We are excited to announce an opportunity for artists to collaborate with Downtown Portland Clean & Safe, the Portland Metro Chamber, and the City of Portland on artwork for the “Visit Downtown Program” for the upcoming holiday season.
This project aims to highlight the Downtown area, share positive stories of Portland, and most importantly encourage visits to the Downtown area. We promote small local retailers, our favorite national brands, restaurants, bars, food carts, and trucks, as well as special events and activities.
Project Overview: We are seeking a talented and imaginative artist to design and create the Holiday Program for Downtown Portland’s “Visit Downtown Program.” The program should capture the essence of the holiday spirit, showcasing the unique character, diversity, and culture of downtown Portland during this festive season. The selected artist will have the opportunity to bring their creative vision to life and contribute to a vibrant and enchanting holiday atmosphere.
Tasks for the Selected Artist:
- Develop a creative and visually captivating concept for the Holiday Program. The artwork will be utilized for web ads, print ads, postcards, and other advertisements related to Downtown Portland, potentially including large-scale reproductions.
- Collaborating with the Visit Downtown team to ensure the program aligns with the organization’s mission and goals.
- Ensuring that the program promotes inclusivity and reflects the diverse community of Portland.
Desired Qualifications:
- Strong creative vision and a proven track record of producing engaging and impactful public art installations.
- Ability to manage a project from concept to execution.
- Knowledge of and appreciation for the local culture, history, and values of Portland.
- The artwork should evoke joy and celebration associated with Downtown Portland.
Note: This year, we are seeking a more sophisticated promotional approach compared to previous years, although we hold great regard for past artists and promotions.
Budget: The project budget is $4,000, which will cover all expenses related to art creation, converting artwork into vector files, and adjusting the work for various applications.
Application Process:
- Interested artists are required to submit a brief proposal outlining their artistic vision for the Holiday Program (maximum of 2 pages).
- A digital portfolio showcasing previous work.
- Submission deadline: All entries must be received by September 8th, 2023.
Artist Selection:
- An artist will be chosen by September 15th, 2023.
- The selected artist will collaborate on final deliverables/artwork, with completion scheduled for the first week of October 2023.
For reference, the specifications sought in 2022 were as follows:
- Digital ad specs: half page (300×600 pixels), rectangle (300×250 pixels), leaderboard (728×90 pixels).
- Quarter-page print ad specs: 5.375×10.5 inches (vertical)
- Billboard/Large Scale: 14 feet high x 48 feet wide
- Branding Style Guide: Visit Downtown Portland Program Style Guide
Please submit your proposals by September 8th:
Submit proposals and inquiries to Sydney Mead at Sydney@downtownportland.org. We look forward to reviewing your creative concepts and partnering with you to bring an unforgettable holiday experience to Downtown Portland.
About Downtown Portland Clean & Safe: Downtown Portland Clean & Safe is an Enhanced Service District (ESD) dedicated to promoting a vibrant, safe, and welcoming downtown experience for residents, visitors, and businesses alike. Besides providing cleaning and safety services, Downtown Portland Clean & Safe provides additional programming to enhance the economic well-being of businesses and retailers in Downtown. As part of this endeavor, we have recently assumed the management responsibilities for Director Park as of June 2023, and over the past decade, we have cultivated a robust brand and program focused on amplifying Downtown Portland’s events, activities, culinary scene, and shopping options.
Our “Visit Downtown Program” has been designed in partnership with the City of Portland and with the local firm “Think Shout” to provide a cohesive brand for marketing retail within the Downtown area, both to the local community (the Portland Metro Area) and to attract visitors to Downtown. Our geographical outreach centers around the metropolitan region, targeting the demographic of individuals aged 21 to 45. With an impressive following of over 120,000 on Facebook and 75,000 on Instagram, you can connect with us at @VisitDowntown & @DowntownPDX.
Artwork from previous years:
