Outside the Box

Los Gatos Utility Box Art Program

The Town of Los Gatos Parks and Public Works Department announces the unique opportunity for Bay Area artists to submit designs for the Outside the Box program.

Overview
The Outside the Box Utility Box Art Program is designed to enhance the area by adding works of art to the streetscapes on surfaces that are often targeted by graffiti vandals. Artwork on utility boxes functions as a form of communication to a moving audience with the goal of creating a safe, inclusive and interesting urban environment. Successful proposals will foster community pride, convey the sense of the Los Gatos community, and add awareness of sustainability to the Town. Accepted artwork will be converted into a vinyl wrap and installed directly on the utility box.

Design Guidelines and Specifications for Selected Artists

• Design must include all visible sides of the utility box
• designs must not be offensive, and no advertising, branding, or commercial images are allowed
• if the design is to include text, it must be included in the proposal. The artist must have the right to use this text. Designs may not include any breach of intellectual property, trademarks, brands, images of illegal activity or involve the attachment of any objects to the box
• designs should not mimic or take the style of tags or graffiti
• the finished artworks will be in the public domain and therefore may be vandalized. Accordingly, artists should be thoughtful about having large open areas in the design - for example, large areas of blue skies may give a vandal the perfect spot to deface the work
• the vinyl wraps have a lifetime of five years; the town has the right to replace them at that time or if vandalized prior to that time
• selected artists will be subject to signing a public art agreement through the Town of Los Gatos and be held subject to those requirements, deadlines, and restrictions
• artists will be involved in approving a semi-final layout of their image on the utility box

Selection Process
A selection panel comprised of two employees of the Town's Environmental Services Division, one employee of the Town Manager's Office, and two members of the Arts and Culture Commission will review all applications and select up to five finalists. The number of artists selected and how many utility box designs each artists will create is chosen at the discretion of the selection committee.

How To Apply
Artists must be Bay Area residents

All applicants are required to submit the following application:
https://losgatos.seamlessdocs.com/f/jE8ilH

The application outlines the following:

1. Design concept - briefly explain your design concept(s) for each box
2. Resume
3. Digital examples of previous work
4. Design(s) - each applicant can submit up to three sample designs
5. Affirmative representation that the artist owns all copyright rights without restriction or infringement on any third party rights to the artwork submitted for consideration

The Town reserves the right to accept any applications, to not accept any artist recommended by the Selection Committee, to initiate an alternate selection process, or to reissue the Call to Artists.

If the submittal material package does not include all items listed above, the Town of Los Gatos shall determine which submittal packages are responsive and reserves the right to reject all incomplete proposals. Please do not send information or materials not specifically requested as part of this application.

Notification of Results and Installation

• the artist selected will be notified at the conclusion of panel deliberations. Applications will receive notifications of the panel's decision by email. The Town of Los Gatos reserves the right not to select any of the applicants
• Selected artists will be given a %500.00 stipend to design one mural each, featuring the theme provided for each box
• The fabricator will take artists designs, transfer them to a vinyl wrap, and then apply them to the utility boxes
• utility boxes range in size and shape. There are vertical and horizontal forms. Please be aware that the wraps and designs may also be modified to accommodate a number of special features including meters, vents, and handles.
• Note that because boxes range in size and images could be used more than once, some cropping may occur to images
• Artwork will be celebrated with an unveiling presentation

Timeline*
October 10, 2016 - call for artists
December 2, 2016 - deadline for artists to submit designs
December 2016 - Committee reviews design
January 2017 - Chosen designs announced
Spring 2017 - Wraps installed
*dates are tentative and subject to change

Application Submission and Inquiries
Applications must be received no later than 5:00pm on December 2, 2016. All questions should be directed to the Parks & Public Works Department at (408) 399-5770 or e-mail ppw@losgatosca.gov

Terms, Conditions, and Reservations of Rights
By submitting a proposal, proposers grant the Town of Los Gatos the right to use the selected artist' work in Downtown Los Gatos, as well as for advertising, promotion, and for any other Town purpose. By submitting the proposal, proposers agree that the Town of Los Gatos is not responsible for any incorrect information caused by any technical or human error that may occur in the processing of submissions by the Town, including but not limited to any misprints or typographical errors.

The Town of Los Gatos will not be responsible for incomplete, defective, or unreadable entries or for failure to receive entries due to transmission failures or technical failures of any kind. All submittals become the property of the Town of Los Gatos.

Utility Box themes: 

1. Environmental Cats Box: for this box, located at Blossom Hill & Union, the theme should incorporate our Los Gatos cats and environmental consciousnesss. This could include a Los Gatos cat with a background promoting clean air, clean creeks, alternate transportation, etc...
2. Town Sustainability: for this box, located at University & Main, the theme should centralize around town activities incorporating sustainability. This could include using recyling cans near local eateries, alternative transportation, shopping local, etc...
3. Promoting Active Lifestyles: for this box, located at Oka & Lark, the theme should stress the importance of active healthy lifestyles. This could include a collage of fitness activities or focusing on one particular outdooor activity such as walking, hiking, biking, swimming, etc...
4. Celebrating Open Spaces: For this box, located at College & Pageant, the theme should focus on bringing attention to St. Joseph's Hill Open Space. This could include such things as a trail map or overview point for St. Joseph's Hill
5. Keeping Creeks Clean: for this box, located at University & Mullen, the theme should focus on the importance of keeping our creeks clean, which ultimately leads to the Bay. This box could include a graphic that implies this. Please see West Valley Clean Water Program, The Ocean Conservancy, or The Surfrider Foundation for inspiration.