Overview

Ann Arbor will serve as an official “Super City” during Super Bowl XL (February 5, 2006) and will be hosting a number of festive activities. Among these will be an eye-catching program entitled Pigskins on Parade that combines public art with fundraising and testosterone with culture. The program is an initiative of the Ann Arbor Area Convention & Visitors Bureau (A3CVB) and is being managed for the A3CVB by the Arts Alliance of the Ann Arbor Area, a division of the Ann Arbor Area Chamber of Commerce.

Beginning in November 2005, fiberglass football sculptures will be produced and distributed to selected artists for painting/decorating. In January 2006, completed sculptures will be placed throughout the main retail areas of downtown Ann Arbor, where they will remain on display through mid-July. In June 2006, the Pigskins will be auctioned off at a charity event with proceeds going to support the arts endowment of the Ann Arbor Area Community Foundation. The arts endowment provides funding to support arts and cultural organizations and programs throughout Washtenaw County.

Who Is Eligible

Washtenaw County-based artists, designers, and community groups are eligible to submit a proposal.

Production and Design

The original football design concept was developed by U-M School of Art and Design student Michelle Bien and will be manufactured by Fiberglass Farm of Belfast, Maine. (www.fiberglassfarm.com).

Specs and Design Criteria

The molded fiberglass Pigskins will be approximately 5’ in overall height, with a circumference at its widest point of approximately 3’. The 3-dimensional football will rest on an integrated fiberglass base that is 2’ x 2’.

Artists have the option of attaching accessories to the fiberglass form so long as they do not pose any danger to the public. Proposed additions must be made clear in the design proposal and the adhesives used to attach any extra pieces must follow guidelines provided by the Pigskins on Parade Coordinating Team to ensure firm, stable attachment. Please note: It is imperative that attachments be securely fastened to the sculpture form since any sort of protrusion invites touching and/or manipulation by the public. See list of recommended materials below.

Designs must be appropriate for family viewing, free of political, religious or sexual messages and content disparaging of third parties. Designs also may not include any direct reference to a specific product or company name, but subtle allusion to generic products or missions is permissible. In particular, the terms “Superbowl,” “National Football League,” and “NFL” are explicitly owned by the National Football League and may not be used. The NFL logo and Super Bowl XL logo are also the property of the National Football League and may not be used. The Pigskins on Parade Coordinating Committee reserves the right to not include a design proposal in sponsor selection pool.

Artists whose designs are selected should be prepared to pick up the sculpture from a central location. Artists may work on their footballs in their own studio or in a warehouse facility at Airport Plaza generously provided by Mr. Jake Haas. Artists will be required to work with approved mediums and finishes, and clear coat the sculpture to assure the longevity of the artwork on the fiberglass surface. All materials must be able to withstand outdoor climatic conditions and be safe and durable enough for the public to touch.

Download Artist Proposal (pdf)

Artists’ Honorarium

Selected artists will be paid a $750 stipend for participation. The Ann Arbor Area Convention & Visitors Bureau will not cover any artists’ costs in excess of the stipend. The stipend will be paid in two installments: one-half upon picking up the sculpture form from the central site and half upon return of the approved, completed work to the central site. Artists will be acknowledged on an identifying plaque on the base of the sculpture along with the sponsor of the Pigskin.

Review Process

Design proposals will be posted along with the artists’ names in an online gallery on the Pigskins on Parade website in early November 2005. Pigskin sponsors will review the online gallery to select the design(s) they wish to sponsor. The Pigskins on Parade Coordinating Team cannot guarantee that all designs will be selected by sponsors. Once a design has been selected by a sponsor, the artist will be contacted by a member of the Coordinating Team. The artist will then enter into an agreement with the A3CVB.

Ownership and Copyright

The A3CVB will identify the artist in all public uses and displays of the artist’s design. The A3CVB will be the owner of the fiberglass forms and completed sculptures until they are auctioned in June 2006. The A3CVB will then transfer physical ownership of the sculptures to the successful bidders.

Ownership of any copyright or use of any likeness of any Pigskin will reside with the Ann Arbor Area Convention & Visitors Bureau. The A3CVB will have the right to photograph, videotape, or record the image of any Pigskin during the production or during the public display and auction and to use any of those materials relating to the Pigskins for promotion, publicity, commercial, retail or other purposes deemed appropriate by the A3CVB. Such rights will continue after the transfer of the ownership of the Pigskins. The A3CVB will grant the artist, sponsor, and ultimate Pigskin owner the right to reproduce or otherwise use images of the design as a sample of their work or philanthropic commitment or other similar noncommercial purposes.

Artist Submission Process

Artists must submit the following materials no later than Nov. 11, 2005 to the address provided below:

No designs will be returned.

Proposals must either be emailed to: info@pigskinsonparade.com or Mailed to:
Ann Arbor Area Conventions and Visitors Bureau
c/o Pigskins on Parade
120 West Huron Street
Ann Arbor, MI 48104-1318

Deadlines

Nov. 11, 2005 Deadline for artist designs/proposals
Week of Dec. 5, 2005 Announcement of sponsored designs
Dec. 10, 2005 Pickup date for sculpture forms from central site
Jan. 12, 2006 Deadline for returning approved, completed sculptures to central site.

Download Artist Proposal (pdf)

Recommended Materials

Artists must determine the compatibility of their chosen clear coat with the particular paint they have used. Carefully follow the recommendations of the clear coat manufacturer.

Questions: info@pigskinsonparade.com or call Tamara Real at 734/669-4360

Download Artist Proposal (pdf)