Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden (LGBG) invites emerging and established artists, creative individuals, or groups to submit proposals for temporary outdoor immersive and interactive exhibition of sculptures inspired by ecosystems and habitats.

Exhibition Schedule

 

July 15, 2024	Request for proposals (RFP) disseminated
August 9, 2024	Pre-proposal presentation (RSVP required; see below for details)
September 6, 2024	Proposal deadline
October 4, 2024	Artist acceptance notification
November 1, 2024	Signed artist agreement due
March 17-27, 2025	Installation of art
March 28, 2025	Member Preview Evening
March 29, 2025	Exhibition opens to the public
September 28, 2025	Exhibition closes
September 29 – October 10, 2025 ​	De-installation of art, coordinated between artist and LGBG

Exhibition Description

From Saturday, March 29 – Sunday, September 28, 2025, Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden will feature an outdoor exhibition of art inspired by nature.

This April through September, experience the Garden through innovative and whimsical displays and experiences that invite you to discover and connect with your natural home. The Exhibition will feature five large-scale, site-specific art installations inspired by ecosystems. Habitats exist on their own but also are interconnected and depend on other ecosystems to survive. People are just like that; we are both self-sufficient and rely on community for resources and connection. Audiences will come away inspired with an awareness of the intricate relationships that exist between ecosystems, communities, and humankind, they explore the importance of the reciprocal relationships between plants, animals, and humans. Possible themes include:

• Habitats (wetland, meadow, forest, etc.) and the animals who live there.
• Ecosystem services (food, clean water, energy, reducing stress, regulating climate, etc.).
• Exploring home in a cultural context related to the feeling of belonging – home can be a physical place or it can be the people and traditions in our family and community.

The Exhibition will also incorporate community partnerships that reflect the importance of unity, connection, adaptation, and perseverance. Community partners will be brought into community events and programs, connecting with the Garden’s mission, and elevating the work that they do in community. Other organizations will add an educational component to the exhibit, through programs, and other ways they might propose.

The intention of this exhibit is to bring awareness of the responsibility we all have towards the planet and educate guests on how we can become better stewards on this task. Artists will be selected through a competitive process to exhibit in predetermined locations within Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden’s 50 acres of cultivated landscape. Possible settings for artwork will be discussed in the pre-proposal meeting.

Exhibition Goals

• Entwine art and nature to spark new ways of interacting with the plant world.
• Facilitate innovative and engaging experiences, fostering a sense of joy and wonder.
• Spark conversations and inspire action regarding environmental resiliency.
• Nurture partnerships that support the RVA arts community: professional, amateur, and next generation.
• Showcase the breadth and depth of artistic talent in central Virginia.

General Guidelines

• Each artist may submit up to three proposals.
• Each artist may exhibit one work of art, receiving a $10,000 stipend. Artist is responsible for travel expenses, if applicable.
• Ideally, the installations will be multi-sensory, inviting guests to interact safely with the installation, each other, or the surrounding landscape.
• Artists are responsible for procuring and providing all materials for art installations.
• Upon notification of selection, artists will be required to sign an Exhibitor Agreement.

Selection Process and Criteria

Featured artists will be selected by a jury panel, which will include LGBG staff as well as professionals from within the Richmond art community.

Selection Criteria:

• • Strong connection to exhibition goals and theme(s)
  • Multi-sensory
  • Creative and imaginative representation of the Habitat/home
  • Site-specific integration
  • Ability to integrate into the landscape without damaging the surrounding plant material
  • Durability; ability to weather the elements over the six-month exhibition
  • Safety
  • Accessibility
  • Appeal to diverse and inter-generational audiences

Qualified artists must have the demonstrated ability to:

• • Design, fabricate, and install public art.
  • Coordinate willingly, promptly, harmoniously, and professionally with others (in this case, LGBG staff and volunteers).
  • Act with integrity, courtesy, and responsibility, even in the face of stress or demanding conditions.

