What is a Panel?

A panel is a group of individuals pulled together by staff to review applications or nominations for Office of Arts & Cultural Vitality managed programs or opportunities. Panel members use published review criteria to evaluate applications and make recommendations about who gets grant funding, public art projects, roster appointments, etc.

Panelists are selected for a variety of reasons which can include: their connection to community, knowledge of relevant subject matter, and the diversity of perspectives and experiences they bring to the group overall. For each opportunity, we assemble a unique panel of three to nine people to make collective recommendations about which applicants should receive funding or commissions through our office. Those recommendations generally go to the Tacoma Arts Commission or the Tacoma Creates Advisory Board for final approval.

Why be a Panelist?

The Office of Arts & Cultural Vitality (OACV) is deeply appreciative of the time and expertise community members invest in serving on panels. Serving on a panel is a proactive way to impact how public funds are spent in Tacoma, and panelists receive valuable professional development as well as insight into how the application review process works from the inside.

OACV provides panelists with free parking and food during meetings, in addition to offering a monetary stipend.

The length and number of meetings needed for a selection process vary based on the project. Depending on the application, some panels will require a small amount of prep work in advance, one to two hours, and some panels may require extensive reading and evaluation work in advance of the in-person panel meeting, anywhere from 10-50 hours. Community members will be offered a stipend for their service as follows:

• $50 – quarter day meeting (1 – 2 hours)
• $100 – half day meeting (3 ‐ 4 hours)
• $200 – full day meeting (6 – 9 hours)
• $100 – pre‐meeting work to digitally read and score applications (only when requested)

Members of a City‐appointed commission or board are volunteers and are not eligible to receive a stipend for their service on a panel. City of Tacoma employees and project staff are not eligible to receive a stipend for their service on a panel.

Submit a Panel Interest Form

Please complete the online form to be considered for a position on an upcoming OACV panel: www.surveymonkey.com/r/tacomapanels 

 

Staff will take into account many factors when putting together panels, and may not be able to use the services of all qualified individuals who submit. If an individual is offered a position on a panel but is unable to participate because of scheduling or conflict of interest, OACV will continue to consider them for future panels. Panel Interest Forms will be saved and reviewed periodically for up to three years from the submission date.

Questions

If you have questions, please contact Naomi Strom-Avila at nstrom-avila@cityoftacoma.org or (253) 591-5191.

Budget

$500 participation-based stipend, $1,000 project stipend, and opportunity to compete for a minimum of five permanent public art projects averaging $30,000 each.

 

Optional Information Session

There will be an optional information session on Wednesday, January 29, 2020, from 5:30-6:30 PM at Metro Parks Tacoma Board Room, 4702 S 19th St., Tacoma, WA 98405.

 

Submission Deadline

February 10, 2020, 11:59 PM

 

Call to Artists

Download the Call to Artists for more details.

 

Summary

Metro Parks Tacoma is seeking Pierce County artists with an active studio practice, who wish to learn how to develop artwork for the public realm, to participate in a ‘hands-on’ public art education program. Artists may work in a variety of disciplines and may or may not have previous public art experience.

The training, which is free of charge to selected artists, is valued at approximately $4,300 per participant. Participating artists will create temporary projects and have the opportunity to apply and compete for one or more of at least five permanent public art projects averaging $30,000 each, funded by Metro Parks and the City of Tacoma.

 

Eligibility

• Applicants must live in Pierce County, WA
• Applicants must be 18 years or older
• Applicants must apply as an individual
• Applicants must have an active art practice, in any medium, producing artwork on a regular basis
• Applicants must be interested in creating permanent public artworks
• Applicants must commit to attending all 5 training sessions, which will take place Saturdays late March-May 2020 (we will work with selected artists to schedule sessions, please contact staff prior to applying if you have any concerns)
• Applicants cannot have an employment or volunteer position that represents a conflict of interest with either Metro Parks or the City’s Office of Arts & Cultural Vitality

Commitments

Selected artists are expected to attend all sessions. Artists will participate in five day-long workshops, in preparation for a cycle of public art commission applications and interviews. Training sessions will be Saturdays late March-May 2020. Additional sessions and experiences will be scheduled, to include temporary projects and presentations, interviews for projects, field trips, peer discussion groups, and one-on-one mentorship as needed.

Submission Process

Eligible artists interested in this opportunity must submit the following via Submittable: 

1. Basic Information
2. Narrative Questions
3. Up to ten Work Samples with Descriptions
4. Resume

Questions

Contact Rebecca Solverson, Public Art Specialist, (253) 591-5564, rebecca.solverson@cityoftacoma.org.