Mauldin Cultural Center seeks events coordinator
RFP issued for Mauldin Public Art Trail
Submission deadline: Monday, Aug. 10, 2020; 5 p.m. ET
The City of Mauldin has just opened the RFP portion of the selection process for the 2021 installation along our Mauldin Public Art Trail.
This annual program seeks to beautify the community with public art displays created by South Carolina artists for years to come.
The theme “Heroes and Leaders” was selected in the wake of COVID-19. We have seen the terms heroes and leaders be used to describe many groups of people who have not traditionally been given such a title. Across the globe, governing bodies have set forth policies to increase the safety of humankind; healthcare workers have compromised their own safety to care for and save the lives of those infected; manufacturers have grown their production efforts in an attempt to ensure there were enough supplies and medical equipment to go around; innovators and researchers have worked tirelessly to find a vaccination; and individuals have practiced social distancing and isolation to protect the immunocompromised.
Artists’ submissions should reflect finding extraordinary in the ordinary and/or the work of the aforementioned during a pandemic.
The RFP, application, schedule and history of the trail can be found online at http://www.mauldinculturalcenter.org/public-art-trail/. The RFP and schedule are also attached. The deadline for submissions is August 10, 5 p.m.
Mauldin unveils latest public art installation embracing industry
The City of Mauldin unveiled The Groundbreaking – the fourth installation along its Public Art Trail – on Wednesday, Dec. 12.
Artist Arrington Matthews’ sculpture exemplifies the theme “Industry of the Upstate” by portraying the ever-changing face of industry – from where we began to where we are heading. Matthews has been a metalsmith with John Boyd Smith Metal Studios since 2012, where he designs, creates, and finishes architectural commissions. Skilled in design, welding, forging, and metal fabrication, his work is represented in Florida, Maryland, California, Hilton Head, Savannah, and now Mauldin.
Matthews is also a firefighter with the Mauldin Fire Department. Being an employee of the city, he is intimately aware of the growth Mauldin has seen recently and chose to focus his piece on the city’s industry.
The focal point of The Groundbreaking is a six-foot-tall shovel rooted in a chunk of actual railroad track and painted with a skyline graphic. The overall effect is a representation of the changing face of Mauldin from a railroad-rooted city to one that has expanded to include a variety of industries. Large metal gears round out the piece, indicating the combination of Mauldin’s current businesses and tourism efforts working to create a forward-moving city.
The Mauldin Public Art Trail was established in December 2014 as a way to beautify the community with artworks created by South Carolina artists. This year’s sculpture will join three others outside of the Mauldin Cultural Center — 2015’s The Depot, 2016’s Palmetto with Flowers, and 2017’s We Are All One.
To learn more about the installations along the Public Art Trail or how you can submit an application, please visit MauldinCulturalCenter.org/public-art-trail.
About the City of Mauldin
The city of Mauldin is located in the Upstate of South Carolina and in the heart of Greenville County. It is the 17th largest city in South Carolina out of 270 municipalities and one of the fastest growing cities in the state. Mauldin was first charted in 1820 and has grown to a population of more than 25,000. More information about the city of Mauldin can be found online at CityOfMauldin.org.Tuning Up: Calls for Art! + STEAM workshop
Good morning!
"Tuning Up" is a morning post series where The Hub delivers quick-hit arts stories of interest to readers. Sometimes there will be one story, sometimes there will be several. Get in tune now, and have a masterpiece of a day. And now, in no particular order...
Calls. For. Art.
We have a couple calls for art this morning, which can only mean one thing: it's time to fire up the ol' calls for art megaphone:
- Okay, so the first is an RFQ, but it counts, right? (Right?) City of Mauldin and the Mauldin Cultural Council in ... Mauldin ... invite all South Carolina based visual artists – working solo or as a team – to submit qualifications for the Mauldin Public Art Trail. The selected artist/team will create work in any medium that reflects the specific theme “Industry of the Upstate.” The deadline for submissions is Monday, April 16, 2018 at 5 p.m. The selected artist(s) can create a work in any medium as long as it reflects the stated theme. A minimum of two artists/teams will be selected as “finalists” by April 24, 2018.
