Gibson Guitar and the City of Miami officially announced the “Call for Visual Artists” for the Miami GuitarTown project today. Miami GuitarTown is a public arts project featuring 10-foot tall Gibson guitar sculptures and showcase Epiphone Casino guitars that will be artistically designed by Miami based visual artists and celebrities. The project will benefit select Miami charities. The sculptures and guitars will be placed throughout various locations throughout Miami and will serve as an artistic reminder of Miami’s colorful and vibrant art and musical heritage.
The official call for artists gives local and regional artists the opportunity to submit an application and artwork for consideration by the official Steering Committee. Visual artists interested in submitting an application and artwork should download the forms at www.miamiguitartown.com. All original applications should be mailed or delivered to the Gibson Guitar Entertainment Relations Showroom in Miami and include a detailed drawing concept using the guitar template provided. Visual artists can submit more than one proposal. Detailed information about the submission process can be found on the official website. No Visual applications will be considered after 5pm EDT on November 7, 2008. Additional applications and templates can also be picked up at the Gibson Guitar Miami Showroom located at 180 NE 39th St. Suite 200 Miami, FL 33137. Official entry paperwork cannot be duplicated or altered to be considered.
All participating visual artists will receive a gift certificate for paints to help defray the cost, inclusion in the Miami GuitarTown catalog, two tickets to the star-studded Miami GuitarTown auction gala event in May of 2009 and eligibility to be featured on the official website, various press calls, and national media opportunities.
The project will showcase regional artists, musical artists, create partnerships in the community, promote tourism, and provide much needed funding for the charities involved. A series of ten-foot guitar sculptures will be painted by visual artists of the community and presented in an exclusive exhibit in the city. Once the exhibit has run for the selected amount of time, the sculptures and guitars will be auctioned off for charity in a gala event that is also live online and live on television. World renowned Juliens Auctions will conduct the auction event live from Miami. Other GuitarTown projects have been completed in Nashville, Austin and London and have resulted in huge media coverage, hundreds of thousands of dollars in funding for select charities, great celebrity involvement and additional opportunities for tourism.
Gibson Guitar and the Gibson Foundation along with a Steering Committee made up of "Who's Who" in the city of Miami are honored to play a role in determining what designs make their way onto one of these incredible sculptures. It is a concept that will have a huge impact in the community and provide enormous publicity and promotion for the city. The Steering Committee is:
- Henry Juszkiewicz, Chairman & CEO, Gibson Guitar
- Manny Diaz, Honorable Mayor of Miami
- Mary Downing, Starbucks Hear Music
- Maggy Cuesta, Dean – Visual Arts, New World School of the Arts
- Gabriel Aboroa, President, Latin Recording Academy, Inc.
- Kapoor Harpal (MDT), Director Miami-Dade Transit
- Kimberly Green, President Green Family Foundation
- Ruth Shack, President Dade Community Foundation
- Neil Crilly, Sr Exec Director, National Academy Recording Arts & Sciences
- Erika Fleming, Miami International Univ. of Art & Design
- Alyce Robertson, Exec Dir. City of Miami Downtown Development Authority
- Maria Ruiz, Director Community Relations, Dacra Realty
- Dora Diaz, Director of Accounts, The Bravo Group
- Leila Cobo, Exec. Dir. Latin Content/Billboard Magazine
- Lilia Garcia, Lilia Garcia & Associates
- Vivian Donnell Rodriguez, Vice-Provost, Cultural Affairs & Resource Development at Miami Dade College
- Seth Gordon, Managing Partner, Gordon/Diaz-Balart
- Luis Andres Gazitua, Senior Advisor to the Mayor, Miami-Dade County
- Christina M. Casado, Community Image Manager, Miami-Dade County
- Fifi Castany, Editor-in-Chief, Ocean Drive en Espanol
For more information on Miami GuitarTown, interested parties can call a toll-free hotline at 1-866-321-4213 or go to the frequently updated: www.miamiguitartown.com.