Updated Deadline for applications
The deadline for applications for Art in the Heart has been extended to August 1, 2022. Existing applications will be reviewed and notified of the change in dates.
Call for applications
In partnership with the Friends of Buncombe County Special Collections and Asheville’s Public Art and Cultural Commission, the City is kicking off a new temporary public art program to activate Pack Square Plaza and engage with the community in a new way. Art in the Heart will support the production/installation of up to 10 temporary art projects and/or experiences in Pack Square Plaza, with artist stipends ranging from $500 to $1,500. The City is calling on artists and creatives to apply.
Art in the Heart is now accepting applications via the following application LINK. Interested applicants must submit their proposals by 5 p.m. on August 1, 2022. The first installation or performance could begin as early as July with artists’ works continuing on a coordinated or rotating basis through the end of the year.
With the removal of the Vance Monument and the start of the Pack Square Plaza Visioning and Improvements project, the plaza – including the site of the former Vance Monument – will soon enter into a new era. Through the Art in the Heart program, artists and creatives are asked to help cultivate and facilitate critical conversations around the past, present, and future of Pack Square Plaza. A range of temporary artwork may be appropriate including: traditional, non-traditional, experiences, and performances.
Public spaces and monuments are dynamic and should be an inclusive reflection of the people and history they represent. Therefore, artist proposals must embrace the theme of social equity and inclusion and respond to the following questions:
- What should Pack Square Plaza look and feel like in the future?
- What stories haven’t been told or represented in downtown Asheville?
Art in the Heart is a way to unite, heal, and strengthen the community. The goal is to use art to spark conversation and ideas on how to make Pack Square Plaza – a central gathering place and hub of activity for the region – a place that resonates with Asheville’s diverse community. The program will help inspire and inform the larger initiative underway of creating a community vision for the future of this area.
For more information and to apply, visit www.ashevillenc.gov/publicart or the City’s bid page: www.ashevillenc.gov/bids.
Pack Square Plaza Visioning Updates
The City of Asheville and Buncombe County are continuing to make progress on a broader engagement effort to document the community’s vision for the future of Pack Square Plaza and plan for implementation.
Following a Request for Proposals (RFP) process launched earlier this year, the top ranked team was selected to lead engagement and documentation of the community’s perspectives on the Pack Square area, and to provide guidance on how the design, programming, and management of the space can become more equitable and inclusive for all. This collaborative community engagement and planning initiative is anticipated to begin in July and continue for 6-9 months. Staff will present a contract to the City Council for consideration on June 14.