Paid Opportunity for artists and residents — Create, Engage, Activate in West Lafayette-Lafayette 

Spark Lafayette-West Lafayette is a two-city partnership to activate both downtowns with temporary public programming with the help of artists and other residents who will be paid for their time and materials. The result: new opportunities for residents and visitors to enjoy the many assets already here, participate in creative activities, and to socialize with others as well as learn new things and enjoy new experiences.
 
Activities — which will change from place to place and time to time — are free for the public to enjoy. This approach, known as placemaking, also helps make public spaces more inviting and comfortable with human-scale features such as movable tables and chairs, games, demonstrations, and other cultural programming activities to engage the public.
 
Placemaking supports local economies and communities and can lead to long-term positive change. In West Lafayette, Spark brings energy to businesses affected by ongoing street improvements. In Lafayette, it builds on the momentum of efforts to enliven downtown. Together, Spark will bridge the cities with activities on both sides of the river.
 
And we need your help! 

How to propose an art or community activity for Spark Lafayette-West Lafayette: The door is open for you or your community or group to share a simple proposal for a pop-up experience — performance, workshop, mini event, or whatever you think might be a great idea for public spaces. Your activity should be playful, inclusive, and interactive. Participants could include crafters, makers, teachers, instructors, gamers, business owners, and artists of all kinds to share a fun, creative, and educational experience in the two downtown areas. In Lafayette, space activation will take place at locations along Main Street specifically at Chase Plaza and Riehle Plaza. In West Lafayette, similar activities will happen on Brown and South streets — in areas temporarily affected by ongoing road improvements on State Street. Both cities will offer placemaking popup improvements from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Tuesdays in Lafayette and Thursdays in West Lafayette. This program lasts 16 weeks, from July 11 through October 31 with a variety of programming each week. Feel free to apply for more than one date. This is a rolling deadline so ideas and proposals are accepted throughout the process.
 
Activities should:

  • Be suitable for public spaces and all ages (no explicit, religious, or political content)
  • Be free to the public
  • Be inexpensive to produce (we have a modest budget for time and supplies and welcome no-cost, partnership ideas as well — budgets are reviewed for each proposal)
  • Be led by a person 18 years or older, or with permission of a parent or guardian

Submissions will be reviewed based on these criteria:
 
  • Does the idea fit within the spirit and themes of Spark and the cities?
  • Will it happen on one or more of 16 weeks between July and November?
  • Is it social, inclusive, and inviting?
Current proposed themes and corresponding (possible) days were are looking to fill:

Lafayette
-Games of Thrones October 3rd
-Gaming Day -October 10th
-70’s Day -October 17th
-Cirque du Lafayette -October 24th
 
West Lafayette
-Archeology Day - October 5th
-60’s Day - October 19th
-Cirque du West Lafayette - October 26th
 
Other possible themes include: Animal day, Harry Potter, etc.
 
We are also looking for Halloween -themed 10/31 participants!
 

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* 1. Provide a short description of your idea

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* 2. Please provide your name and preferred contact information (email, phone, both)

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* 3. Tell us about the equipment or materials you’ll use

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* 4. Provide a link to photos or video or reviews of previous presentation; anything else to help us understand your idea.

If you are unable to provide samples of your work in the box below, please send an email to lafwlaf@sparkplacemaking.org with your first and last name, and project title in the subject line.

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* 5. Spark staff will work with you to identify a specific time and space for your project. If you have specific dates in mind please note it here. 

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* 6. What is your estimated budget for time and materials (we will do our best to meet budget requests)?

If accepted. Expect to receive a reply from Spark staff within five days. Communication will be via email. Thank you!

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* 7. Tell us about yourself, your experience and background, or anything else we should know.

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