It’s a good time to be an artist in South Orange.
First, SOPAC, the South Orange Village Center Alliance, Seton Hall and PNC Bank announced a call for artists to paint pianos to be displayed around town from August through October — honorarium included.
Now, the developer of Gateway South Orange and SOVCA have announced a mural project for the wall along the NJ Transit rail line facing the new luxury development, with artists or teams to be paid $1,500 for their work.
The Gateway is a new mixed used development in South Orange featuring 57 apartments and 9,100 square feet of retail space that is scheduled to open in September.
The wall that will house these murals faces the new development.
“We are thrilled to partner with EEA on this new mural project,” said Bob Zuckerman, SOVCA executive director, in a press release. “These murals are intended to beautify this space and will be a real amenity, not only for the residents of the Gateway, but also for the shoppers and diners who will frequent their new retail spaces and the general public who will be able to see these murals from the Cameron Field tennis courts and playground area.”
Ed Ayuso, principal of EEA and SOVCA’s treasurer, stated “this mural project will bring public art to our South Orange Village Center which will add color, character and real vibrancy to what are now just plain, lifeless walls. I can’t wait to see what artists from South Orange and around the area will propose for these walls, and I’m looking forward to seeing some great art in the Gateway when it opens in September.”
Sandy Martiny, Director of Cultural Affairs for the Baird, was also instrumental in helping the team come up with the parameters for the mural project, and she will sit on the committee that will judge the winning proposals. Other members of the committee will be Ayuso, Zuckerman, Mark Packer, SOPAC executive director, Village President Alex Torpey and Mary Cunningham, curator of the Summit Art Center.
The team is using ArtHere.org as the platform that artists will use to submit proposals. ArtHere has set up a website just for this project — southorange.arthere.org. All proposals must be submitted through the local ArtHere site.
Proposals can come from local and regional artists and artist teams, and all murals must incorporate the “theme” of South Orange. There are 12 individual mural panels, and each artist and/or team can submit one or more proposal. Artists and/or teams will be paid $1,500 per mural, and painting supplies and a lift for painting will be provided.
The deadline for submitting proposals is July 31, 2014. Artists will be notified the week of August 4. Production of the murals will commence the week of August 11 and work will be completed by September 15.
For more details about submitting proposals, please visit the website at southorange.arthere.org. Learn more about SOVCA at SOVillageCenter.org.
