MURALS AT MERCANTILE

DEADLINE EXTENDED TO SEPTEMBER 19, 2020

CALL FOR ENTRIES

Murals at Mercantile is requesting proposals from artists or collaborative teams to submit ideas for site-specific original works of art to be installed within the newly constructed restaurant marketplace—The Mercantile on Main. The proposed pieces of artwork are to capture the distinct character and culture of the Rochester community and/or enhance public space, including the site’s open space and surrounding area.

BACKGROUND 

The Mercantile On Main is Sibley’s new local flavor market, featuring regional cuisine from local chefs, opening fall of 2020. Selected work will be installed at 250 East Main Street in the 5 story, 10,000 square foot atrium. The Mercantile is a curated collection of some of the best food and drink in downtown Rochester. An open early, stay as long as you like hub at the corner of Clinton Ave and Main St, where business gets done, friendships are fueled, and people have fun.

See Mercantile On Main inspiration below

HISTORY

Sibley, Lindsay & Curr Company, known informally as Sibley's, was a Rochester, New York-based department store chain with stores located exclusively in the state of New York. Its flagship store, at 228 East Main Street in downtown Rochester, also housed its headquarters and featured an elegant executive dining room on the top floor.

Rufus Sibley, Alexander Lindsay, and John Curr were employees at the Hogg, Brown & Taylor dry-goods store in Boston. Wishing to go into business for themselves, they investigated potential sites and settled on the growing city of Rochester. Their first storefront, often called "the Boston store" by locals, opened in 1868. When the company opened a new 12-story, 23-acre flagship store in the Granite Building, it was among the five largest department stores in the country at the time.

In 1905, after the disastrous 1904 "Sibley fire" gutted the Granite Building and much of Rochester's dry goods district, Sibley's moved to its final location, the Sibley Building at the northeast corner of East Main Street and Clinton Avenue. By 1939, Sibley's was the largest department store between New York City and Chicago.

In 1962, competitors B. Forman Co. and McCurdy's collaborated to construct Midtown Plaza, right across Main Street from Sibley's. Sibley's was connected to the new mall by an enclosed third-floor walkway, part of the Rochester Skyway system.

The company was acquired by the Associated Dry Goods Corporation in 1957, which, in turn, was acquired by May Department Stores in 1986. The Sibley's name was merged into May Company's Kaufmann's name in 1990. Most of its suburban locations, after converting to Kaufmann's, became part of Macy's by 2006.

See Sibley’s inspiration below

ELIGIBILITY 

This call for artists is open to all professional and/or artist-led teams based in the Monroe County religion regardless of race, color, creed, gender, gender variance, sexual orientation, national origin, age, religion, marital status, political opinion or affiliation, or mental or physical disability. Artists residing in the Rochester area are strongly encouraged to apply.

PROPOSED SPACES

FLOUR/FLOWER CITY ROLL UP

The surfaces for these 5 proposed mural sites are located inside the main gathering area of the Mercantile on Main. There are five corrugated restaurant roll up doors that will be visible after the restaurants close and will become the backdrop for visitors socializing at the center bar.

We seek work that takes inspiration from Rochester’s flour/flower city icon.

Details: Five heavy duty commercial corrugated steel metal roll up doors

Size: 10 feet tall x 12 feet long 

Square Footage: 120 sq ft

Budget: $3,700.00 (each door)

See figure 1

ESCALATOR POP

This interior escalator wall is relatively smooth with great visibility for visitors enjoying themselves in the center market place. This is one of our key highlighted areas of the Mercantile. We seek work that carries a vibrant energy, life and vivid color. We consider this wall our “Instagram-able” space.

See figure 2

Size: 12 feet tall x 15 feet long (triangle)

Square Footage: 180 sq ft

Budget: $3,000.00

ILLUMINATED INSTALLATION 

This interior wall is relatively smooth with excellent visibility for visitors to the Mercantile and passers by on Main St. This installation will be visible during the day and evening. We are asking artists/teams to create an illuminated art installation with a similar feel to a neon glow. We would like to see design/electric specs.

Size: 12 feet tall x 24 feet long

Square Footage: 288 sq ft

Budget: $6,500.00 

TIMELINE

September 1, 2020: Site visit 3:pm - 4:00 250 East Main St

September 19, 2020: Deadline for submission 

September 26, 2020: Artists Selection and notifications 

September 28, 2020: Work begins

November 1, 2020: Work completed

PROPOSALS SUBMITTED MUST INCLUDE: 

One PDF (contents detailed below) and up to five proposal images. Images should not exceed 5MB.

ONE PDF (TEN PAGE MAXIMUM) MUST INCLUDE:

Page 1: Name / Mailing Address/ Phone Number / Email Address / Brief Bio

Page 2 and 3: Resume

Page 4: Artist’s statement regarding concept of the proposal (500 word max)

Page 5: Budget and estimated time necessary for completion

Pages 6 - 10: Images of previous work that demonstrates ability and experience

Send all submissions or questions to: submissions@shawndunwoody.com

Applications must be submitted in the required format so they may be evaluated in an objective manner by the selection committee. Entries that do not meet submission requirements will not be considered.