Call for Submissions: StART 2022 Outside of The Box Program

Lula Lumaj

StreetARToronto – Boxes & Barriers Exhibition and Applications Open – Apply Now!

In anticipation of Worth Gallery’s grand opening, we are thrilled to announce that Street Art Toronto’s Boxes and Barriers will be the first Exhibit. The exhibit’s reception will be on Thursday March 3rd from 7pm to 11pm and runs March 3rd-27th at 830 Dundas St W.

The Outside the Box program provides an opportunity for local artists to create works of art on traffic signal boxes across Toronto. Since 2013, over 350 boxes have been hand-painted by local artists, or wrapped featuring designs by local graphic artists, and transformed into extraordinary works of art. Take in the artwork at the exhibit, or apply to become a part of the 2022 Outside of The Box Program, or paint a cycle track barrier with the Conlins Cycle Track REOI call below!

StreetARToronto’s Outside The Box 2022 applications are now live!

Submission deadline: Monday, April 4, 2022, at 11:59 pm. EST

The City of Toronto invites local area artists to submit proposals to create works of art on City traffic signal boxes throughout Toronto. There are over 2,200 traffic signal boxes located across Toronto at signalized intersections. These boxes are often covered with posters and are a prime target for graffiti vandalism.

The Outside the Box public art initiative helps to bring diverse and interesting public art to neighborhoods, reduces the impact of graffiti vandalism and postering, contributes to the vitality and attractiveness of the streetscape, helps to beautify City infrastructure and streets, and supports local and emerging artists.

Artwork on traffic signal boxes functions as a form of communication to a passer-by with the goal to create a vibrant, inclusive and interesting urban environment. Successful proposals will be innovative in design, foster community pride, counteract graffiti vandalism and contribute to a sense of identity for residents and businesses.

The Outside the Box program is an initiative of the City of Toronto’s Transportation Services Division. Since it was launched in 2013, over 500 boxes have been animated by local artists.

ARTIST FEE
Selected artists will receive a fee of $800 for each completed traffic signal box and licencing rights that will enable the City to reproduce the final design for promotional purposes.

Jennylynd James

APPLICATION & DESIGN CRITERIA
Artist applicants must reside in the City of Toronto.
Artist applicants cannot be City of Toronto employees.

Use the template provided on the website to submit your design concept. Designs must cover all visible sides of the traffic signal box, unless where specified by the StART project team or specified on the list of box locations.

When designing the artwork, artists are encouraged to think of the context of the city as a whole.

Designs must not contain:

• any representations of traffic lights, signs or signals
• advertisement or promotion for any business, product or viewpoint
• vulgar, profane, offensive, or insensitive images or writing
• any breach of intellectual property, trademarks, brands, images of illegal activity or involve the attachment of any object(s) to the box

Consideration should be given to the fact that the finished artwork(s) will be in the public domain and therefore may be vandalized. Although the City will protect the artwork with a vandal resistant clear coat, it cannot guarantee that vandalized traffic signal boxes will be repaired and the artwork restored to its original state. Further, artists should understand that the finished works will be on functioning equipment that will need repair or replacing at some point in time. As such, The City cannot guarantee how long each traffic signal box will be in use. Artists must accept the risk that their artwork may be damaged, altered or removed at any time after completion.

All designs will be subject to review and approval by the City of Toronto.

Artist signature and website cannot occupy more than ¼ of the base unit.

TRAFFIC SIGNAL BOX SIZE AND CONFIGURATION
Width: 850 mm
Height: 2,006 mm
Depth: 482 mm

Please note in very few cases the traffic signal box may be slightly shorter than the above height. The design template with dimensions can be found here.

LOCATION OF TRAFFIC SIGNAL BOXES
For 2022, Outside the Box plans to have 50 traffic signal boxes hand-painted by local artists. The majority of the boxes will be located in North York, Scarborough and Etobicoke.

PAINTING WEEKS
Artists must specify in their application which of the 3 designated weeks they will be available to paint.

Week 1 (July 4-10, 2022)
Week 2 (July 11-17, 2022)

In some cases, depending on box location, some flexibility may be required and an artist may be requested to paint their box on another date if necessary.

Artists may submit no more than one design proposal (template) along with a statement for each design. No artist will be selected for more than 1 traffic signal box.

HOW TO APPLY
Apply HERE

For more information or general questions please contact Michael Cavanaugh, Program Coordinator at trafficboxmurals@gmail.com or visit StART’s website.

More from StreetARToronto

Avril Wu

StreetARToronto’s Conlins Road Cycle Track Art Project
Request for Expressions of Interest

Submission deadline: March 7, 2022, 11:59 pm EST.

Artists expressing an interest in hand-painting up to 4 barriers on Conlins Road:
Apply Here

Diversely abled artists expressing an interest in creating digital art designs for vinyl wraps on up to 4 barriers on Conlins Road:
Apply Here

StART Health & Wellness Series Reminder!

StreetARToronto is continuing to offer two more health and wellness series workshops with mental health educator, Rebecca Higgins, throughout the month of March 2022. Each week the workshop will feature one of Toronto’s mural/street artists as a guest artist, curated by Tanzina Amin, who will walk us through a creative activity.

Join the free workshop series by using this link.
Meeting ID: 879 7764 0554
Passcode: 340291

Mar 04: Goal-Setting in The Midst of Uncertainty
Guest Artist: Opola Karim (IG: @o.raang)

Mar 11: Cultivating Compassion
Guest Artist: Chris Perez (IG: @chrispperez)

More information about StreetARToronto (StART) can be found on our website.