The Hippodrome Transformed--A Call For Entries

THE WINNING DESIGNS - APPEARING ON THE STREETS OF LOS ANGELES IN NOVEMBER 2008


PLASTIC MUSE IN BLACK AND WHITE


ALEX FELICIANO IN COLOR

The Hippodrome is Esotouric’s floating curated salon and free shuttle bus serving the Downtown LA Art Walk, every second Thursday. Housed in a customized vintage school bus tricked out with nightclub seating, blinking lights and stripper pole, since its June 2008 launch it has become a great favorite of the downtown scene. On October 9, the Hippodrome will undergo a fantastic transformation. Artists of Los Angeles: we want you to be a part of it. Esotouric is pleased to announce The Hippodrome Transformed, an open call for entries to select two artists (or teams) to repaint the Hippodrome with their own designs.

Printable Version of Competition Specs.

Competition Specs:

  1. THEMATIC: The two winning proposals must reflect the theme of good times spent with genial people (the rest of the month the Hippodrome is called “The Party Bus,” after all); must incorporate the telephone number 323-846-8832 and the words “The Party Bus ” along the roof line above the windows must use imagery evoking the glory days of life along downtown’s Main Street and nearby environs in the years 1880-1950. Featured characters might include burlesque dancers, street corner barkers, magazine vendors, vaudeville acts, freak shows, opera singers, horse-drawn carriages, early automobiles, speed demon bicycle messengers, pawn brokers, Skid Row rummies, silent movie stars in their finery or filming madcap street scenes, Bgirls, Pershing Square philosophers, spiritual mediums (real or fake), palm readers, soldiers and sailors on leave, soda jerks, hotel doormen, bankers, newspapermen, fire-breathing anarchists (they blew up the Times, you know), health food cranks, French Dip sandwiches, Salvation Army generals, The Black Dahlia, John Fante, Charles Bukowski, Raymond Chandler, etc., etc. For historic reference, we direct you to: our Resource page .
  2. TECHNICAL: Proposals may be in any medium and of any size, showing your design for one side of the Hippodrome bus (http://esotouric.com/hippodrome). A digital copy must be emailed in 300dpi JPG format to tours[ AT ]esotouric.com by: the midnight, Friday, September 26th, 2008 competition deadline. Winners must be available to do extensive preparatory work on the Hippodrome from October 1 through October 8 at a garage in South Los Angeles, so that the artwork can be completed at a public event in downtown LA early on October 9. The Hippodrome must be safe to travel on the night of October 9 during Art Walk. Proposals should include the materials you wish to use, along with the proposed cost if they are unusual. Good quality paint will be provided, but unusual materials may require some assistance from the artist. The winning artists will be expected to provide their own brushes, air canisters, paint rollers, or any other technical tools.
  3. THE CANVAS: There will be two winners selected, with their portion of the bus selected by coin toss. One winner will paint the passenger side (including the phone number 323-846-8832 and the words “The Party Bus” along the roof line above the windows) and rear of the bus. The other winner will paint the driver’s side (including the phone number and 323-846-8832 and the words “The Party Bus” along the roof line above the windows) and the front of the bus (including the ATS logo and the words “The Hippodrome”).
  4. DEADLINES: Competition announced Friday, August 1. Entries accepted through Friday, September 26. Judging held Monday, September 29. Winners announced Tuesday September 30. Hippodrome prep work must be completed between October 1-8 in South Los Angeles. Final painting completed by the afternoon of October 9 in downtown Los Angeles.
  5. COMPENSATION: The winning artists will be honored at a special launching event during the October 9 Art Walk. Their winning designs will be featured on the Esotouric web site and promoted in a publicity campaign. After the October 9 Art Walk, the winning artists and approximately 30 of their friends will be able to take the Hippodrome out for a spin around Los Angeles (Passengers are expected to tip the driver). The winning artists will receive gift certificates and free treats from select downtown businesses, including: four gift certificates on upcoming Esotouric Bus Adventures, and $50 gift certificates from Cafe Metropol, Daily Grill, and Takami Sushi & Robata Restaurant, two drink chips redeemable at Golden Gopher, Broadway Bar and Seven Grand, with more sponsors' gifts to be announced.
  6. JUDGES: The entries will be judged by Dennis Van Justice, owner of the Hippodrome (American Transportation Systems) and former habitué of old Main Street, and by the bloggers and staff of On Bunker Hill, the website devoted to exploring the wonderful old Los Angeles that’s not there any more, including Kim Cooper, Nathan Marsak, Mary McCoy, Joan Renner, Richard Schave and John Toomey. Winners will be selected on the grounds of artistic merit, historical accuracy, appropriateness of the bus-as-canvas format and how well guidelines have been followed.

The Hippodrome is sponsored by Downtown LA Neighborhood Council in partnership with the DLANC Arts committee.