Applications Closed: The Mural at Cardinal

Muralists from near and far are encouraged to apply!
Submission Deadline: April 5, 2023, at 5 pm EST

PROJECT DESCRIPTION:

Cardinal is a contemporary American restaurant in the Orange Loop serving internationally influenced-cuisine in a welcoming environment. The menu, created by co-owner Chef Michael Brennan, matches the restaurant’s casual, urban garden-inspired look. Inspired by travel, culture, and artisans, Cardinal celebrates the Atlantic City community and delivers an authentic taste of our City by the Sea in the Garden State through Elevated Hospitality.

Cardinal follows a simple rule: Make Memories. 

The Mural at Cardinal is a 5,000 square foot building wrap, reflecting the progression of the seasons throughout the year with each face of the building dedicated to a season. It will be the first touchpoint for guests, expressing the concept of nature overtaking the industrial world and the restaurant’s seasonal farm-to-table menu.

The Orange Loop, located in Atlantic City’s Midtown neighborhood, is a nod to everyone’s favorite board game, Monopoly. Just steps off the world-famous Atlantic City Boardwalk you’ll discover three beach blocks boasting one-of-a-kind restaurants and bars coupled with entertainment, coffee, yoga, art, residences, and unique community experiences. Encompassing Tennessee Avenue, St. James Place, and New York Avenues, you’ll find the best of the new Atlantic City in the loop!

MURAL THEMES AND GOALS:

The commissioned mural will be one of the largest murals in Atlantic City and should portray a fusion of Art, Nature, and Industry. The overarching goal is to artistically express and showcase Cardinal’s vision on the abundant canvas of the building through natural palettes and flowing designs. The mural concept should be distinct and eye-catching, drawing in pedestrians and drivers alike, while complementing the existing art in the loop. In addition to becoming the anchor mural for the Orange Loop, the work will be visible from surrounding properties including Resorts Casino Hotel, Bally’s Hotel & Casino, and the Claridge Hotel.

The artwork must reference each of the four seasons, represented in succession on the four faces of the building, and incorporate elements of farm and sea. The design should evoke qualities of an urban garden, seasonality, and a sustainable presence within otherwise concrete surroundings and should flow seamlessly with the interior design which melds natural colors and vegetation with industrial infrastructure. The brand identity for Cardinal is provided below along with some interior images; artists are welcome to incorporate their colors but it is not required. The mural should not include images of cardinals in the design. 

SITE DETAILS:

All measurements provided are estimates.

• Maximum wall height: 16’

• Average wall height: 13’

BUDGET:

The maximum bid for the project is $53,000 including the artist stipend, materials budget, lift rental, travel, and lodging. Sponsorships may be available for lodging depending on the project timeline.

Applicants will be required to submit their budget and materials list. Priming and sealing do not need to be included in the budget; walls will be primed in white prior to installation and ACAF will handle sealing post-installation.

For reference, the estimated local lift rental for a 25-27’ scissor lift:

• 1 day - $680

• 1 week - $950

• 4 weeks - $1450

Application Requirements:

Online Application Form, which includes submission of the following:

• Statement of Interest: 

• Explain why you (or your team) are interested in this project. Explain why you would be a good candidate and how your experience will inform how you respond to the themes and goals of the project. (1000 characters max)

• Artist Resume(s): 

• Resumes should reflect artistic experience. Teams must include resumes for all artists. No more than one (1) page per resume.

• Previous Work: 

• Submit ten (10) jpeg images of existing artwork that demonstrate an ability to complete a project of this style and scope. Applicants may provide more than one photo of an individual artwork (showing different angles or details). If applying as an artist team, identify all artists of the work.

• Team Responsibilities: 

• Clearly identify the responsibilities of each team member. Only applicable to artist team submissions and not individual artist submissions.

• Conceptual Statement: 

• A brief description detailing how the artist or artist team will be incorporating the theme, any historical reference to the area including natural, architectural, humanities, etc., and how the artist or artist team would like the public to interpret the design. (1000 characters max)

• Preliminary Budget and Materials List: 

• Provide a preliminary budget and materials list reflecting the scope of the initial concept.

• Timeline: 

• Provide a proposed timeline for the project.

Evaluation Criteria:

• Submittal of all required proposal materials as outlined in the RFP

• The artwork reflects authenticity and originality

• Design relevance to the site and fulfillment of the criteria outlined in the RFP Mural Themes and Goals

• Feasibility of the project

Finalist Selection:

The Artist Selection Committee, which consists of key stakeholders in the project, will select up to five finalist artists or artist teams. The finalist artists or artist teams will receive $400 to develop and submit their initial concept design, based on their conceptual statement and reflecting the overall mural theme in the design aesthetic the artist or artist team would like to submit and incorporate an initial color theme. Submitted concepts will not be considered final designs as they will be altered and changed during the design development phase.

Following a review of the finalist concepts, the Artist Selection Committee will select the artist or artist team to complete the mural. The selected artist or artist team will then work closely with the Atlantic City Arts Foundation through design development and installation. The final artwork design must be approved before authorization to install is granted.

The selected artists or artist teams must agree to the following:

• The artist or artist team shall retain intellectual property rights to the artwork commissioned for the mural.

• The Atlantic City Arts Foundation & Cardinal shall have the unconditional right to retain the design materials from the selected artists or artist teams (drawings, illustrations, etc) for educational purposes. Full credit will be given to the selected artist or artist team if the design is disseminated by print or digital means. The proposed artwork must be original.

• Selected artists or artist teams must agree to the entire scope of the project including but not limited to revising and finalizing the design(s), community engagement session(s), public forum(s), coordination of installation volunteers, and installation.

• The target installation period is May 15, 2023–October 31, 2023. However, the dates are flexible beyond this period based on the artist’s availability.

Selection and Production Schedule:

• RFP Posted: 3/3/2023

• RFP Application Deadline: 4/5/2023

• Finalists Notification: 4/18/2023

• Finalist Concepts Submitted: 4/24/2023

• Selected Artist/Artist Team Notification: 4/28/2023

• The following are proposed dates and are flexible based on the artists’ availability:

  • Design Development Phase: 5/1–5/11/2023

  • Final Designs Submitted: 5/12/2023

  • Installation Period: 5/15/2023–10/31/2023

QUESTIONS:

Loryn Simonsen, Project Consultant - Contact Loryn