Stipend, Sales and Recognition

• Selected artists will receive a $10,000 stipend for each piece of art exhibited.
  • $5,000 of the stipend is awarded upon signing the Artist Agreement.
  • $3,500 on January 15, 2025
  • $1,500 upon installation completion
• LGBG will not own the works of art. However, upon mutual agreement, the artist may transfer ownership of the artwork to LGBG at the closing of the exhibition. This allows LGBG to exhibit the work for as long as desired and releases the artist from responsibility for removing the artwork after September 29, 2025.
• Artwork MUST be removed by October 10 by the artist and their team. If artwork remains on Lewis Ginter grounds after this date, the Garden has the right to dispose, sell or keep it.
• All art may be for sale but must remain in the exhibition through September 29, 2025. LGBG does not handle sales of work, but will refer inquiries to the artist. Artists are requested to donate to the Garden 15% of any sales that are made during or as a result of the exhibition of the piece of art.
• The name of each artist will be featured on our website and in exhibition-related media.

Roles and Responsibilities

The safety and well-being of our guests as well as the health and integrity of the plant materials in our collection are vital to our mission. Therefore, it is necessary to adhere to the following criteria for design and installation.

Artwork

• • Must be soundly constructed of durable and safe components to last the duration of the exhibition – please note that many will be located in high-traffic areas with an unsupervised audience.
  • Must be suitable for outdoor display in adverse weather conditions (e.g. high winds, rain, and heat). It is the responsibility of the artist to repair any artwork damaged during adverse weather conditions.
  • Must be appropriate for viewing by visitors of all ages.
  • Must not encourage guests to contradict current Garden Guidelines, which includes: no stepping in the planting beds; no collecting of live plants, seeds, flowers, fruits or vegetables from the Garden; no swimming or wading in fountains; no feeding wild animals, etc.
  • The final location for each installation shall be determined by LGBG staff, taking into consideration site-specific design, impact on the plant material, and opportunities for visitor engagement.
  • Any installations introducing live plant material to the Garden must be approved by LGBG staff due to the threat of invasive plant species and the spread of plant and/or soil diseases.
  • Any interaction of the artwork with trees or other plants must be approved by LGBG staff. Nails, screws, hooks, or anything that penetrates or rubs the bark of a tree will not be allowed.
  • Artists must take any and all precautions to protect all plant material directly adjacent to and surrounding the installation area.
  • Any manufactured materials used in the installation must be safe for the environment. For example, material that leaches chemicals into the soil or waterways is prohibited.
  • No removal of plant material will be allowed without approval by LGBG staff.
  • No permanent or invasive devices will be allowed to be attached to trees or in planting areas.
  • No painting, staining or coloring trees or other plants will be allowed without approval by LGBG staff.
  • LGBG staff has final say as to what constitutes damage to the grounds and plant material.

Installation/De-installation

• • All activity on-site will be scheduled, coordinated and supervised by LGBG staff. We reserve the right to restrict activities due to site conditions caused by weather.
  • It is the responsibility of the artist to arrange for the installation of artwork between March 17th and March 27, 2025 and for complete removal after September 28, 2025. All work must take place with LGBG staff present.
  • Artists are responsible for all costs, equipment and labor necessary for the delivery, installation, and removal of the art, materials, and rubbish.
  • Artists assume all risk and damage to the work before/during installation and during/after removal.
  • LGBG staff may provide installation and removal assistance on a limited basis with prior arrangement. Due to limited off-road access through the Garden, LGBG small
    workman vehicles, driven by Garden staff, may be available to assist in transporting structures or materials.
  • Any construction requiring digging must be approved and supervised by LGBG staff due to underground irrigation lines and existing utilities.
  • Artists must follow standard Garden Guidelines during installation/de-installation. Primarily, no stepping in the planting beds unless pre-approved by LGBG staff, which protects plant material and prevents the spread of plant and/ or soil diseases.
  • The installation/de-installation site is accessible to the public during operating hours. Throughout the process, a safe and hazard-free work area must be maintained at all times.
  • It is the responsibility of the artist to transport and deliver any art sold as a result of the exhibition. Art cannot be removed from the exhibition early as a result of a sale.

