*Deadline extended to Monday, September 25 at 9am

Technically Poetic: An Artist Commission

With funding provided by the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, O, Miami is proud to announce the creation of Technically Poetic, an artist commission that unites poetry and technology.

We are seeking an established artist or artist team of any discipline to create an original project that uses technology to spread the poetry of Miamians to Miamians. The first commissioned project will premiere in April 2024 during the O, Miami Poetry Festival in Miami, FL.
 

About O, Miami

We believe Miami is the most poetic city in the world. Through our annual festival, education programs, and civic publishing, we create a platform for amplifying Miami’s people, investing in a new shared narrative of our city and a more equitable picture of its future. We believe that art and self-expression should be equally available to every Miamian. 

Now in its 13th year, the goal of the O, Miami Poetry Festival is for every person in Miami-Dade County to encounter a poem during the month of April. Built largely through an open submission process, the festival is a celebration of Miami and its people. Learn more: www.omiami.org.
 

About Technically Poetic: An Artist Commission

The inaugural Technically Poetic artist commission is open to established artists of any discipline with a portfolio showing their capacity to successfully complete large scale projects that engage the public. Artists who have not yet had the opportunity to work at a large scale should show a progressive creative career that indicates they are ready for their first major work. 

The selected proposal will amplify Miamians and their poetry using technology. The project will be public-facing, with the primary goal of meaningfully engaging Miami’s residents. While the artist/team does not have to currently live in South Florida, they do need to have a plan for engaging with Miami’s communities in a respectful, authentic, and purposeful way. 

The artist/team will work closely with O, Miami to develop and deliver the project on time, within budget, and in the spirit of the commission. For an example of how we collaborate, please see: 

My Home, Mi Hogar: a mural project by collective Boa Mistura from Spain, in partnership with Miami Beach Senior High School and the City of Miami Beach

This City Is: a large-scale projection that describes Miami through statements from Twitter, Reddit, Craigslist, and other online spaces

Portrait at 34: a poetry photo booth in collaboration with local artist Najja Moon

View Through: a project adapting web search algorithms to feature poems by incarcerated writers

Connectify/Free_Wi-Fi[poesia]: a device emitting hundreds of micro poems that imitate wifi signals across Miami and Havana
 

How to Apply:

Apply here! Proposals are due by 6pm on Wednesday, September 20, 2023. Proposals will be reviewed by a committee of arts professionals. All applicants will be notified by November 1, 2023.

The total commission budget is $30,000, including a $5,000 artist fee and $25,000 project budget. If the artist/team does not live in South Florida, travel and accommodations should be reflected in the proposed project budget. The budget is firm, so please account for contingencies.

O, Miami welcomes applicants of all identities. If you are excited about this commission and believe you can deliver a valuable project, we encourage you to apply. You may also consider applying to our general 2024 O, Miami Poetry Festival Open Call here. 

If you have any questions, please reach out to Monica Peña, Programs Director, monica@omiami.org. Our goal is to support you in submitting a successful application. We can’t wait to read about your idea!