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Contemporary Arts Center
Lois & Richard Rosenthal Center
for Contemporary Art
44 E. 6th Street,
Cincinnati, OH 45202

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This RFP invites graphic designers currently based in the Midwest to submit a proposal for the exhibition identity of a large-scale group exhibition, The Regional, being co-organized by moCa Cleveland (moCa) and the Contemporary Arts Center (CAC), Cincinnati.

Opening at moCa in July of 2021 and traveling to the CAC in the fall, the full scope of the project, once selected, includes the exhibition’s identity & graphics as well as the design of a digital publication. Project Deliverables: Logo & Typeface for Exhibition Collateral (wall text, brochure, interpretative materials) Digital Publication Social Media Content (digital engagement and outreach campaign assets)

About the Exhibition: Works by 25 artists based in the Midwest are presented as a part of a collaborative survey exhibition celebrating emerging and under-recognized artists living and working throughout America’s heartland. Featuring painting, photography, installation, and performance by artists living in Detroit, Cincinnati, Chicago, Cleveland, Columbus, Indianapolis, Kansas City, Madison, Minneapolis, and Saint Louis, among others, the exhibition provides an important platform for a generation of artists who are shaping the current discourse of contemporary art and the future of culture. Loosely defined as the area that stretches from the Dakotas in the west along the Great Lakes to Michigan and Ohio in the east and from the north in Minnesota adjacent to the Mississippi River through Illinois, Iowa and Missouri, the Midwest is a construct bounded by geography, but also a set of shared historical commonalities.

Partially encompassing the “Rust Belt,” a site of 20th century industrial growth marked by subsequent declines and more recent resurgences, it is also linked by histories that includes the early abolition of slavery and the underground railroad network; as well as immigration, namely by Germans, Irish, and Scandinavian in the mid 19th century, and more recently by asylum seekers from countries as varied as Vietnam, Iraq, and Somalia. Refusing any singular unifying theme, The Regional celebrates the diversity of contexts, perspectives, and concerns present in the middle section of America. Bringing together a wide variety of artists and contextualizing their different approaches, the exhibition allows for diverse ways of making sense of the world, opening up our reading of objects and images, gestures and situations, histories, and futures. The exhibition is accompanied by a comprehensive digital catalogue, and a robust series of virtual and small group public programming. Eligibility: The RFP is open to all designers currently based in the Midwest.

Teams and collaborative practices are encouraged to apply. How to Apply: Please send a portfolio of recent work, a short bio or CV, and a short note expressing your interest in the project to theregional@mocacleveland.org. Submissions will be accepted until February 1, 2021. Once portfolios are reviewed, 4 designers will be shortlisted and invited to submit a proposed concept for design.

Each application must include the following:

• Participant name(s)

• Pronouns • Email address and phone number

• Portfolio of past projects

• Short bio, resume, or CV describing past arts or design experience (include links, if applicable)

• A 50-300 word statement describing your interest in the project Awards:

The 4 designers shortlisted will be asked to submit a proposed design concept for the show. Each of the shortlisted designers will receive a modest honorarium of $300 for their time during the proposal process. Once selected, the awarded designer will receive a fee of $12,000 which encompasses work on the exhibition identity and publication design.

Judging: A panel including the exhibition curators, will review and evaluate proposals and ideas based on:

Visual impact and creativity

Typographic innovation

Originality Relationship to ideas of regionality & the Midwest

About moCa Cleveland (moCa) Cleveland’s Museum of Contemporary Art (moCa) plays an urgent and exciting role in the city’s cultural landscape. As a non-collecting institution moCa is ever-changing, introducing new exhibitions throughout the year to create fresh experiences for visitors each season. Since its founding in 1968, moCa has presented the works of more than 2,000 artists, often through artists’ first solo shows. For more than 50 years, moCa has been both conduit and catalyst for anyone seeking creativity and inspiration, bringing the art and ideas of our time to Cleveland and the region at large. moCa was the first in the area to exhibit the works of vanguard artists such as Roy Lichtenstein and Andy Warhol. We continue in that tradition, featuring the work of emerging and established regional, national, and international artists.

About the Contemporary Arts Center (CAC) Through exhibitions, performances, and educational and hands-on community programs, the Contemporary Arts Center (CAC) provides opportunities for all people to engage with the art, artists, and ideas of our time. With free admission, and working with its community of visitors, patrons, and partners, the CAC explores the unfolding landscape of art and celebrates creative expression in everyone. Since its founding in 1939, the CAC has been a champion of emerging ideas in contemporary art. In 2003, the CAC moved into the Lois & Richard Rosenthal Center for Contemporary Art, the first museum designed by architect Zaha Hadid and the first museum in the U.S. to be designed by a woman. Recent programming highlights include landmark exhibitions of work by Ugo Rondinone, Do Ho Suh, Titus Kaphar, Saya Woolfalk, Swoon, and Akram Zaatari, and the first solo museum presentations of artists such as Maria Lassnig, Shilpa Gupta, JR, Anri Sala, Michael Sailstorfer, Pia Camil, Albano Afonso, and Pamela Phatsimo Sunstrum.

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