RFP: The Rolling Canvas Project, PATTERN and City of Westfield

The City of Westfield (“City”) is seeking artists to digitally design original artwork for the exterior of a refurbished, decommissioned IndyGo bus that will serve as a pop-up retail space. The “Rolling Canvas” bus (“Project”) is a partnership between the City of Westfield’s Economic Development team and PATTERN, Inc. The “Rolling Canvas” bus will be placed on the south side of Jersey Street in Grand Junction Plaza. The City is seeking eye-popping digital artwork designed with the City’s essence, heritage, and character in mind.

Applicant artists are welcome to use Westfield’s history, signature events, and physical environment as inspiration, if they choose.

DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSION
Wednesday, April 16, 2025, at 11:59 p.m. EST

ELIGIBILITY
To be eligible to submit proposals for this Project opportunity, applicant artists must:

• Be able to meet all of the Project requirements (see below);
• Be age 18 or over;
• Be willing to meet all contractual obligations and adhere to a strict budget and timeline;
• Be willing to allow PATTERN Inc. and/or the City to use the final design for other purposes and/or at other locations (the artwork will not be used for unrelated or future projects, nor will the design be repurposed for any other commercial or revenue-generating purposes. It will be used for standard marketing and promotional use); and
• Provide the signed affidavit for acknowledgement of originality and intellectual property.

THIS PROJECT WILL REQUIRE

• Providing a digital concept design with proposal submission;
• Coordinating with the City to develop an approved design; and
• Coordinating with the City for installation dates.

PROJECT BUDGET
This Project will carry a commission fee of one thousand dollars ($1,000) to be paid to the artist or team selected to complete the Project pursuant to this RFP. This fee encompasses and includes all the selected artist’s (or team’s) compensation and anticipated expenses, including (but not limited to) design fees, licensing fees, and production of a digital art piece for submission in response to this RFP. Additional commission compensation in relation to this Project will not be provided. Payment will be made in two installments: 1/2 will be paid to the selected artist at the beginning of the Project ($500), with the remaining 1/2 to be paid upon completion of the Project ($500). Completion of the Project is considered when the Rolling Canvas bus is in the final location. Please note that, due to the City’s statutory claims process, these payments may take up to 30 days to arrive. Artists retain full copyright to their work. Limited license of the selected artwork will be used for the promotion of the Rolling Canvas project —including on social media, our website, press releases, tv news segments, and possible printed materials related to this specific initiative.

RESOURCES
The Rolling Canvas bus dimensions: 40’ long x 9’ wide x 10’ height with the intention of being a full wrap of the exterior.

The City of Westfield will provide digital photos of the current bus, upon request.

SELECTION PROCESS
Artists must submit their proposals (see below- How to Apply) to Claire Gelinas (cgelinas@westfield.in.gov) at 11:59 p.m. EST on Wednesday, April 16, 2025. Representatives from the City and PATTERN, Inc. will review submitted proposal and select a final artist to design the “Rolling Canvas” bus. Teams of artists are welcome to submit proposals as a team. The selected artist will be provided a contract for services that must be executed and returned before work on the Project may begin. Each contract will contain provisions required by Indiana law, including but not limited to Ind. Code § 22-5-1.7-11 and Ind. Code § 22-9-1-10.

Note: While this is the intended selection process, in the event of an insufficient number of qualified applicants, the City reserves the right to invite an artist to propose to perform the Project, or to directly select an artist, and reserves the right to cancel this RFP and the associated opportunity entirely at any point and for any reason.

SELECTION CRITERIA
Finalists will be selected based upon the following criteria:

• Technical Ability: Artist’s submission indicates professionalism, skill with materials and techniques, and indicates the capacity to meet the requirements of this Project; and
• Artistic Quality: Artist’s past work is appropriate to its context, innovative, creative and stylistically distinctive.

PROJECT TIMELINE
This timeline represents the Project as of the date of issuance of this RFP. Changes may be necessary as the Project progresses.