DUNEDIN - Maybe one could be a cake. Another a cupcake. And the third a candy wrapper.
Perhaps they could be a trio of fuzzy dice.
While today these are plain old green receptacles for trash, tomorrow they will be art in Pioneer Park.
The city is looking for a design to go on three dumpsters west of the Pinellas Trail downtown. Two of them are metal, the other one is plastic.
The competition is open to artists or artist teams throughout the Tampa Bay area, and three finalists in the competition each get $150. The deadline for submissions is March 15.
"The receptacles are not canvases, but they could be very interesting as cultural elements," said Barbara Hubbard, chair of the Art and Cultural Advisory committee. "It will probably be an aesthetic addition to a wonderfully planned downtown."
The design needs to be safe and durable enough to survive the sun and the wear and tear associated with the receptacles, she said. Think fun rather than high-end or classical, she added.
A five-member selection committee will review the designs and choose three finalists. Those three will be invited to submit in person a final proposal for artwork/design for the dumpster and a project budget. Each will receive a check for $150.
The Selection Committee will make its final decision in early April - one artist to design a plan for all three dumpsters. Hubbard hopes the designs will grace the receptacles by May.
"I know that with all this talent out there and how artists uniquely view the world, I'm sure something unusual will come out of this project," Hubbard said. "I hesitate to say what I want because artists are just so creative. I'm hoping we will be pleasantly surprised."
For more details, log on to www.ci.dunedin.fl.us and click on Call to Artists at the top of the left column.
