Note: Submissions for this year's student art contest will start begin accepted December 1, 2024 - January 17, 2025.

Norm Asbjornson Hall features teaching and learning spaces designed to inspire current and future generations of students and faculty. The facility brings together learning, discovery, and engagement for the entire campus community.

The commissioned student artwork project comprises one large wall display area on the second floor, situated in the heart of the building. The wall panel is approxminately 20 feet wide by 10 feet tall (see "Art venue description" below for details). The successful artwork project proposal will be innovative and captivating, utilizing the space in an effective, coherent, and compelling manner. The chosen project will occupy the designated space for an anticipated period of three years, after which time a new student artwork project will be commissioned in its place.

The space is a prominent wall surface adjacent to the building’s atrium walkways and elevators, so the work will be visible both close-up and at a distance across the width of the building. Thus, the proposed artwork should be designed for effectiveness, visual appeal, general durability, safety, and scale.

A special panel of faculty, staff, students, and community members will judge the student artwork project submissions. The student(s) submitting the winning entry will receive funding for the materials and installation in an amount dependent upon the proposal and the available funds (est. $5,000). The winning artist(s) will also receive a special honorarium consisting of an MSU scholarship in the amount of $2,500.

The second floor artwork panel (approximately 19'4" wide x 11'1" high) is adjacent to the main passenger elevators on the south side of the central atrium of Asbjornson Hall on level 2. Building visitors will interact with the artwork area via nearby walkways, stairs, classrooms, and the elevators.

Artwork project proposals should fully utilize the art wall to the extent possible for the chosen means of artistic expression. Works may be mounted to the walls as a panel, framed objects, sculptural relief up to one foot deep, or other means established for safe, effective, and economical installation.

Precise dimensions and specifications will be confirmed with the winning artist(s).

  • Applicants must be MSU students, but they need not be art majors: all MSU students are eligible to submit proposals for the competition.

  • MSU students may submit proposals individually, or as independent teams of up to 5 students. Class project submissions formally assigned and graded by a course instructor are also permissible, and may involve a larger team of students.

  • The proposed artwork must be original, and must not infringe upon any copyrighted material. The selected artist(s) must grant a non-exclusive perpetual license to MSU to display the work and to reproduce images of the work.
  • There is no theme or specific prompt for artwork proposals, but student artists should keep in mind that the selected project will be located in an important, prominent position in a building designed to celebrate innovation and creativity. While the key administrative tenants of Asbjornson Hall are the Norm Asbjornson College of Engineering and the Honors College, students from all parts of campus, alumni, prospective students and their families, and many other campus guests will use and enjoy the facility.
  • The best proposals will visually communicate the artist’s meaningful, thoughtful, and deliberate use of the art wall area.
  • Artwork project proposals should incorporate strong visual components, i.e., color, texture, and form, which evoke MSU’s spirit of innovation for the future, as well as continuity with our Land Grant heritage. Works may be representational or abstract, utilizing materials and methods of the artist’s choice. If the artist desires, the proposed artwork may incorporate photography, interactive sensors, lighting, sound, and other technological features— although this is not mandatory.

  • November 1, 2024:  Announce competition, release Request for Proposals on the website
  • December 1, 2024 – January 17, 2025:  Submissions accepted.  We will have several informational sessions for interested students.
  • PROPOSALS DUE by the end of the day on Friday, January 17, 2025.
  • January 17 - February 7, 2025:  Committee reviews and ranks proposals. Finalists invited to give live presentations for the committee.
  • February 7, 2025 (approximately):  Winning proposal announced.
  • May 2025:  Installation begins in Norm Asbjornson Hall, second floor.
  • August 2025:  Reception held after fall classes start.

Two opportunities will be offered for students to visit the venue and discuss ideas with the building representatives. These are drop-in sessions--no need to stay for the entire time. 

Students who will submit proposals are NOT required to attend one of the visits, but are encouraged to do so. 

The info sessions will meet on the second floor near the central staircase of Norm Asbjornson Hall and will take place:

  • Tuesday, November 19, 4:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.
  • Thursday, December 5, 12:00 p.m. - 1:00 p.m.

  • Conceive an innovative, inspiring, and unified artwork project utilizing the roughly 10 feet x 20 feet display space.

  • Prepare a proposal that is a single PDF file of 10 or fewer 8.5 x 11 pages. The proposal should include:

1) Cover page including name(s), contact information, and proposal title

2) Artist's statement of interest, describing the chosen theme, artistic media, and including one or two appropriate examples of the artists' prior work, if any.

3) Conceptual design for the wall area. The design description shall include the materials, aesthetic choices, mounting, framing, and lighting considerations, technological features (if any), positive impact upon the visitor experience, and related thoughts that will help the review panel understand the proposed work. The description must include a conceptual rendering or some type of graphical visualization.

4) Material durability, maintenance, environmental, and safety considerations applicable to both the installation phase and the completion phase of the project.

5) Detailed projected/estimated budget for fabrication and installation. Note that it is likely that the fabrication and installation will be limited to approximately $5,000. If the proposed project has a higher budget, the proposal needs to include an appropriate justification.

  • The ONLY proposal material accepted for the review is the single PDF file comprising 10 or fewer pages. No additional material, hyperlinks, videos, etc., can be included at this time.Please note that if your proposal is selected to be among the “finalist” group, the review committee will invite you to give a 20 minute live presentation at a date to be announced (late January or early February).  The finalist live presentations may include video or other supporting information.

  • Once you have created your proposal as a single PDF file, fill out the online application and upload the PDF here (open December 1, 2024 – January 17, 2025).

The committee that will review the proposals and select one to be installed is composed of: 

  • Jeremy Hatch - School of Art faculty
  • Abbie Richards - Head of the Chemical and Biological Engineering Department
  • Sara Mast - School of Art faculty
  • Jim Zimpel - School of Art faculty
  • TBD, ASMSU representative
  • TBD, Community member
  • TBD, Faculty Senate representative

 

Questions?  Please contact Rob Maher, Art Wall Competition Coordinator, rmaher@montana.edu