After relying on the creativity and skill of local companies to design and construct last year’s improvements to the downtown, Dowagiac leaders are seeking the talents of a new batch of creators: from throughout the globe.

Last week, the City of Dowagiac announced an open art call, asking for artists to submit their ideas for artwork that will be used to decorate the new walls and pillars built during last fall’s renovation of Commercial and Division streets. From now through July 31, people may submit up to three designs for art pieces, attaching 11-by-17 inch to scale drawings depicting the pieces they wish to enter.

“It is literally an open international art call,” said Bobbie Jo Hartline, who works with the Dowagiac city manager’s office. “It is open to anyone, from anywhere, who work in any art form.”

Hartline is emphasizing the international part of the call — she has already spoken with someone from Chile interested in participating, she said.

The submitted artwork will adorn the series of decorative structures, which include the wall and markers built along the new parking lot next to the post office and Beckwith Theatre on Commercial Street, as well as the new parking lots built along Division Street. The city will install several art pieces along the new wall built on the former Goerlich building property.

The artwork will be mounted on metal plates for installation on the structures, and will be backlit so people will be able to view them any time of the day.

City leaders have planned to host an art call to decorate the renovated streetscape since the early planning phases of the project, Hartline said. By using artwork that captures the feel and essence of Dowagiac and its people, leaders hope to make the new entryways into downtown more inviting to people driving through the city.

“It is just like just opening the front door when friends or relatives come over to your house: you want them to feel welcome the second they arrive,” Hartline said. “These art pieces will set the stage for people entering town, welcoming people who are coming home from work or who are visiting the community for the first time.”

A mixed panel of city hall employees and private citizens will sort through the pool of submissions and pick out the designs for installation on the structures, Hartline said.

“We have taken off any blinders in terms of design,” Hartline said. “We haven’t a clue on what designs we will receive, and we are excited about that.”

Selected artists will have the option of mounting their artwork to metal themselves or allowing the city to connect them with a company that will handle the transfer. City hall will absorb the costs of the metal work, Hartline said.

The city plans to announce the selected artists on Aug. 15, and unveil the artwork to the city on Oct. 1.

People wishing to submit artwork may do so online at staging.artcalldowagiac.com. People may request a paper copy of the application by contacting Hartline at (269) 783-2531 or by emailing bhartline@dowagiac.org.

“We’re hoping to give artists an opportunity that doesn’t come their way every day,” Hartline said. “When you are tasked with capturing the energy, creative and history of a community, that is a lot to ask. We hope that artists take on the challenge and create something that will last a lifetime.”