We welcome proposals of public art from SUNY New Paltz students and the campus community, and also from artists and donors in the wider community.
Process
If you’d like to propose a public artwork on campus, please complete the proposal form as fully as possible. If you need guidance or have questions, contact publicart@newpaltz.edu.
Deadline
The committee considers proposals twice a year; please submit your form by August 15th or January 15th.
The review timeline may be lengthy because of the consultative nature of the process.
Before submitting your proposal, please review the below criteria and considerations below.
Criteria and Considerations
Works of art submitted for consideration will be evaluated according to the following criteria:
- Does the artwork contribute in a significant way to enriching the campus cultural environment?
- Does it add to the aesthetic, intellectual, or artistic experience of the campus?
- Does the artwork enhance and complement the existing campus art collection?
- Does it display a high-level of artistic quality and craft?
- Does it support and enhance the academic and creative mission of SUNY New Paltz?
- Is there an appropriate site available on campus?
- Is it structurally sound and present no environmental or safety hazard?
- Is there funding to cover all costs of acquisition, shipping, installation, insurance, maintenance, signage, and removal?
- Is there staffing to organize the installation and maintenance of the proposed artwork?
- Have relevant stakeholders been consulted?
Security
All artwork displayed publicly on campus will be displayed at the owner’s risk. The University accepts no responsibility for theft of, or vandalism to the artwork and cannot provide insurance or security for the owner.
Utilities
The University may or may not be able to accommodate artwork that requires special utilities, such as electric or water. For projects that require special utilities, PAC will contact Facilities Management to determine, which, if any, designated display sites and estimate the cost to provide and remove the utilities. Those costs will be taken into consideration in the committee’s evaluation.
Ownership
For short- and long-term loans, the PAC will arrange for loan forms between the University and the owner of the artwork.
For donations of artwork, PAC will establish whether ownership of the artwork will be held by the SUNY New Paltz Foundation, The Dorsky Museum c/o the SUNY New Paltz Foundation, or SUNY/New York State. PAC will work with the Development Office to coordinate all donations of public artwork and gifts to support them.
Statues and Memorials
Statues and memorials to be erected on campus should consider the following criteria:
- If the statue or memorial is of a person, then the person must have had a great impact on the campus.
- If the statue or memorial is of an event, then the statue must be special to the campus.
Commissioned Works of Art
If the recommended artworks are to be commissioned by the campus, then the following guidelines should be followed:
- An open competition is set forth with specifications on subject and/or theme from the committee. Any artists from the community may apply but the work of art must meet the criteria of the project.
- For an invitation only project, the artists will be picked by the committee to submit proposals.
- A Townhall meeting will be held to present and discuss proposals.
- The committee reserves the right to reject proposals if they don’t meet essential criteria for the project.
- The committee will recommend the selected artist to the SUNY New Paltz Cabinet for review/approval.
Consultation Process
- Outreach to stakeholders for consultation will be determined on a case-by-case basis, depending on the proposed location, content, primary audience, or other considerations.
- The Daily Digest campus email will be used to share proposals with the campus community and invite feedback.
- If needed, an in-person Townhall meeting will be held to present and discuss proposals.
- After this consultation process, PAC will make recommendations to the Cabinet.