- There is still time to apply to participate in STYLE '18! Now in its 12th year, STYLE is a show, sale and benefit celebrating independent contemporary design. This is a curated event focused on the highest quality fashion, jewelry and accessories. STYLE '18 will take place over two days on Saturday, Nov. 3, 2018 (10 a.m. to 5 p.m.) and Sunday, Nov. 4, 2018 (10 a.m. to 4 p.m.) at the Museum of Craft and Design in San Francisco. Jurors will hand-select 36 national and international designers to participate in the 2018 event. Submit your application today to participate.
STEAM Workshop
SC Afterschool Alliance invites you to spend a "Morning with STEM" (just wait...): workshops that will provide valuable resources that can be used with your students immediately and designed to promote engagement, creativity and success. Over the next few months, they plan to present sessions to help you learn to integrate technology with literacy, math, art and science to expand your STEM offerings. Included in April's session is "STEM is Gaining STEAM." The workshop is Thursday morning, April 10 in Columbia at SCETV. Register for the free workshop here.Mauldin Public Art Trail – call to South Carolina artists
[caption id="attachment_29595" align="alignright" width="300"]
2016 Public Art Trail selection - Palmetto with Flowers by Jamie von Herndon[/caption]
The City of Mauldin’s Office of Cultural Affairs is seeking submissions for the 2017 Mauldin Public Art Trail installation at the Mauldin Cultural Center. This annual program seeks to beautify the community with public art displays created by South Carolina artists. This year’s theme will be “Appreciation of Diversity” in recognition of the diverse cultural groups that came through South Carolina in the past to create today’s diverse demographics. The work should highlight diversity in a positive and unifying manner.
The Public Art Trail lines the perimeter of the outdoor amphitheater at the Mauldin Cultural Center. A new work will be commissioned each year to fill the nine pre-approved sites along the perimeter. All nine sites will be filled within 10 years. For each year after the first 10 years, the oldest artwork will be replaced, resulting in a new slate of nine pieces of artwork every 10 years. Retired artworks will be relocated to other areas around the community.
The City has opened a Request for Qualifications and Application at www.mauldinculturalcenter.org for interested artists. Artists, and all members of their team if applicable, must be residents of South Carolina during the duration of the project. The deadline for submission is February 27. The selection committee will choose two finalists, who will then be asked to develop conceptual designs. The final artist will be selected by mid- to late-April and given no more than 12 months for project completion, but with a target of a mid-December installation. Total budget for the annual program is not to exceed $15,000 and must be inclusive of fabrication, artist fees, and installation.
The program is a partnership with the Mauldin Cultural Council, a nonprofit organization that supports the Office of Cultural Affairs. The Mauldin Cultural Council will lead the selection process with City input and present one artist and design for final approval.
Contact the Office of Cultural Affairs at (864) 335-4862 with any questions.
Keira Kitchings named cultural affairs coordinator for city of Mauldin
Keira Kitchings has been named the new cultural affairs coordinator for the city of Mauldin.
Kitchings is a graduate of Winthrop University with a BS in Integrated Marketing and Communication. She comes to Mauldin from the American Culinary Federation of Jacksonville Fla., where she was a meeting and conference planner. Kitchings has also held positions with the Arts Council of York County and the Boys and Girls Club of Northeast Florida. A native of Aiken, S.C., Kitchings is returning to her home state to assist the community development department of Mauldin as it develops plans to enhance the cultural arts center's programming.
Kitchings will be responsible for community relations, engagement, marketing and program integration. “Her experience in the arts, event planning and her personable nature make Keira a great fit and team member for the city," said Van Broad, community development director. Additionally, Kitchings will continue the city’s art walk, community mural project and this summer’s successful Beachin Fridays.
“I look forward to hitting the ground running and bringing my passion for the arts to the city of Mauldin,” said Kitchings.
City of Mauldin seeking cultural arts program coordinator
The City of Mauldin is seeking a cultural arts program coordinator for the Community Development Department. College degree or equivalent in related field preferred, but experience or a combination of education and experience may be substituted. Applications are available at www.cityofmauldin.org or upstairs at Mauldin City Hall, 5 East Butler Road.
