ABOUT THE UNDERWATER MUSEUM OF ART
The Cultural Arts Alliance of Walton County (CAA) www.culturalartsalliance.com in partnership with the South Walton Artificial Reef Association (SWARA) www.swarareefs.org join two of South Walton, Florida's most cherished resources, the arts and the Gulf of Mexico, with the Underwater Museum of Art (UMA), the first and only permanent underwater sculpture museum in the United States. Artists are invited to submit proposals for the third art installation to be deployed Summer 2020. The UMA is located off the coast of Northwest Florida, specifically .9 miles off the coast of Grayton Beach State Park in South Walton, Florida.
Recently named by TIME Magazine as one of 100 “World’s Greatest Places,” the UMA is an ongoing collaborative project between the CAA and SWARA. Part of the CAA’s Art In Public Spaces program, the UMA augments SWARA's mission of creating marine habitat and expanding fishery populations while providing enhanced cultural, economic and educational opportunities for the benefit, education, and enjoyment of Walton County residents, including students and visitors.
Currently, Gulf coastal waters off Walton County are 95% barren sand flats. Deployment of sculpture as artificial reefs provides a source of biological replenishment and protective marine habitat. The sculptures quickly attract a wide variety of marine life, and over time, become a living reef. This eco/arts-tourism attraction not only entices art lovers and divers from around the world; it also provides a much-needed habitat for local marine life and fisheries and an opportunity for marine scientists, wildlife management professionals, ecologists, and students to study marine life and measure the impact of artificial reef systems on the Gulf ecosystem.
The UMA is produced in conjunction with SWARA’s existing USACOE and FDEP permitted artificial reef project that includes nine nearshore reefs located within one nautical mile of the shore in approximately 60 feet of water. A one-acre permit patch of seabed off the shore of Grayton Beach State Park has been dedicated for the purpose of a permanent underwater sculpture exhibit. The first phase of the UMA project included seven pieces of sculpture installed in June 2018, and the second installation of ten sculptures took place June 27, 2019.
GUIDELINES AND CRITERIA
ARTIST ELIGIBILITY
This opportunity is open to all artists and artist teams. While a demonstrated history of completing large- or small-scale public art projects is ideal, all artist applications will be considered. Artist teams should have a demonstrated history of collaboration. Following the application deadline, the CAA will convene a panel of arts and marine environment specialists to review the applications and select seven proposals for completion and installation.
Once selections are made, artists will be notified and have approximately five months to complete and deliver work to Walton County, FL where it will be exhibited on land before being transported to Walter Marine in Orange Beach, AL to be attached to its custom pedestal. Sculptures will then be transported by barge to the Gulf and carefully submerged to the floor.
Artists previously chosen to produce a sculpture for the UMA are eligible for consideration twice in a three-year period.
Artists may submit more than one design for consideration, but a separate application must be completed for each design.
ARTWORK CONSIDERATIONS & CRITERIA
Work must be the artist’s own creation, not a copy or replica, and adhere to the following:
Size
There is no one-size-fits-all rule, but artists should keep in mind that bigger/taller/heavier/less detailed sculptures will fare better at 60’ water depths. If a piece is too short or small, it is less likely to be noticeable or sustainable in these waters.
Dimensions (may vary slightly with approval)
Minimum dimensions: 5 feet x 5 feet
Maximum dimensions: 12 feet x 12 feet
Minimum weight: 500 lbs
Max weight: 3,000 lbs. Delivered (without permanent base)
*also see flange requirements below
Note: If sculpture is, for example, 8 feet wide x 4 feet tall, it can still be mounted as long as it has a substantial flange. All sculptures will be embedded about 6 inches into the pedestal so they need some sort of flange on bottom (the bottom 6 inches will be lost to sight in the pedestal system). This will ensure there is enough material to embed into the pedestal so the unit will stay attached and upright.
Approved materials
Clean concrete and limestone are the only approved materials to be used for the bulk of the sculpture. Stainless steel and aluminum may be incorporated into the design, but it must be ½” gauge or greater. All materials will be vetted to conform to permit. Artists should take into account the presence of boat anchors in and around the UMA site and should make their best effort in the design to mitigate risk of damage to artwork by anchors.
Base
DO NOT CREATE YOUR OWN PERMANENT BASE. After delivery, each sculpture will be permanently affixed to a concrete pedestal that weighs approximately 3,000 lbs and measures 8 inches tall. The dimensions of the base will conform to the design of each piece of work. After the sculpture is attached, the pedestal top is embedded with limestone to attract corals.
