'Rain Barrels On Parade' Call for Artists

StormWorks and American Eagle Outfitters Foundation are seeking design proposals from artists or artist-teams for "Rain Barrels on Parade," a program designed to creatively raise awareness of Pittsburgh’s stormwater issues.

Professional artists, emerging artists and college students will all be considered. Artists will be judged based on their portfolios and originality of ideas, but no previous public art experience is required.

Ideas related to stormwater management are welcomed but not required. We want to give artists a blank canvas to create a work of art that allows people to look at rain barrels in a new and exciting way.

Selected artists will receive two weeks, supplies, and one rain barrel measuring 30” x 30” x51”. Each selected artist will receive $100 for their time, a $50 stipend to purchase materials,and 10 percent of the auction proceeds from their rain barrel after maintenance costs.

The painted rain barrels will be placed at high-traffic locations within the city, including businesses and city buildings, from June to August.

The painted rain barrels will also be showcased at Watershed’s annual fundraiser and at the Allegheny Green & Innovation Festival.

In September, the rain barrels will be auctioned off to be used in homes and local businesses. Proceeds will go toward educational stormwater programming in the fall and subsequent spring.

The delivery deadline for submissions is May 31 at 5 p.m. Applications may be emailed to luke@ninemilerun.org or dropped off/mailed to: StormWorks, 702 S. Trenton Avenue, Pittsburgh, Pa 15221. Attn: Luke Stamper

Application Submission Process:

Each artist or artist-team can submit up to two designs for consideration, either in a JPG through an email attachment or in hard-copy through mail.

Please keep files under 1 MB and each hard-copy design to a single 8.5” x 11” page. Please also include a short description and title for eachdesign. A brief resume/portfolio of no more than three pages and artist statement is required.

Submission materials will not be returned.

StormWorks is a social enterprise created to support the mission of the Nine Mile Run Watershed Association (NMRWA) by implementing responsible stormwater management techniques throughout the Nine Mile Run watershed and beyond its boundaries.

StormWorks aims to further the work of NMRWA by meeting stormwater service needs at two key levels: a suite of stormwater management and mitigation services to the greater Pittsburgh area, and consultant services at regional levels. StormWorks specializes in providing various products andservices, ranging from the installation of rain barrels and cisterns, the design and installation of rain gardens and permeable pavement, complete landscape design, and stormwater property consultations.