Call for artist proposals for Hui Mo‘olelo Lei Pua ʻAla
Maui Now - March 3, 2025
Maui Public Art Corps, in partnership with Hale Hōʻikeʻike at the Bailey House/Maui Historical Society, the County of Maui, and the Lei Pua ʻAla Queer Histories of Hawaiʻi project of the Hawaiʻi Council for the Humanities and Qwaves/Kanaka Pakipika, announced a call for artist proposals for the Hui Mo‘olelo: Lei Pua ʻAla project. The deadline to apply is March 31, 2025. The application is linked at mauipublicart.org/apply.
For the RFP, the collective is seeking artist proposals that interpret queer histories of Hawaiʻi, engage diverse communities on these issues, and create positive shifts in public attitudes toward inclusion and acceptance. Visual, literary, musical, performance artists are welcome to apply for projects on Maui or Oʻahu.
Demonstrating significant community engagement is 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. These interviews are available on mauipublicart.org/leipuaala as a historical record and community educational resource.
“Many voices create a more honest and complex history,” shares Aiko Yamashiro, Executive Director of Hawaiʻi Council for the Humanities. “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.”
“Through this collaboration, public art becomes a powerful tool for fostering community engagement and promoting diverse perspectives,” shares Kelly White, manager of the County of Maui’s public art program and Chair of Maui Public Art Corps, “By uplifting queer stories and history, this initiative seeks to inspire dialogue, understanding, and a lasting shift toward greater inclusivity.”
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 rich history and culture. Project budgets may range from $100 to $5,000 and should fit public art criteria set forth in the County of Maui Public Art Master Plan: planned or executed outside of a gallery or theater context and intended specifically for presentation within free and public view, public art is: A) commissioned by a public process; B) characterized by interaction or dialogue with the community; and C) site-specific, meaning that it is created in response to the place in which it resides.
Artists must apply via Call For Entry and Application Management for the Arts (CaFÉ), which is the industry standard call for entries submission and online jurying system for the public art field.
“Hui Mo‘olelo allows us to preserve and share authentic narratives of our community,” shares Sissy Lake-Farm, Executive Director of Hale Hōʻikeʻike at the Bailey House/ Maui Historical Society, “These performances will deepen the public’s understanding of Maui history and culture.”
Lei Pua ʻAla is the Hui Mo‘olelo program’s fifth annual cohort, which is a result of the SMALL TOWN * BIG ART program of the County of Maui, Hale Hōʻikeʻike at the Bailey House/Maui Historical Society and Maui Public Art Corps. Hui Mo‘olelo cultivates intergenerational storytelling with three key goals: capturing authentic moments of connection through recorded stories; connecting residents and visitors more deeply with accurate accounts of Maui’s history and culture; and ensuring that local narratives and cultural heritage are preserved and shared for future generations, fostering a sense of identity and belonging.
All audio story recordings are available to the public through mauipublicart.org, the Maui Historical Society archives, the American Folklife Center at the Library of Congress, and through annual artist proposal requests, providing a broad platform for artists and community members to engage with these stories in meaningful ways.
The selected artists will be commissioned to co-develop an innovative project with project partners that engages a diverse public audience. 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 closely with project collaborators to refine their proposals through community input. Final performances must be completed by June 30, 2025.
Hui Mo‘olelo: Lei Pua ʻAla comprises one of three Hui Mo‘olelo collections included in this RFP, which also includes Hui Mo‘olelo: Lahaina and the original Maui County Hui Mo‘olelo partnership. There are five public art opportunities from which applicants may choose: pop-up performances, murals, a utility box project for emerging artists, beautifying bins and an open call for artists working in other disciplines. Learn more at mauipublicart.org/apply.