About the Competition

Public Art Opportunity Overview

The final site-based project includes a total of 16 tanks. Each entrant will submit 4 JPG images, which represent photographic views of only 9 of the tanks. All entrants will download the same 4 JPG images to alter to present their design entry. There are a limited number of commercial paint colors to use. (See Submission Requirements).

Five semi-finalists will be selected from Stage I of the competition. Stage II will bring the 5 semi-finalists to Portland for a site visit and a more in-depth study of the Sprague tank farm site. The 5 semi-finalists, will need to submit a comprehensive design presentation showing how their design will apply to all of the 16 storage tanks. Although Stage I of the competition does not involve submitting designs for all of the tanks to be painted, all entrants should be aware of the fact that the separate tanks will need to work together as an aesthetic whole.

Only one winner will be selected whose vision will be applied to 16 of the tanks. The winner will receive a monetary award of $30,000 and his or her design will be used to paint the tanks. As a result, there will be no multiple winning designs for different tanks and there will be no combining of designs after submission. Note that the winner will not physically paint the tanks or supply the paint for the project. Rather, the winner will only provide the graphic design and specifications. Entrants should be aware that industrial painters ultimately applying the paint to the tanks will not be able to reproduce graphic designs that are too intricate.

Competition Background
A Collaboration of Arts and Industry to Strengthen Community

The Maine Center for Creativity and the Sprague Energy Corp. are collaborating to create a large public art project envisioned as an exciting arts competition, the Art All Around competition. The competition provides an ideal opportunity to foster artistic innovation and creativity while also serving to celebrate and beautify the Maine community. The competition will ultimately result in one winner designing graphic vision for use on prevalent tanks near Portland, Maine. The following organizations have endorsed this ambitious project:

Maine College of Art,
Maine Society of Professional Engineers,
City of Portland,
City of South Portland,
Portland Public Art Committee,
Maine Dept. of Economic and Community Development,
Portland Society of Architects.

About the Collaborators
The Maine Center for Creativity, formed in May 2005 is dedicated to creating projects and programs that support the arts and promote the growth of creative industries and professions in Maine contributing to the vitality of Maine's economy. Fifteen (15) volunteers serve as a Board of Directors and hundreds of other community-minded people have committed their time and talents to the mission and vision of the Maine Center for Creativity. This mission includes:

• Creating high-visibility projects that capture the imagination and foster the art of the possible;
• Shining a spotlight on the innovation and creativity that abounds in Maine;
• Stimulating innovative enterprise through regional, national and international partnerships, and educational initiatives;
• Creating programming and networking that support people working in the creative economy.

Thus, the Maine Center for Creativity's projects focus on creating high impact initiatives that promote Maine as a place that welcomes creative, talented people and helps build our community's reputation as a place where creative, imaginative people thrive.

The Sprague Energy Corp. operates a marine above-ground storage tank terminal facility in South Portland, Portland Harbor. The project is an opportunity to continue to serve the Maine energy community while helping the larger community create a prominent feature that will reflect and enhance the blended character of the Port of Portland from various perspectives of the creative economy, industrial commerce, tourism and attractive livability of Portland and South Portland. The international artist competition and visibility from the international shipping and airway routes reinforce the global scope of Sprague Energy's business and the Portland community.

Art Project Location
This facility, called a "tank farm," includes more than thirty-five industrial above ground storage tanks within a bermed compound. From land, sea and air, the tank farm is a prominent feature on the Portland Harbor. It is located at the head of Portland Harbor, and is readily visible from the adjacent interstate highway (I-295) which passes approximately a quarter-mile to the north. Approximately a quarter-million passengers travel this section of I-295 daily. As a result, it is seen by nearly everyone who passes through Portland on travels, and is a familiar sight for those who live here.

Viewers see the tank farm from many vantage points and from various speeds. For example, the tank farm is directly flanked by the Veteran's Bridge, a section of U.S. Route 1. Portland International Jetport, serving one million passengers annually, is approximately a quarter mile away. A primary landing flight path passes directly over Portland Harbor. Additionally, the tank farm is prominently visible a few hundred feet below during landing. The tank farm is also visible from the adjacent neighborhood in South Portland, and from the Western Promenade Park in Portland's West End neighborhood.