Turtle Escape
Hollow, voluminous designs must include a top-side turtle escape of 36 inches or greater in size.
Theme
There is no design theme to which your proposal should conform. However, no political, religious, or discriminatory designs will be considered. Link to images and more info: https://umafl.org/exhibits/
Delivery
Artwork must be received on May 4, 2020. Deployment CANNOT be guaranteed if artwork is not received by this date. Artists will be given a point of contact for delivery and will provide details to point of contact when they are available, including method of transportation, bill of lading, packaging, disassembly and reassembly requirement, etc.).
UMA SITE
The UMA is a dive site located in the Gulf of Mexico off the coast of Northwest Florida, specifically in Walton County .7 miles from the shore of Grayton Beach State Park. However, all sculptures will be delivered to an above-ground location at the ArtsQuest Fine Arts Festival for public exhibition from May 5 - 10, 2020.
UMA GPS
Center of Patch Reef Area #3: 30* 18.754’N / 86* 09.562’W (see attached map)
Distance from Grayton Beach State Park
Coordinates above are .93 nautical miles at 198° heading.
Depth
About 57 feet (+/- 3 feet)
Visibility
Visibility depends on local weather conditions but average 10-50 feet most of the year.
Average water temp
At the nearest NOAA buoy water temp is 76.7 F (high is 88.2 F in August, low is 62.4 F in February)
TIMELINE
Request for Proposals: September 20, 2019 -November 8, 2019
Artist Notification: November 15, 2019
Contract deadline: November 25, 2019
Progress Report 1: December 20, 2019
Progress Report 2: February 7, 2020
Progress Report 3: March 27, 2020
Sculpture due onsite: May 4, 2020 (Mandatory - deployment cannot be guaranteed if artwork is not received by this date)
Public exhibition: May 5 – May 10, 2020
Sculpture Transport to Walter Marine: May 11, 2020
Installation: Summer/Fall 2020* weather permitting
SUBMISSION PROCESS
Interested applicants should register with Submittable in order to view the application. Deadline for submissions is November 8, 2019 at 11:59 pm CST. Submittable registration is free to artists, and there is no application fee.
APPLICATION CHECKLIST
Complete a separate online application for each submission.
1. Schematic drawing or scale model of design concept OR image of proposed constructed piece. Please note this image may be posted publicly on the UMA website, social media and included with international press release.
2. Artist statement and detailed description of the proposed piece, including title, materials to be used, weight, dimensions, intention, meaning, inspiration, and any other details that will set your proposal apart.
3. Six (6) digital high-resolution images of completed work by the Artist, including any commissioned pieces that have been completed. Please include any past large- or small-scale public art projects by the artist or artist team. Artists who have not completed past public art projects should provide representative images of their past work even if it is not 3D.
4. One (1) video, edited to no more than two (2) minutes in length, may also be submitted, but is not required.
5. Annotated Image List: An annotated image list that includes the title, media, year completed, dimensions, location (if site-specific), project budget (if applicable), timeline, and client or commissioning entity for each corresponding image.
6. Artist’s resume or curriculum vitae (CV)
7. If applying as an artist team, a list of key team members and their roles/affiliations, including fabricators. Please include the physical address of where the sculpture will be constructed.
The Cultural Arts Alliance of Walton County is seeking individuals/private homeowners who would like to be a part of the 30A Songwriters Festival Artist Host Program.
Please complete one application in its entirety per property, and we will be in contact to let you know if your property has been approved.
Artist hosts will be acknowledged in the Festival's printed program and will receive 2020 30A Songwriters Festival weekend passes in exchange for the donation of housing. The number of tickets received by host is directly related to the size of the donated property.
This program is for individuals only. Interested businesses or rental agencies may contact Joy Steele at joy30aswf@gmail.com.
The Cultural Arts Alliance of Walton County produces the Valentine Tour of Homes each year as a fundraising effort. The 2020 event is scheduled for Saturday, February 15, 10am-4pm and Sunday, February 16, 12pm-4pm. We include 5-7 exquisite homes on the tour that are indicative of types and homes that South Walton has to offer. We include private homes for no fee and homes that are on the market for a sponsorship of $500.
Homes are submitted for consideration by filling out the form below. Applications are open for submission on August 15, 2019. The deadline to apply is December 31, 2019. Invitations to accepted homes will go out no later than January 3, 2020 and confirmation from homeowner or agent and sponsorship fee (for homes on the market) must be received by Monday, January 6. Any cancellations received after January 17, 2020 will forfeit their fee unless an acceptable replacement is agreed upon.
