City of Orlando seeks artist for food-inspired public art project

After being awarded a $1 million grant from the Bloomberg Philanthropies Public Art Challenge , the City of Orlando is seeking an artist to assist in creating installations that will help spread awareness of food insecurity and hunger.

The project entitled “Art Pollination: Building Food Justice through Creativity” is spearheaded by Juan William Chávez , who will work with the second juried artist to complete the public artwork. Interested artists working in visual art, new media, socially engaged art, performance, installation art, film and video, experimental art, conceptual art and architecture can apply through Aug. 16.

The selected artists will create interactive installations along the Orlando Urban Trail, at community centers, at food event sites, on urban billboards and at two exhibitions: one at Downtown Arts District and one at the Terrace Gallery within Orlando City Hall.

“In many ways, food insecurity is an invisible challenge,” said Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer in a news release. “We don’t always see or know about our friends, neighbors, coworkers and others who may be struggling. The goal of this effort is to use the transformative power of public art and community gathering to help shine a light on this important issue and spark conversations and collaborations that help create and inspire change and innovative solutions.”

Up to 20 additional selected artists will work with Chávez and Central Florida partners to conduct workshops, public gatherings and cultural events that directly engage the community.

Local nonprofits will participate in the effort, including Black Bee Honey, 4Roots, Hebni Nutrition Consultants, Ideas for Us-Fleet Farming, Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida, the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) and Orange County.

The third Public Art Challenge from Bloomberg Philanthropies also awarded Atlanta, Baltimore, Honolulu, Houston, Philadelphia, Phoenix and Salt Lake City with grant money for projects that address a range of civic issues, including public health, equity, climate change and more. More than 150 project proposals were received from 40 U.S. states.

Interested artists can apply through Aug. 16 by using the CaFÉ portal . The project will be developed and executed over the next 18 months with an anticipated public launch beginning at the start of 2025.

Find me @PConnPie on Instagram or send me an email: pconnolly@orlandosentinel.com .