2025-05-29
RFP: West Virginia Based Artists
The Mills Group Architectural Office is seeking West Virginia based artists to create site specific artwork honoring the below historic buildings:
Blue Sulphur Springs Pavilion (White Sulphur Springs); Metropolitan Theatre (Morgantown); Beverly Heritage Museum (Beverly); Oglebay Mansion (Wheeling); Cottrill’s Opera House (Thomas); Kump House (Elkins); Egerter Building (Wheeling); Monongalia County Courthouse (Morgantown); Berkeley Springs Depot (Berkeley Springs); Holly Grove Mansion (Charleston); Tygart Hotel (Elkins); Graceland (Elkins); Mountaineer Hotel (Williamson); Independence Hall (Wheeling); Shepherdstown Market House (Shepherdstown); West Edge Warehouse (Huntington); The Boury Lofts (Wheeling); Greenbrier Historical Society Law Library (Lewisburg); OOF Building(Parkersburg- now the Discovery on Market); Carnegie Hall (Lewisburg)
One artist or artist team will be selected to work per building with (20) total artists being selected. The art pieces must be completed no later than October 15th. The final art pieces will be auctioned to the highest bidder and the proceeds will be donated to the Preservation Alliance of West Virginia in honor of Mills Group’s 20th Anniversary.
Theme: Artwork themes should be historic in nature, honoring the historic buildings, towns they are located in, and/or other meaningful representations. These representations can be realistic or abstract. Multiple forms of media and methods are encouraged. The $500 budget includes but is not limited to design fees, travel, mileage, per diem, supplies, material costs, meeting and administration hours, labor, artist fees.
Application Requirements:
• Introduce yourself &/or your team in a letter of Interest.
• Clearly describe your interest in the project and how you/your team will be able to contribute to its success.
• Explain how your art practice is connected to the state of West Virginia.
• Articulate your interest and/or experience in public art design, fabrication and/or project collaboration.
• Artist’s Experience: list your professional experience including any commissions, Page 2 of 2 residencies, touring, exhibitions, collaborations, and projects involving the community and work in the public sector.
• Attach up to 10 .pdf or jpg. images &/or links to video files of your work. • Include descriptions within your uploaded portfolio images and/or an Image list with title date/year, materials used and size.
Evaluation Criteria: The Selection Panel will use the following evaluation criteria to select an artist or artist team:
• Excellence: Works of art in the artist's portfolio and proposal are original, innovative, of exceptional quality and enduring value.
• Relevant prior experience: The artist has created projects of a similar scale and budget and has experience coordinating with multiple stakeholders.
• Appropriateness to site and project: Works of art in the portfolio and proposal indicate that the artist is likely to be sensitive to the subject matter, social, economic, cultural, historical and physical context of the site and the surrounding neighborhood, either existing or planned.
Submission Deadline: Please submit your application materials via email to Mills Group, Attn: Hannah Tarcy at htarcy@millsgrouponline.com no later than June 30th.
Submissions received after this deadline will not be considered. Mills Group reserves the right to clarify submission materials as needed.
Questions related to this project should be directed to Hannah at htarcy@millsgrouponline.com