Madison, WI. – The Wisconsin Historical Society is now seeking artist proposals for a new exhibit that will travel to schools, museums, and other cultural organizations throughout the state. The eight panel, tabletop exhibit will draw inspiration from the book “We Will Always Be Here: A Guide to Exploring and Understanding the History of LGBTQ+ Activism in Wisconsin,” by Jenny Kalvaitis and Kristen Whitson which was published by the Wisconsin Historical Society Press in June, 2021. It is a thought-provoking and educational book that shares powerful stories of LGBTQ+ activism throughout Wisconsin’s history for young people to explore and discuss.
The Wisconsin Historical Society will accept artist proposals until September 10, 2021. The vision for the exhibit design is a graphic novel approach that tells the story of six members of Wisconsin’s LGBTQ+ community representing a diversity of ages, geographic regions, and identities. The selected artist will be notified of the commission by September 24, 2021, and completed artwork files will be due on November 30, 2021. The total commission for the graphic design of the 8-panel tabletop exhibit will be $4,000.
“The new travelling exhibit will expand the reach of these stories and the Society looks forward to selecting an artist whose work will bring a new dimension to sharing LGBTQ+ history in Wisconsin,” said Janet Seymour, outreach director for the Wisconsin Historical Society.
Interested applicants should submit an artist bio or resume, a letter expressing interest in the project, up to three examples of previous relevant design projects, and three professional references including name, phone number, and email address for each. Artists from underrepresented communities, including the LGBTQ+ community, and emerging artists, are strongly encouraged to apply. To learn more about the project and to submit a proposal, visit https://wisconsinhistory.org/Records/Article/CS16620.
About Wisconsin Historical Society
The Wisconsin Historical Society, founded in 1846, ranks as one of the largest, most active and most diversified state historical societies in the nation. As both a state agency and a private membership organization, its mission is to help people connect to the past by collecting, preserving and sharing stories. The Wisconsin Historical Society serves millions of people every year through a wide range of sites, programs and services. For more information, visit www.wisconsinhistory.org.