Position is responsible for implementing community program events through the Mauldin Cultural Center. Work includes festival planning, cultural center programming, coordinating amphitheater events and the Mauldin downtown farmers market, plus other events planned by the department. Candidate should have a flexible schedule, strong work ethic and be prepared to work weekends.
The starting salary range will be $42,000-$63,000.
Contact Van Broad, vbroad@mauldincitysc.com, with any questions. Position is open until filled. Application and resume may be mailed, emailed, or dropped off at 5 E. Butler Rd (Mauldin City Hall). The City of Mauldin is an equal opportunity employer.
Via: City of Mauldin
Reminder — submissions for Mauldin Public Art Trail due Feb. 29
South Carolina artists encouraged to apply.
The City of Mauldin and the Mauldin Cultural Council in Mauldin, S.C., invite all South Carolina-based visual artists, working solo or as a team, to submit qualifications for the Mauldin Public Art Trail. The selected artist/team will create work in any medium that reflects the specific theme “South Carolina Strong." The maximum budget for the project is $15,000 – inclusive of all artist fees, materials, travel, and construction. The selection committee will choose two finalists who will then be asked to develop conceptual designs. The final artist will be selected by mid- to late-April and given no more than 12 months for project completion, but with a target of a December installation.
View the complete application online.
The deadline for submissions is Monday, February 29, 2016, at 5 p.m.
The Public Art Trail lines the perimeter of the outdoor amphitheater at the Mauldin Cultural Center. The first work, The Depot by artist Joey Manson of Central, was installed in December 2015. A new work will be commissioned each year to fill the nine pre-approved sites along the perimeter. All nine sites will be filled within 10 years. For each year after the first 10 years, the oldest artwork will be replaced, resulting in a new slate of nine pieces of artwork every 10 years. Retired artworks will be relocated to other areas around the community.
The program is a partnership with the Mauldin Cultural Council, a nonprofit organization that supports the Office of Cultural Affairs. The Mauldin Cultural Council will lead the selection process with City input and present one artist and design for final approval.
Via: Mauldin Cultural Council
First piece of new Mauldin Public Art Trail unveiled
From The Greenville News Article by Scott Keeler; photo (above) by Heidi Heilbrunn
Just minutes before a ceremony to unveil the first piece of artwork at the Mauldin Public Art Trail Tuesday afternoon, a train rolled down the tracks across from the Mauldin Cultural Center. While it wasn't part of the program schedule, the train whistle blowing was a perfect way to signal the start of this particular event."The Depot," a metal sculpture created by Central artist Joey Manson, officially was unveiled as the debut piece of the Art Trail. It was inspired by the theme for this inaugural year of the Art Trail, which was "Crossroads" signifying Mauldin's geography and history. "Mauldin’s historical borders were first drawn as a circle centered around a train depot. Highways now encircle a city that was once a crossroads, and the railroad still runs straight through," Manson said. "The Depot" references and abstracts the historical and current transportation paths and symbolizes the dynamic forces that surround and connect Mauldin today." During the application process to have artwork selected, Manson visited Mauldin and made a trip to the library. There he found a book on the history of the city and the creative juices began to flow. Manson's selected artwork features a blue core that resembles a turning propeller surrounded by intertwining green beams with a straight dark gray beam in the middle of it all. Manson said the gray represents the train running through the heart of the city. "The blue part is a circle that represents the town limits of Mauldin when it was initially founded," Manson said. "The (green) lines are an abstraction of the major highways that run through this site. "This (blue section) being a propeller also lends itself to the airfield that was around here and the turbines. That was a big part of the industry that developed Mauldin to where it is today." The ceremony began with Mauldin Office of Cultural Affairs Administrator George McLeer welcoming the crowd and citing the Mauldin Cultural Council, the city's nonprofit partner in the selection of the artwork. Mauldin Cultural Council Chairman Eddie Phillips then introduced Cultural Council members in attendance and thanked everyone for coming. "We're very delighted so many of you took time off to come and participate in this today," Phillips said. "This is the beginning of something great." Mayor Dennis Raines also spoke, praising the partnership the city enjoys with Cultural Council, before Manson cut the ribbon off the sculpture. During his time in Mauldin, McLeer has searched for ways to display more public artwork. The Art Trail starts on the perimeter of the outdoor amphitheater behind the Cultural