The Public Works Department, within the Ministry for Public Works and Planning (MPWP), values the impact of art and recognises its importance in serving as a creative stimulus for the artist and the community at large. Driven by this, the Public Works Department, in collaboration with Spazju Kreattiv and the Malta Council for Arts, is launching the third edition for proposals of Art in Public Spaces.

The Art in Public Spaces Programme aims to promote synergies between artists and the community through co-creation. It shall seek to empower communities to relate to art as coowners, and artists to acknowledge the needs and aspirations of communities through creative engagement. The programme shall also have the following objectives:

• to create a visual and aesthetic legacy in public spaces owned by the community together with developing a platform for debate on Public Art and stimulating the growth of a culturally engaged community;

• to increase access to the arts by fostering a healthy collaboration between artists, communities and community leaders;

• to promote contemporary artistic identities and awareness to them through participation and, by consequence, encouraging civic pride;

• to provide platforms for artists to showcase innovative and creative works;

• to establish a distinct and vibrant, visually rich environment for communities by creating new landmarks and regenerating new spaces.

This programme shall be funded by the MPWP. The programme will cover the years 2022, 2023 and 2024, and projects will be selected through this and possibly other subsequent calls for proposals. The aim is to choose a maximum of six projects to be created by six different artists, or groups of artists, in six different localities or regions. For the period 2022-2024, six site-specific permanent co-created outdoor works of public art will be commissioned by way of an open call for proposals. The maximum budget allocation for each project is €30,000 (incl. VAT). This budget will cover:

• Artist fees;
• Project team fees for the design/permits/construction/production/installation/ documentation;
• Incurred expenses for the sourcing of permits to execute the project, including architect’s fees and PA charges;
• Cost of the manufacturing and installation of the project, including but not limited to, cost of material, construction, setup, certification and maintenance;
• Any lighting and/or other technical systems needed as part of the proposal (excluding electricity consumption);
• Any costs to document (ex. photography, videography etc.) the project development and presentation process.

Proposal

Submissions shall be guided by the following principles:
• Contemporary and innovative concept/s;
• Artistic quality and excellence of the portfolio and proposal;
• Expertise of the project team;
• Relevance/response of the piece to its planned context/environment;
• Engagement with the community to increase opportunities for creative participation;
• Technical feasibility and sustainability of the work for outdoor display, including appropriateness of scale, durability and maintenance;
• Conservation requirements and health and safety issues as per OHSA and EU regulations; • Ability of the work to activate, enhance or regenerate a public space and increase opportunities for creative participation;
• Budget feasibility.

Commissions are to actively engage with the community context they are intended for. Active participation by the community is important in terms of gaining public understanding, connection and ownership of the work.

Submissions:

• Submissions in digital format are to be sent on info.pwd@gov.mt by not later than Friday 24th June 2022.

• Submissions in physical format are to delivered by hand and addressed to:

The Project Manager - Art in Public Spaces, Public Works Department Communications Unit, 2 nd Floor, Project House, Francesco Buonamici Street, Floriana FRN 1700

On: Thursday 23 th June 2022 between 9am and 2 pm or Friday 24th June 2022 between 9am and 2pm.

Acknowledgement by email will be issued for each received application.

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