Call for Artist Proposals: Hui Mo‘olelo: Lei Pua ʻAla
Maui News - March 5, 2025:
Maui Public Art Corps is calling for artist proposals for the Hui Mo’olelo: Lei Pua ʻAla project that interpret queer histories of Hawaiʻi, engage diverse communities on these issues and create positive shifts in attitudes toward inclusion and acceptance.
The nonprofit organization is working on the project in partnership with Hale Hōʻikeʻike at the Bailey House/Maui Historical Society, Maui County and the Lei Pua ʻAla Queer Histories of Hawaiʻi project of the Hawaiʻi Council for the Humanities and Qwaves/Kanaka Pakipika.
Visual, literary, musical, performance artists are welcome to apply for projects on Maui or Oʻahu. The deadline is March 31, and applications are available at MauiPubliCart.org/apply.
“Through this collaboration, public art becomes a powerful tool for fostering community engagement and promoting diverse perspectives,” said Kelly White, manager of Maui County’s’s public art program and chair of Maui Public Art Corps, in a news release.
“By uplifting queer stories and history, this initiative seeks to inspire dialogue, understanding, and a lasting shift toward greater inclusivity,” White continued.
According to project organizers, demonstrating significant community engagement will be a key criterion for all proposals.
Upon selection by a community panel, artists will be paired with community members to integrate feedback into the initial proposal, actively shaping the resulting artwork into a site-specific, collaborative piece.
Artists will also work with cultural consultant Sissy Lake-Farm and ʻōlelo noʻeau (historically documented Hawaiian proverbs and poetical sayings) to interweave strong historical and cultural significance into each piece.
All proposals must be inspired by stories gathered in the Hui Moʻolelo: Lei Pua ʻAla cohort. This group of Maui and Oʻahu-based storytellers worked to create interviews uplifting Māhū and LGBTQ experiences, places and people in Hawaiʻi.
The interviews are available at MauiPublicArt.org/leipuaala as a historical record and community resource.
“Many voices create a more honest and complex history,” said Aiko Yamashiro, executive director of Hawaiʻi Council for the Humanities, in the release. “The Hui Moʻolelo Lei Pua ʻAla project helps us honor important community stories that have not been shared, and invites our community to actively create a safer and more vibrant future for all of us.”
Artists may choose one or more stories to interpret, creating works that resonate with the goal of Hui Mo’olelo: Lei Pua ʻAla and foster deeper connection to Hawaiʻi’s history and culture.
Applications will be reviewed by an evaluation panel with criteria including artistic quality and style, experience in communal or public art, significance to place, connection to a Hui Mo’olelo story, and a proven track record of successful collaboration.
Panel-selected artists will then work with project collaborators to refine their proposals through community input. Final performances must be completed by June 30.