MetroCommon 2050 Spark Grant Agreement Information and Application

MetroCommon 2050 Spark Grant Agreement Information and Application

For Graphic, Editorial, Comic, Animation, Video, Other Art
Apply by or before October 3, 2019
Application link at the bottom of this page

General Information 
The Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC) is Greater Boston’s regional planning agency. We are seeking Boston-area artists to create original works that make key concepts of specified MAPC research papers compelling to a wide audience.

Over the next year, we will enter into a Grant Agreement with up to six different artists, each of whom will be responsible for creating an original work of art for one assigned MAPC research or informational product. We are open to any medium, but artworks will be distributed by MAPC by email and over social media, and so must be effective for this use.

The ideal artworks will command attention. They will be understandable and interesting to a wide audience across the Greater Boston region. They may be translated by MAPC into other languages, but the original artwork will be understandable to English speakers. They, or the documentation of them, will be easy to share or embed in others’ content, and they will be compelling on social media. All artworks will be in harmony with MAPC’s missionand MetroCommon 2050’s values. This project is part of MetroCommon 2050, Greater Boston’s next regional plan, which is under development now.

MAPC’s goal is to amplify the ideas and principles we develop with an for the communities in our region. We have internal capacity to do infographics such as this, which was picked up widely in the press and piqued interest on social media. We believe that the resonance that can be expressed by artists has the potential to heighten and add urgency and clarity to our messaging.

Grant Agreement
MAPC will enter into a Grant Agreement valued at $2,500.00 per recipient, with a $1,250.00 stipend payable upon MAPC’s acceptance of a draft.  The remaining $1,250.00 will be payable upon MAPC’s acceptance of a final deliverable. MAPC reserves the right not to publish a final artwork not submitted by the agreed deadline or in the agreed form, and to withhold final payment. Artist is not responsible for delays caused by MAPC.

Application 
Application must be through the form you will find via the link at the bottom of this page. The form requires the following:

• Contact information
• A resume, CV, or brief bio
• Availability over the next twelve months
• Names and contact information for three references who will vouch for the applicant’s ability to meet deadlines, to understand complex information, to work within editorial constraints, and to modify artwork according to feedback.
• Link/s to a portfolio of at least three pieces of the applicant’s previous work (pdf or website encouraged).
• A short (two to three sentence) explanation of the approximate scope of work this Grant Agreement would enable the grantee to produce in the medium of their choice.  For example, a video-maker might indicate the length of video they would be able to produce; a comic artist might indicate the number of panels or pages they could produce.

Application Deadline 
Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis until October 3, 2019. Late applications will not be reviewed.  All applicants will receive a preliminary response by or before November 3, 2019.

Selection Process
MAPC will notify artists of preliminary acceptance by or before November 3, 2019. On preliminary acceptance, MAPC will offer the artist 2019/20 publish dates and, if possible, a choice of topics. Final selection will be based in part on artist availability. If an agreement is be reached, a Grant Agreement will be offered to the artist by or before December 3. There is no guarantee that any artist responding to this call will receive a Grant Agreement.

Copyright 
Because MAPC is a publicly funded agency, MAPC must retain the ownership rights to all of the intellectual property represented by the art delivered under the Grant Agreement. MAPC guarantees artist attribution. MAPC reserves the right to grant permission to artists to use the artwork for other reasonable purposes upon their written request.

Media Requirements
Final images (photographs, graphics, cartoons, drawings, paintings) will be required in tiff and jpeg format at a minimum of 3456 x 4608 pixels at 300 ppi and might be resized per our design needs. For live action or animated short films, acceptable video file formats (mov or mp4) must be no more than 24GB and five minutes long with minimum dimensions of 1920 pixels wide by 1080 pixels deep. Videos must be viewable in QuickTime or Windows, and easily uploadable to YouTube. Multiple video files should be numbered in the order in which artists intend them to be viewed.

Editorial Requirements
As a public agency and a mission-driven organization, MAPC has requirements for the artworks we publish. We will select and approve only artwork that meet those requirements, and we retain the right to require adjustments to meet those requirements.
This project, however, is about original voices. We will communicate any possible problems in writing to the artist before approving any draft and allow time for modifications.

• No non-anonymized person may appear in the final artwork unless the artist obtains the subject’s signature on an MAPC-supplied media release, which will be retained by MAPC.
• Final artworks must be the full realization of the draft as approved. They may not contain anything that MAPC deems critical or disrespectful of any individual, group, or community. The works may not contradict, in MAPC’s opinion, MAPC’s research, values, or standards. No nudity or profane or obscene language is allowed.

Process and Minimum Timing
Schedule to be agreed to by MAPC and artist on a case-by-case basis, depending on artist availability, MPC schedule, and topic area. The below is the most rapid process that would be requested by MAPC. Longer processes are likely.

• Week one: Artist receives draft research paper, meets electronically or in person with MAPC to discuss content. MAPC will be available throughout process to discuss and explain research
• Week three: Artist proposes three different ideas to MAPC, MAPC selects one idea for the artist to draft
• Week five: Artist submits a rough draft to MAPC – upon execution of a Grant Agreement, MAPC will pay a stipend to artist on receipt of draft
• Week six: MAPC gives feedback to artist with go-ahead to create final work, or to adjust any artwork in accordance with MAPC’s vision and mission
• Week eight: Artist submits final draft. MAPC accepts or gives additional feedback
• Week nine: Final acceptance, publication. Final payment is made to artist on final written acceptance.

Translation of this document may be requested. Please write to Karen Adelman atkadelman@mapc.org.

Webinars
Conference calls may be scheduled to explain the application process. Participation or non-participation in such conference calls will have no bearing on artist selection.
If interested in such a call, please contact Karen Adelman at kadelman@mapc.org.