Calls for Artists

Omnitrans is seeking artists to paint unique art designs on concrete bus benches throughout the San Bernardino Valley in spring 2024. Fill out this survey and submit your artistic concepts for consideration to paint one of 50 bus benches.

Link: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/XC8RGST

IMPORTANT DATES
Submissions open: September 19, 2023
Submissions close: November 27, 2023
If selected, artists will be notified by January 2024
Community Art Event (showcasing some of the benches): late April or early May
REQUIREMENTS
Artists must reside in the Inland Empire
Artist must be over 18
Artists can only receive one stipend from a California Arts Council-funded grant. Artists must disclose to Omnitrans whether they have applied or intend to apply for any other Creative Corps or any other California Arts Council-funded grant opportunity.
This project is funded in part by the California Arts Council, a state agency, and it is also made possible in part by a grant from the Inland SoCal Creative Corps, a component fund at The Inland Empire Community Foundation.

RULES/TERMS OF PARTICIPATION
Artists are highly encouraged to create artwork that reflects local culture and heritage of the community and San Bernardino Valley region.
Artists will be selected based on the criteria below (experience, concept, & connection with local community)
Artists selected will receive a $1,500 stipend to cover time and materials.
Artists must provide their own art supplies/materials, including permanent, long-lasting paint suitable for concrete as well as a drop cloth to prevent damage to the sidewalk at the event location.
Omnitrans does not discriminate on any basis.
All artworks must be appropriate for public viewing by all ages – no lewd, graphic violence, gore, nudity, or copyrighted content. No political or commercial advertisements or statements, written, visual or implied are permitted.
All artworks must be original.
Omnitrans reserves the right to remove any inappropriate art or writing as deemed necessary.
Omnitrans is not responsible for damage or defacing of artwork post-event.
Artists must fit artwork to a 7′ long, 2′ deep, and 40″ to the top of the back (as shown in photo above) concrete bus bench.
Omnitrans reserves the right to take photographs or videos of artists and their work for marketing, promotion, and publicity purposes, and to share the photographs with Creative Corps and the California Arts Council for use in progress reporting and promotion of the Creative Corps grant funded program.
Omnitrans employees and their immediately family members/dependents are not eligible to participate.
Non-compliance with the rules will result in removal from participation in the project.
ARTIST SUBMISSION DETAILS
When you have these questions/a sketch prepared, please fill out the survey with your contact information, your responses to these questions and a preliminary sketch. Thank you.

1. Please provide a Statement of Interest and Description of Concept for your artwork (250 – 350 words).

2. Please provide a brief description of your experience with similar art projects, such as outdoor murals/painting projects. (250 – 350 words)

3. Please prepare a preliminary concept sketch to upload that demonstrates all visible sides for the bench. An 8.5″ x 11″ sketch size is preferred and uploaded as a PDF, DOC, DOCX, PNG, JPG, JPEG, or GIF file.

4. In what ways do you engage and contribute to your local community? How will your art contribute to the local community? (If you have experience in the zip codes mentioned below, please include that in your response.) (250 – 350 words).

Here is also an interactive map to see the locations of benches to paint. If there is a particular bench you would like to paint, you can note up to 3 preferred locations in this survey. Be sure to note the intersections of the streets at the bench location (which is also visible by clicking on the star).
SCORING INFORMATION
Submissions will be evaluated in accordance with the following 100-point criteria. At most, 50 artists will be selected, for one bench per artist.
Experience with similar art projects (25 pts)
Proposed Concept (50 pts)
Originality (25 pts)
Relevance to local community (25 pts)
Familiarity with local community (25 pts)
Additional points will be awarded if artist resides in one of the project target communities: (10 pts)
Bloomington – 92316
Colton – 92324
Fontana – 92335
Highland – 92346
Loma Linda – 92354
Montclair – 91763
Ontario – 91761
Rancho Cucamonga – 91739, 91730
Rialto – 92376
San Bernardino – 92410, 92404, 92401, 92411, 92408
Engage (work/volunteer) in the local community (15 pts)
Question Title
* 1. I understand and agree to above-listed Terms and Conditions of Omnitrans’ bus bench painting opportunity through the Inland SoCal Creative Corps grant.