Trains on Main - 2017

Waunakee's 3rd Annual Public Art Project

Summary:

The Village of Waunakee, in partnership with Endres Mfg. Company and the Waunakee Area Chamber of Commerce, is happy to announce the third annual Waunakee Public Art Project. Last year’s project, Barns on Main, was successful in continuing to build upon the creative and innovative identity of Waunakee. The Village and its partners would like to build on this project and see it taken even further, including expanding on another facet of Waunakee’s heritage.

This year’s project is called Trains on Main, and will highlight the role of the locomotive in helping to build Waunakee’s infrastructure, economy, and overall identity. This also includes the current site of the Waunakee Area Chamber of Commerce, located within the historic Train Depot building right on Main Street in the middle of downtown.

Endres Mfg. Company will once again donate time, labor, and materials to provide our artists with steel train engine cutouts upon which they will share what Waunakee means to them. A $200 stipend as well as creative development will be provided to each artist or artist team from the EMC Foundation. Those interested in applying must currently live or work within the school district limits of Waunakee, or be a graduate of Waunakee Community School District.

All of the finished cars will be displayed together, connected as one long art piece, at the depot building for a majority of the summer. For further details and how to apply, see below.

Project Description:

This temporary, outdoor public art installation will be on view at the Waunakee Area Chamber of Commerce depot building from June 1, 2017 through September 17, 2017. Artists will receive a steel train engine cutout standing on a steel base. (For measurements and exact shape, please see attached material.) The artist is completely free to determine theme, materials, and general direction of the final product.

Finished rail engines will be installed at the Waunakee Area Chamber of Commerce for a period of 3.5 months. For security concerns, the cars will be chained together to prevent theft or damage. A plaque decal on the base will include artist information and credits, as well as information for Endres Mfg. Company and the Waunakee Area Chamber of Commerce. After the cars are removed from view they will be auctioned off to the community at Wauktoberfest. Proceeds will support projects that benefit the community through the Waunakee Creative Economy Initiative and the Endres Foundation.

Trains on Main Specifications

Goals:

Continue to develop a sense of place and artistic identity within Waunakee and surrounding regions
Build off of the success of last year’s project and make public art a point of interest for the Village
Strengthen the relationship between Waunakee businesses and citizens through art and creativity
Promote the downtown area through commerce, partnerships, and increased foot traffic

Artist Eligibility:

The Artist must live or work within the limits of the Waunakee Community School District, or be a graduate of Waunakee Community High School
The call is open to professional/amateur/hobby artists and students of all ages
Artist teams are eligible for the project: however, a team leader must be selected and made clear in the application material
The stipend must be shared with team members
Previous public art experience is not necessary; all who are interested are encouraged to apply.

Selection Process and Criteria

A five person panel will review the submissions and select the 10 recipients of train cars based on a list of pre-determined criteria. This selection criteria will include:

Expression of some kind of them
Suggestions include: The Village of Waunakee, railway/locomotive history, travel, connectedness, or celebrations of creativity.
Creativity and innovative thinking shown in enhancing the simple cutout
Integration of final piece into setting (Downtown Waunakee, Main Street, Waunakee Area Chamber of Commerce Depot)
Clarity of vision, organization, and realistic completion expectations
Artistic merit

Budget:

Each artist or team of artists will be given a $200 stipend for use throughout the project. This includes coverage including but not limited to: supplies, transportation, studio overhead, and more. Any expenses exceeding $200 are the responsibility of the artists to cover. Stipends generously provided by Endres Mfg. and the Waunakee Area Chamber of Commerce.

How to Apply:

To apply, please send a proposal to this email with “Waunakee Trains on Main” in the subject line. Applications should include the following:

Full artist contact info: Name, email, phone, address
- For a team, please include this information for each team member and clearly indicate who the team leader will be
1 page resume or biography
Links to artist website, or images of past work if applicable
- If submitting images, please format as JPEGs and attach to email
1-2 page proposal for your train engine. Explain why you are interested in participating and what you would do with a train car and why. The artist is free to determine theme, composition, and materials.
All designs must be weatherproof. The cars will be outside rain or shine, 24 hours per day. Please be sure to explain weatherproofing efforts you will take or elements in your design that will ensure durability in all conditions.

Please no mailed submissions*

Deadline Extended to: April 30, 2017 by 5:00 PM

Timeline:

Week of April 2: Selection Committee meets, accepted artists will be notified

Thursday, April 6: Rail cars and stipends are picked up by artists from Endres Mfg. Company
Sunday, April 30: Application Deadline, 5:00 p.m.

Friday, June 2: Completed train cars are due to the Waunakee Area Chamber of
Commerce Depot

Monday, June 5: Cars go on display at Waunakee Area Chamber of Commerce Depot

Thursday, June 8
from 5:00-7:00 PM: Artist Reception for Trains on Main, to be held at the Waunakee Area
Chamber of Commerce Depot

Sunday, September 17: WauktoberFest auction of Trains on Main art pieces