Call for Entries: Urban Forest Project DC

Open Call for YOU — yes, you — to plant and participate in The Urban Forest Project! If YOU are a Washington DC metropolitan designer or artist YOU are invited to take part in this exciting education and environmental initiative.

This spring, The Urban Forest Project, a global public arts and environmental initiative, will plant 100 street banners designed by local designers and students in downtown Washington, DC. Each banner will use the form of, or metaphor for, a tree to make powerful visual statements about the environment. Together they’ll create a forest of thoughtful images in the heart of the nation’s capitol. Once the banners come down from the light poles, the artwork will be repurposed into tote bags for purchase. Proceeds from the sales of the tote bags will go to non-profit environmental efforts that will aid Washington, DC in being a cleaner, greener and more sustainable city.

Interested and ready to begin?
Here’s what you need to do:

THE BASICS

• Submit the Registration Form and artwork online (FTP instructions in the "Project Specifications") by January 8, 2010. 
• Read the Project Specifications
• The jury will make their selections early February 2010.
• Selected Artwork will be revealed in April 2010. Those not selected will appear online.
• Banner submissions fees are:
  – FREE for AIGA Washington, DC members.
  – $20.00 per submission for non-members. You can pay online or submit payment with your registration form. If you pay online, please include a copy of your receipt with the registration form.
  – To become a member of AIGA Washington, DC click here.
• There is no limit to the number of submissions.
• Banner submissions are open to all Washington DC metropolitan residents (District of Columbia, Southern Maryland, and Northern Virginia).
• By providing artwork to The Urban Forest Project the artist is participating in a value exchange for individual public visibility around the project. All participants are recognized by name in relation to their artwork where space allows, in all aspects, over the life of the project.

THE RULES
Since these are going to appear in a public space on city-owned banners, the District Department of Transportation in Washington, DC has ultimate approval. There are three rules to follow:

• No promotions of commercial logos, taglines or corporate names.
• No partisan political messages.
• No obscene language or imagery.

Note: Original artwork only. Images used from the internet or scanned from books or magazines may only be used with written permission from the original source. Any permissions or project costs related to artwork is the artist’s responsibility.

THE GUIDELINES

• Banner format size: 30” (wide) x 50” (tall) with a 1/2 inch bleed on all four sides of your artwork.

THE PREPARATION OF DIGITAL ARTWORK

• PDF, TIFF or EPS formats only.
• Convert all fonts to outline.
• Important artwork (like type) should be at least 1/2” from the sides and bottom and 4" from the top. You will still see this part of the banner, so be sure to extend your artwork to the full bleed.
• Bleed must extend 1/2" beyond the trim size
• Banner may be created at 50% of the final size at 300dpi or full size at 200dpi.
• All color should be specified in CMYK.

THE POINT OF CONTACTS
For more information on how you can participate in The Urban Forest Project DC please contact Dian Holton

Help us make a difference in the Washington, DC community!

ABOUT THE PROJECT
The project, conceived by Worldstudio, is being presented in Washington DC in collaboration with: AIGA DC, the District Department of Transportation (DDOT) and the Corcoran College of Art + Design.
The project will be funded through corporate sponsorships. If your company or organization is interested in sponsoring The Urban Forest Project DC, please contact Andréa Pellegrino.

Visit Urban Forest Project website to learn more.