maui public art 2025 call to artists

A. Introduction

Our 2025 request for proposals (RFP) stems from the Hui Mo‘olelo program, which cultivates site-specific stories through a series of community workshops rooted in Hawai‘i. Artists select a story to interpret as a work of visual, performance or experiential public art in collaboration with community members. Artist proposals are selected by a community panel, followed by an intensive learning and cultural exchange. Selected projects will be matched with appropriate venues, resources, and support based on scale, feasibility, and community impact.

Each opportunity below is connected to a specific Hui Mo‘olelo collection: Lāhainā, the Lei Pua ʻAla Queer Histories of Hawaiʻi project, and Maui County/ countywide. Please read each project description area closely to determine a story to base your artwork proposal on. In order to create an efficient panel selection process, applicants are asked to base their proposals off of the excerpts listed, yet upon invitation to join may choose any part of the full story recording for the final project. (Click HERE to view a 5-minute film that summarizes this work).

Upon selection by a community panel, artists will be paired with community consultants to integrate feedback into the initial proposal in collaboration with Maui Public Art Corps and partners; actively shaping the resulting artwork into a site-specific, participatory piece. This project development period includes a process of identifying a unique proverb from Mary Kawena Pukui’s ‘Ōlelo No‘eau: Hawaiian Proverbs and Poetical Sayings with our cultural consultant, Sissy Lake-Farm, Executive Director of Hale Hō‘ike‘ike at the Bailey House/ Maui Historical Society. Connecting the work to a specific proverb helps to provide historical and cultural significance to the installation site.

This opportunity is a commission, not a grant. Unlike a grant, which provides funding for artists to execute their proposal exactly as submitted, this commission is a collaborative process. Artists are selected based on their past work and their proposal, but they are expected to workshop and refine their project with partners and community members before the final presentation. Community engagement is a key priority, and selected artists must be open to input and adaptation throughout the development process.

B. Mo‘olelo

Artists will select from the following stories as inspiration for their public art proposal. Stories are grouped by collection: B1. Lāhainā, B2. the Lei Pua ʻAla Queer Histories of Hawaiʻi project, and B3. Maui County/ countywide. Applications will only be received via CaFÉ.

B1. Hui Mo‘olelo: Lāhainā

​​Following the August 2023 wildfires, several groups and individuals reached out to request the Hui Mo‘olelo workshop and story recording approach as a way to process the experience. To date, we have produced 2 mural projects and an animation film festival devoted to these stories. With the help of additional sponsors, we have funds remaining for public art projects inspired by these stories. Projects in this category must be completed by August 2025. Please refer to the “additional information” links accompanying each category in section C: Project Categories for more information.

1. Earle Kukahiko & Kaliko Storer (Full Recording | Excerpt)
2. Reverend Gensho Hara & Yayoi Hara (Full Recording | Translated transcript with excerpt highlighted on page 5 & 6)
3. Abraham "Snake" Ah Hee, Lopaka White and Myrna Ah Hee (Full Recording | Excerpt)
4. ​Tom Fujita & Dean Tokishi (Full Recording | Excerpt)
5. Teva Medeiros & Timothy Medeiros Sr. (Full Recording | Excerpt)
6. Theo Morrison & Erin Wade (Full Recording | Excerpt​)
7. Louis Garcia III & Kaliko Storer (Full Recording | Excerpt)

B2. Hui Mo‘olelo: ​Lei Pua ʻAla Queer Histories of Hawaiʻi Project

The Hui Mo‘olelo: ​Lei Pua ʻAla cohort objective is to gather the stories—recollections, experiences, memories of the queer community in Hawaiʻi and to create opportunities to share these stories through recorded interviews, artistic responses, and public events with the people of Hawaiʻi. The preference for public art projects in this category is pop-up performances ranging in budget from $100 - $5,000, though some limited resources are available for projects in other disciplines. Preference will be given to projects that can be completed by July 1, 2025. Please refer to the “additional information” links accompanying each category in section C: Project Categories for more information.

1. Lyz Soto & Allen Kam (Full Recording | Excerpt)
2. Kenji Cataldo & Frank Lee (Full Recording | Excerpt)
3. Sean-Joseph Choo & William Haʻo (Full Recording | Excerpt)
4. Ashley Galacgac & Nicolita Garces (Full Recording | Excerpt)
5. Camille Rockett & Dolly Tatofi (Full Recording | Excerpt)
6. Pualani Enos & Troy Siruno (Full Recording | Excerpt)
7. Daniel Southmayd & Nilo Nono (Full Recording | Excerpt)
8. Hoku Pavao & Francis Taua (Full Recording | Excerpt)
9. Cynthia Cary & Lee Stein (Full Recording | Excerpt)
10. Lance Collins & Angelica (Full Recording | Excerpt)
11. Val Tavai & Lani Teves (Full Recording | Excerpt pending)

B3. Hui Mo‘olelo: Countywide (Maui County)

To date, we have produced 30 public art projects in this category, with the stories below remaining available for interpretation as a new work of public art created in collaboration with Maui community members. Storytellers were offered the following directive for their time together: to capture an authentic moment of connection through stories that are embedded in a Maui County sense of place. Projects inspired by these stories must be completed in calendar year 2025. Please refer to the “additional information” links accompanying each category in section C: Project Categories for more information.

