PALM BEACH COUNTY — Palm Beach County Art in Public Places (PBC AiPP) will commission up to 36 students, emerging, and professional artists based in Palm Beach County to transform ordinary Traffic Signal Boxes (TSB) into three-dimensional artworks. Located in municipal and unincorporated Belle Glade, Pahokee and South Bay, public infrastructure provides ideal “canvases” to enhance streetscapes and foster a unique sense of place for residents and visitors to the Lake Region. Artists are invited to create original art, in diverse media, inspired by contemporary and historical attributes of the Lake Region’s natural and human-made environments, communities, recreational activities, education, arts, culture, industry and more.

Outside the Box is a fast-paced project that offers a unique opportunity for artists to exhibit art outdoors in the public realm, even if their original artwork medium cannot withstand South Florida weather. Digitally translating images onto vinyl enables us to transform two-dimensional artworks into outdoor three-dimensional sculptures. PBC AiPP encourages artists interested in taking the leap from studio to public artist, and those who create site-specific works, to apply.

Artist selection occurs in two phases. In the first phase, up to 60 artists will be selected by the Shortlist Selection Panel based on images of their past work and other qualifications. In the second phase, the up to 60 selected artists will develop one concept art design to present in person to the Finalist Selection Panel who will select up to 36 artists and their concept designs.

After Finalist Selection, PBC AiPP will inform artists of the specific TSB location, dimensions and related size ratio for their artwork. Final artworks may be of any medium and must be a minimum of 15 inches on all sides and proportionate to the size ratio of their assigned TSB. Finalist selected artists will enter into a contract with Palm Beach County to finalize their art design. After artwork is completed and approved by PBC AiPP, high quality digital images will be taken of completed artwork at PBC AiPP’s office by a county-hired photographer at no cost to the artists. Images will be printed onto adhesive vinyl then installed onto TSBs by a County-hired printer and installer at no cost to the artists. Digitally translating images onto vinyl enables us to transform two-dimensional artworks into outdoor three-dimensional sculptures. Artists keep their original artwork.

Vinyl art wraps will be installed in the spring or early summer of 2020, culminating with a community event and It’s a Wrap exhibition featuring the artists with their concept and final artworks, at the Belle Glade Branch Library.

In addition, a downloadable map highlighting artworks and their locations will aid in connecting the public with the Lake Region and experiencing it anew through diverse artist interpretations of place.
For the Sept. 6 application deadline information, go to discover.pbcgov.org/fdo/art/Pages/Calls-to-Artists.aspx.