Calling local artists working or living in Jersey City – Newport seeks lobby wall piece for newest residential community

Are you a Jersey City artist looking for some exposure?  Newport, a vibrant and diverse community in Jersey City built by the LeFrak and Simon families, is offering a unique opportunity for those who work or live in the area to submit proposals to have their wall piece selected as a prominent display in the ground floor lobby of their newest residential community at 180 River Drive.

LeFrak hopes the feature piece in the waterfront property is part of its ultimate vision of profiling local art and artists throughout the community – but proposals for the lobby piece must be submitted by Feb. 19. Five finalists will be selected for a second-round review and the artist who submits the winning proposal will be awarded $12,000 plus $500 for supplies to complete the piece by April 28. Each of the other four finalists will receive an honorarium of $250.

Approximate dimensions of the space to be filled is 15 feet long by 4 feet high (one or multiple pieces to make up the length of these dimensions).

Working with the Jersey City Office of Cultural Affairs,  proposal selection will be conducted by representatives of the owners of the property in coordination with the Jersey City cultural community. The design theme is “The Beach,” a reflection of the building’s design which is adjacent to the Hudson River and Newport Green Park Beach.

“Newport is a vital part of the fabric of Jersey City. That is why we are so pleased to partner with the Fulop administration to identify the best proposal from the highly regarded art community in Jersey City,” said Jeremy Farrell, managing director, LeFrak. “To showcase local talent in the lobby of our newest building is exciting for Newport.”

Strong consideration will be given to designs that thoughtfully reflect and accentuate the design elements of the building and its surrounding environment. Its exterior design is composed of a cool palette of precast concrete, glass, and tones of gray metal. Accent balconies on the main tower form a zigzag wave-like impression complete with almost tropical-looking blue railing glass. The interior design of the building uses natural marble and granite on the floors with wood and brass accents on the walls.

“We have established ourselves as a premier destination for the arts, and we’ve seen the positive impacts throughout our community – from expanding youth programming to becoming a hub for live theater and performances,” said Mayor Fulop. “This new opportunity for a local artist to showcase their work in Newport is a great step and we are thankful the Lefrak Organization is supporting our local artists.”

More information about the open call can be found at https://www.newportrentals.com/callforartists/.

Please submit all required documentation no later than Friday, Feb. 19, 2021, by 5 p.m.