1. Sissy Lake-Farm & Lopaka White (Full Recording| Excerpt)
2. Frank De Rego & ​Wallette Pellegrino (Full Recording | Excerpt)
3. Jeanette Nalani Kaauamo & Lopaka White (Full Recording | Excerpt)
4. Joyce Kawahara & Dean Tokishi (Full Recording | Excerpt)
5. Bruce Uʻu & Nohe Uʻu-Hodgins (Full Recording | Excerpt)
6. Uncle Gaby Gouveia & Pualani Enos (Full Recording | Excerpt)
7. Uncle Bill Garcia & Pualani Enos (Full Recording | Excerpt)
8. Carol Ball & Erin Wade (Full Recording | Excerpt)

C. Project Categories

Artists will select one of the project opportunities below for their public art proposal. Artists may apply for more than one category by submitting multiple applications. Applications will only be received via CaFÉ.

C1. Pop-Up Performances

We invite artists to submit proposals for a site-specific pop-up performance inspired by a story from our Hui Mo‘olelo program. This opportunity encourages creativity and innovation across disciplines, including but not limited to music, choreography, spoken word, and original theatrical works. Selected performances may stand alone or be combined with others to create a longer-format event or festival.

• Description: Select a Hui Mo‘olelo recording to interpret as a 20-30 minute set of original music, dance, theater, spoken word or other performance art. Our team may pair multiple artist proposals for a collaborative project (see example).
• Application Deadline: March 31, 2025
• Budget Cap: $5,000

C2. Murals

We invite artists to submit proposals for a site-specific mural project inspired by a story from our Hui Mo‘olelo program, to be installed at designated sites across Maui County. Selected projects will be matched with appropriate venues, resources, and support based on scale, feasibility, and community impact.

• Description: Select a Hui Mo‘olelo recording to interpret as a mural composition (see example).
• Application Deadline: March 31, 2025
• Budget Cap: $12,000

C3. Utility Box Project for Emerging Artists

We are currently launching a pilot Utility Box Art Project in partnership with the Department of Parks and Recreation, County of Maui. Developed through community interest in providing a career platform for emerging artists, this “incubator” public art project provides early-career artists with the experience needed to successfully compete for and deliver more significant commissions elsewhere in the County of Maui or in other places/towns/cities.

• Description: Select a Hui Mo‘olelo recording to interpret as a hand-painted mini-mural on a park-situated utility box measuring 49" tall x 24" wide x 12" deep.
• Application Deadline: Rolling
• Budget Cap: $1,000 per box

C4. Beautifying Bins

The Beautifying Bins Public Art Project invites artists or artistic teams to transform two (2) new Wailuku Town “Bigbelly” recycling receptacles into works of art. This project aims to deter vandalism, enhance the Wailuku Town community experience, promote cleanliness, celebrate Maui storytellers, and foster a sense of community and environmental stewardship. Artists may submit digital art or a high-resolution image of work produced in another 2D media ($1,000 budget per bin) or submit qualifications to design and fabricate steel sheet metal cut recycling bin receptacle covers ($4,000 budget per bin) inspired by Wailuku’s history, culture, and sense of place. Artwork should draw from one of our Hui Mo‘olelo storytelling projects as a conceptual foundation.

• Description: Select a Hui Mo‘olelo recording to interpret as either A) a vinyl wrap mini-mural or B) a steel sheet metal cut bin container for 2 recycle bins, each measuring approximately 44.18" tall x 23.55" wide x 23.55" deep.
• Application Deadline: March 31, 2025
• Budget Cap: $8,000

C5. Open Call

This category is for artists whose work does not fit into the above categories but is still inspired by a story from our Hui Mo‘olelo program. We welcome proposals in any artistic medium that engages with the story’s theme and can be meaningfully shared with the public, such as animation, sculpture, exhibition, installation, lightwork and more.

• Description: Select a Hui Mo‘olelo recording to interpret in an artistic medium of your choosing.
• Application Deadline: March 31, 2025
• Budget Cap: $20,000

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D. Our Process

1. Call to artists (4 weeks): We work with CaFÉ when a new public art project opportunity arises. Artists share their ideas, samples and references, and a community panel makes recommendations on the most promising projects.
2. ​Project development (1-2 weeks): Our team workshops top proposals to determine a fit as well as possible activities for broad engagement, mentors, and opportunities to connect to a sense of place. Artists are invited, contracted and connected to project collaborators.
3. ​Community engagement (2-12 weeks): Together, the artist, program partners and project collaborators gather community input on your project proposal in order to create a revised blueprint. This has included free artist workshops, community consultations, open rehearsals, live paint days, field trips and storytelling events — but we are always open to new ideas!
4. ​Proverb identification: Artists work with Hale Hōʻikeʻike at the Bailey House/ Maui Historical Society to connect community input with ‘ōlelo from Mary Kawena Pūkuʻi’s ‘Ōlelo No‘eau: Hawaiian Proverbs and Poetical Sayings.
5. ​Presentation: The final public artwork is completed then shared with an unveiling, performance, and/ or blessing that articulates the intention, acknowledges the many hands and many voices that contributed to the work, and offers a request + opportunity to experience the art collectively.
6. ​Exchange: A project web page is created with process + product images, stories, media coverage, artist statement and, (since the onset of the pandemic), a short documentary that offers varying perspectives of the artwork to help spur a dialogue. Applicable works are added to the Hoʻokamaʻāina​ app and included in public art tours.