Bureaucracy Tapestry
Theme: Fictional Weather Bureau / Propaganda Banner / Abstract
Location: Somerville, MA
Eligibility: Somerville-based artists preferred; open to New England
Artwork Size: Up to 3 feet × 8 feet (multi-panel proposals considered)
Budget: $3,000–$5,000 all-in (negotiable depending on proposal)
About Midnight Mansion and Edge of Elsewhere
Midnight Mansion creates immersive, narrative-driven environments that blend art, technology, and physical space.
Edge of Elsewhere is an indoor immersive exhibition venue that invites visitors to explore themed environments and interact with various installation elements. The mural will live inside this environment and contribute directly to the atmosphere and identity of the space.
Project Overview
We are commissioning an original large-format wall-based artwork for installation inside Edge of Elsewhere, located in Somerville, MA.
This piece will live within a district centered around a fictional bureaucracy in which a select group of office workers determines the weather for the entire world. In this imagined system, every rain droplet, cloud formation, and ray of sunlight is carefully designed, approved, and placed through process and paperwork.
The work should evoke the feeling of a propaganda banner or ceremonial office emblem, interpreted through an abstract or conceptual lens. The piece does not need to be a traditional fabric tapestry. It may take the form of a textile, quilted material, reconstructed garments, printed banner, mixed-media composition, or other wall-based format aligned with the theme.
We are intentionally open to a wide range of material approaches. Interpretations may be graphic or textural, symbolic or abstract, but should feel cohesive within a stylized fictional bureaucracy. All content must be G to PG in tone, with nothing inflammatory, or offensive.
The maximum suggested size is approximately 5 feet × 8 feet, though artists may propose modular or multi-panel compositions if conceptually appropriate.
Because this is an interior installation, the work does not need to be weatherproof, but it should be durable and appropriate for a public-facing indoor environment.
Budget
The total budget for this project is $3,000–$5,000, inclusive of:
- Artist fee
- Design and revisions
- Materials and supplies
- Fabrication and finishing
Scope of Work
- Initial concept and rough sketch aligned with the theme
- One to two rounds of design refinement
- Wall prep, painting, and finishing
- Coordination with Midnight Mansion on site access, scheduling, and other constraints
Installation will be handled by Midnight Mansion unless otherwise discussed.
Selection Criteria
Proposals will be evaluated based on:
- Artistic quality and strength of visual voice
- Interpretation of the fictional weather-bureaucracy theme
- Quality of past work
- Feasibility within the stated budget and timeline
Submission Requirements
Please submit the following as a single PDF or a set of links:
- Short artist bio (1–2 paragraphs)
- Portfolio samples (large-format or textile-based work if available)
- A brief concept sketch or written idea responding to the theme
- A short note on materials and approach
- An estimated timeline
How to Apply
Send submissions and questions to art@midnightmansion.com
Subject line: Bureaucracy Tapestry Proposal