The Institute for Resilient Infrastructure Systems (IRIS) at the University of Georgia invites proposals for a public art installation.
The goal of this project is to use art to enhance citizen science, leveraging art installation within a natural site to crowd-source environmental monitoring.
The IRIS-based research team invites proposals from design teams for an artwork to be situated in a publicly-accessible location within a natural area. The public will be invited to photograph the artwork from a given viewing position using their personal devices and share the photos with researchers. Images will be analyzed for ecological parameters such as vegetation height, species composition, and habitat utilization. The viewing station will include information about the artwork, the natural area, and the science that viewers will contribute to by photographing the artwork. This installation is intended as a prototype for future monitoring efforts at coastal sites, particularly engineered or restored wetland areas (a form of natural infrastructure).
The research team wants to understand how the quantity and quality of ecological data collected in this manner compares to traditional monitoring approaches, and will explore how the art installation (and associated information) affects public opinion towards natural infrastructure. If this approach proves effective for monitoring and community outreach, we would incorporate it into future natural infrastructure planning at coastal sites.
The winning design team will be awarded a grant of up to $2500, to design, purchase materials, build and install the artwork. Applications from design teams are due October 23, 2026. The winning team will be announced by November 13, 2026. The winning team’s artwork will be installed by April 30, 2026 and will remain on display for up to one year.
Background
Natural infrastructure is crucial to ensuring the resilience of human and ecological systems in a changing world. Evidence suggests that natural infrastructure can be equally or more cost-effective than conventional infrastructure, and that it has the ability to recover on its own after disasters.
It is crucial to monitor these natural infrastructure systems to ensure that they are providing the services on which local communities rely and to know when management intervention may be necessary. Despite this, monitoring is often neglected, partially due to limited capacity and inadequate funding. We are interested in developing creative and effective solutions to this problem, while simultaneously promoting public engagement with natural infrastructure.
This project is funded by a grant from the University of Georgia Office of Research Teaming for Interdisciplinary Research Pre-Seed Program.
Eligibility
Individuals and teams are eligible to apply. Individual applicants must be affiliated with the University of Georgia (student or otherwise). Teams may include non-UGA members, but the contact person for the team must be UGA affiliated.
An individual may participate as a team member on multiple submissions. However, the same individual cannot serve as the contact person for more than one submission.
If you have questions about your eligibility, including questions about your eligibility to receive funds, please contact Professor Brock Woodson (bwoodson@uga.edu) or Dr. Daniel Coleman (Daniel.Coleman@uga.edu).
Timeline
| October 23 | Deadline to submit completed proposal. After submission, your team may be contacted for additional information. Questions about the application process should be directed to Dr. Daniel Coleman (Daniel.Coleman@uga.edu). |
| November 13 | Notification of winner. Grant funds will be distributed upon acceptance of winning design team. Up to 50% of funds may be withheld until the completed artwork is installed. |
| March 5 | Deadline for receipt of a completed (revised) design. |
| April 30 | Artwork must be installed by April 30, 2027. |
Proposal Guidelines
Site
The artwork will be installed in a publicly-accessible location within a natural area.
Artworks may be proposed for a specific site, though this is not required. Applicants should detail any approvals already obtained, if any, for proposed sites. Concepts adaptable to installation within wetlands would be beneficial, but are not required. Final site selection and position of the artwork and viewing station(s) within the site will be determined jointly by the winning design team and the IRIS research team to ensure that artistic and scientific goals can be met. Selected design teams will submit a finalized design once the site is selected.
Note that while the photo station will have a fixed position and camera angle, the artwork need not be limited to a single point in space. It is possible to distribute elements within the site, though this may complicate installation and permissions and increase costs.
Design teams are encouraged to contact Daniel Coleman (Daniel.Coleman@uga.edu) with questions about potential sites and artwork placement within the site prior to submitting your proposal.
Duration & durability
The artwork must be designed to survive in the proposed environment for up to one year. Proposals adaptable to wet or flooded environments will be viewed favorably.
Privileged viewing angle
The artwork may be designed to be viewed from any position, but should encourage viewing from a privileged viewing position.
Researchers will install a camera station at the viewing position which will include a stand for a cell phone or digital camera along with information about the artwork, the environment, and the scientific data collection effort and instructions for submitting photos.
