Murfreesboro, TN - The City of Murfreesboro is seeking Cultural Arts Laureates for 2025, with the term beginning in February 2025 and ending in February 2026.

The Cultural Arts Laureates are considered a civic appointment and an honor. The program aims to give experienced individual artists an opportunity to share their talents with the community, offer youth and emerging artists role models within their own community, and encourage and nurture the growing arts and creative culture in Murfreesboro. The desired outcomes of this initiative include:

• Each year, the selected Laureates will use their creative practice to impact their community in a rewarding way.

• Laureates will continue to contribute to community projects after their term ends.

  

• The program will encourage artists to set goals within their community.

• The community will be enriched by the Laureates’ contributions.

The program acknowledges the work and contributions of local artists. The selected artist will receive a year’s commitment from the City of Murfreesboro, including exposure for their work, support for their community projects for 2025, and a $1,000 monetary award. Laureates will be responsible for exhibiting their creative work and expertise at city events. They serve for one year, with the opportunity to continue for up to three years if invited and pending an evaluation at the end of each year.

For more information on the Murfreesboro City Laureate program or past and current Laureates, visit the Murfreesboro City Laureate webpage.

To be considered for the Laureate Program, candidates must live or work in Murfreesboro, fill out the requisite program application, and agree to the responsibilities of the Laureates.

Applicants are only eligible for one category of the Laureate program: Poet, Visual Arts, or Performing Arts.

Objectives:

The Cultural Arts Laureates will serve a term beginning in February 2025 and ending in February 2026. The objectives of the position are:

• Serve as a cultural arts advocate for the City of Murfreesboro to a wide demographic of audiences.

• Raise the profile of artists and contemporary cultural arts discourse in Murfreesboro.

• Create an artistic legacy through public exhibitions and civic interactions.

Key Responsibilities:

• Fulfill their term in residence.

• Enrich the community through "arts advocacy" by participating in events hosted by Cultural Arts Murfreesboro and interacting with non-traditional audiences.

• Raise the profile of Poet Laureate and contemporary arts discourse in Murfreesboro.

• Attend, participate, and exhibit in select ceremonial and civic engagement events as their schedule permits.

• Submit semi-annual reports on their work to the Cultural Arts Department.

Term:

The application period is open through January 31, 2025. The Cultural Arts Laureates will serve a term beginning in February 2025 and ending in February 2026. Laureates will be evaluated at the end of each year. Pending the results of that evaluation, Laureates may be invited to return for the next year's term. Select Laureates may have the opportunity to serve their community for up to three years. Each Laureate will receive a $1,000 monetary award for each year they serve. Additional project funds may be available to support Laureates' activities, depending on available financial resources.

Eligibility Criteria:

Candidates must:

• Be at least 18 years of age.

• Be available to attend various city events as designated.

• Be a professional artist with a well-established performance or technical history.

• Work or reside in Murfreesboro.

• Have an established body of work or have been recognized for notable contributions to the cultural arts.

• Have work relevant to Murfreesboro or subjects that reflect the life of the city at this particular time in history, or be able to create this type of work during their term.

Submissions:

Submission Deadline: January 31, 2025

Eligible artists and nominators are invited to submit proposals that include:

1. A sample of your work or professional portfolio (please limit video clips to 3 minutes).

2. Curriculum Vitae or resume.

3. Confirmation of current place of residence or employment.

4. A Letter of Intent (1,000 words maximum) detailing:

   • The artist’s professional accomplishments and community outreach activities.

   • Why the artist feels they are the best candidate for the Cultural Arts Laureates for the City of Murfreesboro.

   • How the artist envisions fulfilling their key responsibilities through leading classes, public speaking, and other means of representation at community events.

5. An artist bio (no more than 250 words) to be used on the City’s website if selected.

6. Three references that can attest to the artist’s talents and ability to engage others in their craft.

Submissions are accepted through www.culturalarts.submittable.com.

For questions about submissions, contact: smayo@murfreesborotn.gov or 615-893-7439 ext. 6111.

Selection Process:

Appointment will be by a selection committee comprised of arts professionals from the community and the previous year's laureate. Submissions will be reviewed based on:

• The artist’s significant contribution to cultural arts in Murfreesboro.

• The candidate’s influence on other artists.

• The artistic merit of the submission.

As part of the selection process, candidates may be asked to participate in an interview with Cultural Arts staff.

Reserved Rights of the City of Murfreesboro:

The City of Murfreesboro reserves the right to:

• Request clarification or additional information as necessary to evaluate submissions.

• Determine the suitability of the submission and capability of the prospective artist(s).

• Select the artist(s) deemed most appropriate for the project.

• Make no selection or cancel the process at any time.

• Issue public announcements regarding the competition.

This document and any submissions in response do not create any binding obligations on the City, the prospective artist, or any other party.