art guild and university to get their thoughts as well.