Center and curls around toward the front connecting with the Veterans Walk. The original plans for the Arts Trail was the Veterans Walk until it was decided to build it closer to the Veterans Memorial along East Butler Road. "We were then left with all these concrete bump-outs that were already installed," McLeer said. "As much as we all like places to sit around parks, we were going to end up with a lot of benches in these bump-outs. So we came up with this alternative way to fill them." After Mauldin City Council unanimously approved the Arts Trail plan last December, the application process for South Carolina artists who wanted to try to contribute. Manson's piece was chosen in the spring. "The Depot" is the first of what will be nine installations along the trail with a new piece added each year. It will take a total of ten years to install all nine works, and every year after the first ten, the oldest installation is replaced with a new piece – creating a new slate of public artwork every ten years. Retired pieces will be relocated to permanent locations around the community. McLeer said that's one of the most exciting aspects of the Art Trail. With new themes each year as Mauldin continues to grow, there should be a variety of different art displayed over the years. McLeer said it could serve as a timeline for Mauldin. "It's a well-paced endeavor. ... In 25 years, we will have 25 pieces of public artwork around our community," McLeer said. "As these pieces retire and get relocated, we're going to see them at schools, or libraries, other parks or other greenspaces. "It points towards a larger vision of Mauldin to have the arts thrive all over our community."
Mauldin announces first public art trail installation
The City of Mauldin’s Office of Cultural Affairs announces the selection of the first installation along the Mauldin Public Art Trail. Central, S.C., artist Joey Manson’s sculpture,“The Depot” has been selected by the Mauldin Cultural Council and approved by the city. The steel sculpture, which will measure 12 feet tall, eight feet wide and eight feet deep, will be fabricated and installed in the next few months. Manson developed the sculpture concept by combing through the history of Mauldin and embracing the theme for this year’s program, “Crossroads." Manson's description of the artwork:
The theme of ‘Crossroads’ led me to research the history of the area and the origins of Mauldin. I discovered a map describing Mauldin’s historical borders drawn as a circle with a 1/2 mile radius centered on the original train depot. I became interested in this circular border and the crossroads formed by 107 [East Butler Road] intersecting with 276 & the railroad. The resulting shape I also found to resemble that of an impeller or a propeller, an object of great importance to the economy of Mauldin over the years. They were first found producing power from the river at nearby mills and then during WWII powering airplanes at [Donaldson Center] Air Force Base. The theme of crossroads thus led me from the roads and railway that first gave rise to Mauldin to the modern industry and development that encircles Mauldin and drives today’s economy. I added the curved, green beams to symbolize these dynamic forces that surround and connect Mauldin today. The grey beam I see as the railroad, still present, running straight through town and still working today.The artwork is the first iteration of a new public art program in Mauldin approved in December 2014. The Mauldin Public Art Trail is an annual program that will feature nine unique pieces of public art around the perimeter of the Mauldin Cultural Center’s outdoor amphitheater that are replaced every 10 years. Each year the Mauldin Cultural Council, a nonprofit arts organization that supports artistic efforts around the community and at the Mauldin Cultural Center, will select a new work to fill one of nine predetermined slots around the amphitheater. Each selection is guided by a special theme for that year, and the program is open only to South Carolina artists. After all slots are filled, the oldest piece gets replaced every year and the “retired” artwork is relocated to another area in the community permanently. “It’s a really unique program that allows us to work with numerous artists from across the state and have them interact with our community,” says George Patrick McLeer, administrator for the Office of Cultural Affairs. “We were very impressed by Manson’s interpretation of this year’s theme and the way he incorporated our community’s history into his work. We’re very proud and excited to have this piece be the first of many artwork installations to come." The deadline for installation is April 2016, although McLeer expects the sculpture to be in place as early as late fall 2015. The City of Mauldin is located in the Upstate of South Carolina and in the heart of Greenville County. It is the 17th largest city in South Carolina and one of the fastest growing cities in the state. Mauldin was first charted in 1820 and has grown to a population of almost 25,000. More information about the City of Mauldin can be found online at www.cityofmauldin.org. Via: City of Mauldin Office of Cultural Affairs