Land Marker Request for Proposals!
The Native American Advisory Committee is seeking artist proposals for the design and creation of a marker to designate the land at OU! We would love to receive your proposals, and work with you to build a creative and beautiful marker for the Anishinaabe Historical Site. RFP below and in .pdf here.
REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS – OAKLAND UNIVERSITY’S NATIVE
AMERICAN HERITAGE SITE
PROJECT BRIEF
The Native American Advisory Committee at Oakland University is requesting proposals from Indigenous/Native artists to design and build a marker/sign for the Native American Heritage Site on its campus. The site’s name is Gidinawemaaganinaanig: Endazhigiyang
(ᑭᑎᓇᐧᐁᒫᑲᓂᓈᓂᒃ ᐁᓐᑕᔑᑭᔭᓐᒃ) in Anishinaabemowin. In English it means “All Our
Relations: The Place Where We All Grow.”
Gidinawemaaganinaanig: Endazhigiyang is a community engaged rematriation project that is Native led and focused on land-based, cultural place making centered on Indigenous education, ancestral practices, and ceremony.
SCOPE OF WORK
● During the design phase the artist will meet with the Native American Advisory
Committee, community partners, the Native American Student Group, and other
members of the campus community to get to know who we are and what the hopes and
plans for Gidinawemaaganinaanig: Endazhigiyang are. These visits might be virtual or
in-person;
● The artist will get to know Gidinawemaaganinaanig: Endazhigiyang through visits and
conversations with those who are stewarding her;
● After the marker’s installation, the artist will participate in a campus event that features
their work (an artist’s talk). Fall 2023, date TBD;
● The artist will work with rematriation project leaders to decide on materials, size,
installation, and other needs related to the marker.
MARKER CONSIDERATIONS
● Legible by pedestrians and cars driving on campus (visible from the road);
● Weather resistant and maintainable by grounds crew;
● Must incorporate the site’s name in three languages: 1) The Anishinaabemowin name
using the English alphabet (Gidinawemaaganinaanig: Endazhigiyang) 2) the translation
into English (All Our Relations: The Place Where We All Grow) and 3) the name using
Anishinaabemowin syllabics (ᑭᑎᓇᐧᐁᒫᑲᓂᓈᓂᒃ ᐁᓐᑕᔑᑭᔭᓐᒃ);
● Materials: The artist will choose the materials for the marker, as long as it meets other
requirements listed herein. Artist will coordinate with OU representatives if third-party
services are needed for marker creation (printing, etc.).
TIMELINE
Proposals accepted through March 31st 2023
Semi-Finalist Interviews: Beginning of April 2023
Finalist Selected by End of April 2023
Design phase: May-June 2023
Production phase: July-August 2023
Installation: August 2023
PROPOSAL REQUIREMENTS
● Cover letter describing interest in this project; please make your relationship to
Indigenous community(ies) clear in your application materials;
● Resume;
● Artist portfolio: link to a website (or a PDF of images) of any relevant printed or
published works and/or applicant’s online portfolio;
● Proposed design process that works within the requested timeline and a proposed budget
(artist stipend vs. material amounts).
EVALUATION CRITERIA
To ensure consideration, proposals should include the following:
● Experience/Previous work: Artists will be evaluated on examples of their work
pertaining to relevant projects. Examples may be digital or printed;
● Technical expertise and experience: Artists will be evaluated on their experience as it
pertains to the scope of this project, particularly installation-based projects;
● Relationship to Indigenous community: please make your relationship to Indigenous
community(ies) clear in your application materials;
● Artist’s ability to discuss their work effectively;
● Artist’s ability to adhere to the proposed project timeline and budget.
PROJECT BUDGET: $5,000
This amount includes the artist’s stipend, as well as material and installation costs for the marker.
The artist will work with project leaders to manage / allocate this budget as they see fit to
complete the project. The NAAC will be responsible for releasing payment to artist and
vendor(s) on an agreed upon schedule.
ABOUT THE LAND
● The blog for Gidinawemaaganinaanig: Endazhigiyang can be found here:
https://theplacewhereweallgrow.org/
● Site map
● Press releases about the land project: https://oakland.edu/oumagazine/news/campus-
community/2022/-ous-ongoing-efforts-to-raise-awareness-of-native-american-cultures-
and-contributions
Gidinawemaaganinaanig: Endazhigiyang 