The location of the camera station will be constrained by the needs of the research team, and should be determined in consultation with the research team while developing your proposal prior to submission. The viewing position will be sited so that photos of the artwork taken from it capture a sufficiently large swath of the surrounding landscape, in focus. Please contact Daniel Coleman (Daniel.Coleman@uga.edu) with questions about camera station placement.
Designers are strongly encouraged to consider this viewing position in designing the work. For example: What draws viewers to that perspective? What is special about it?
Encouraging engagement
Designers are strongly encouraged to consider how the public can be encouraged to engage with the artwork and/or the environment in which it is installed. A primary goal of the project is to maximize public engagement, i,e. maximize the number of photos taken by viewers, and encourage engagement throughout the year, during all seasons.
Your proposal should explain how public engagement will be encouraged, through an inherent characteristic of the artwork or other means.
Required elements
The artwork must allow for a standard color swatch (example) to be installed near the artwork. This is so that visitors’ photographs can be color balanced for accurate analysis of the environment.
At minimum, the swatch will need to be in the vicinity of the artwork and in the same lighting as the artwork. The swatch may be incorporated into the artwork if desired. The proposal should include a plan for placement of the swatch. The budget need not include the cost of the swatch or installing the swatch if it is not integrated into the artwork.
Budget
A detailed budget for the project must be submitted. The maximum budget is $2500. The budget should be itemized, and provide as much detail as possible about material costs, other costs, and may include an amount for the artists’ time (e.g. an artist’s fee).
Payment will be based on the proposed budget (to a maximum of $2500), and will be arranged with the contact person after the award is announced.
Budgets may include costs beyond the maximum $2500 if confirmed sources of funds to cover additional costs are specified (promise of matching funds, awarded grants, etc.). Projects with costs beyond $2500 not covered by additional confirmed sources will be rejected.
Finalized design and permissions
After selection of the winning design team, the design may change to meet unanticipated constraints. Changes will be discussed with the research team. A revised and finalized design should be submitted as soon as feasible to allow sufficient time for any needed approvals.
Installation of the chosen artwork is contingent upon final approval of the completed design by UGA officials. However, submitting design teams are not required to obtain permissions before submitting. We will work with the winning design team to acquire any needed permissions.
How to Apply
Access the submission form here
Selection Criteria
- Artistic merit
- Feasibility of the design & capability of the design team to realize the design
- Potential for public engagement
We are interested in artistic projects that intersect with the relevant science (natural infrastructure, ecology, etc.), culture, or history of the site, but this is not a requirement. Projects with cultural or historical relevance are also highly encouraged. The winning proposal will have high artistic merit, demonstrate feasibility, and suggest a high potential for engaging the public.
Proposal Documents
Project Description
PDF, maximum 3 pages, including images, figures, renderings, etc. The document should include:
- A provisional title (this may change up to installation of the selected artwork).
- A list of all design team members
- The proposed site ( optional) or description of the type of site. Detail permissions already obtained, if any.
- A detailed visual and conceptual description of the proposed artwork.
- An explanation of how the required element (color swatch) is included.
- Technical details about the materials and installation, including suitability for outdoor and/or watery environments, durability, and a plan for installation and maintenance.
- A statement about how the artwork will encourage public engagement. Provide as much insight as possible into the anticipated public experience of your artwork, and how they will engage with it. Show that you have given thought to maximizing engagement through your visual design or other methods.
- Any photographs, sketches, renderings or diagrams needed to clearly explain the visual and technical aspects of the work.
Preliminary Budget
PDF, see Guidelines. Please prepare your budget in a tabular format.
A CV or artist’s resume for each team member
Please include a CV or artist’s resume for each team member, and submit all of them in one single PDF.
Portfolio of past work
We ask for up to 5 representative samples of the artist’s or team’s past work. The team need not have previously produced artwork as a team. The samples should collectively represent the artistic or design capabilities of the team.
For each sample, either:
Upload a file in one of the following formats: jpeg, PDF, mp4 (for video); OR
Provide a URL (youtube, vimeo, web page, etc.)
Alternatively, you may provide a single PDF or link for all samples.
Evaluation
Proposals will be evaluated by members of the research team (see below) with additional evaluators from relevant UGA units.
Research Team
Holly Bik, Department of Marine Sciences
Jeb Byers, Odum School of Ecology
Daniel Coleman, Institute for Resilient Infrastructure Systems
Michael Marshall, Lamar Dodd School of Art
Eric Marty, Odum School of Ecology / Willson Center for the Humanities and Arts
C. Brock Woodson, Institute for Resilient Infrastructure Systems