Damages and Liability

• • The artist, and anyone they employ to assist with the installation, maintenance, repair or removal of the art, must sign a waiver of liability or provide proof of insurance (e.g. worker’s comp; liability naming Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden, Inc. as an additional named insured).
  • Anyone associated with the art who may operate a motorized vehicle, cart, gator, etc. must provide motorized vehicle indemnification and additional insurance coverage
  • Artists assume all risk and damage to the work before/during installation and during/after removal.
  • LGBG will provide insurance for damage inflicted on the artwork by LGBG staff. The art is insured from the time installation is complete until it is removed from the Garden, by the removal deadline, or at the time ownership is transferred to the Garden by mutual consent (whichever comes first).
  • LGBG is fenced and locked nightly. The Garden is not responsible for damage of the art other than as described above.
  • The artist is responsible for any repairs to the artwork during the exhibition due to weather, vandalism, theft, or misuse by guests, unless ownership is transferred to LGBG (upon mutual agreement). Repairs must be completed within a reasonable period after notification by LGBG staff.
  • Although weathering and decay of natural materials is to be expected, the Garden reserves the right to determine that a piece of art has become unsightly, irreparable,
    and/or unsafe before the end of the exhibition. The artist will be responsible for removing the artwork as soon as possible or transferring ownership to LGBG for removal (by mutual agreement). All removal of artwork will take place under the supervision of LGBG staff.

Marketing/PR

• • LGBG reserves the right to photograph and reproduce images of the art, artists, and installation process for marketing, advancement, and educational materials both
    online and in print.
  • LGBG will promote the exhibition on our website and in media releases, print materials, paid advertising, and calendar listings.
  • Artists are highly encouraged to participate in nterviews or other promotional activities during the installation process.

Application Process

1. Artists are strongly encouraged to attend the online pre-proposal meeting on Thursday, August 9 at 4:00pm. The presentation will include an overview of the Exhibition and a virtual tour of the proposed sites for the artwork. RSVP required – email Director of Exhibitions at [email protected]
2. Completed application materials must be submitted through WETRANSFER by midnight, September 6, 2024. Electronic applications are required. Applicants should email a link containing all required elements to [email protected].

Artist Proposal Requirements

Please submit all items listed below (Artist Information and Additional Materials) by midnight, September 6, 2024. Electronic submissions are required. Email a link to a WETRANSFER folder containing all required elements to [email protected].

1. Artist Information
   Resume/CV/Bio to include all of the following items:
   ▫ Artist Name
   ▫ Phone
   ▫ Email
   ▫ Address
   ▫ Description of artist background and experiences
   ▫ Reference list of successful exhibits and/or projects, which may include up to five photos
   ▫ Statement: I agree to sign an Exhibitor Agreement outlining the scope of work if my proposal is accepted (electronic signature/initials)
2. Additional Materials
   Proposals must include all of the elements listed below. Please keep identifying information (names, logos, etc.) out of all designs and descriptive materials requested below. Identifying information should only be provided in the above Artist Information, so as to provide anonymity to the jury panel during design selection.▫ Scale plan and rendering of design – must include dimensions*.
   ▫ Up to 10 photographs (max 1200 pixels wide), including up to 4 detailed photographs*.
   ▫ Description of materials used in artwork, indicating approximate percentage of each material.
   ▫ Estimated budget.
   ▫ Preferred location for your art along with reasons for choosing that specific location, if applicable (Identify the location using the corresponding numbers on the Garden map).
   ▫ Artist statement or explanation of connection to exhibition goals/themes. Please include opportunities for interaction with artwork by Garden guests, if applicable.*Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden reserves the right to use any and all images, renderings, and models for the promotion of the exhibition in print or electronic format.