Hui Mo'olelo: Public Art Corps Artist Proposals

Maui Public Art Corps has announced a call for artist proposals to create visual, performance, or experiential public art installations inspired by audio-recorded stories of Maui. In partnership with the County of Maui, the Hui Mo'olelo initiative seeks to harness the power of art in fostering connection and ensuring that local narratives and cultural heritage are recorded and passed down to future generations.

Upon selection by a community panel, artists will be paired with community members to integrate feedback into their initial proposals, actively shaping the resulting artwork into site-specific, collaborative pieces. The project development period includes identifying a unique proverb from Mary Kawena Pukui's "'Ōlelo No'eau: Hawaiian Proverbs and Poetical Sayings" in collaboration with cultural consultant Sissy Lake-Farm to ground the work in historical and cultural significance.

The initiative offers seven separate categories for applicants to choose from, including pop-up performances, integrated works affiliated with the rebuild of the Pāʻia Youth & Cultural Center (PYCC), recycle bin vinyl artworks, and an open call. Demonstrating significant community engagement is a key criterion for all proposals.

To date, this team has led 64 public art projects involving 120 professional artists and resulting in 129 unique works across multiple locations including Wailuku, Kahului, Lahaina, Makawao, Lāna'i City, Kaho'olawe, Kīhei, and Honolulu. Public events, murals, performances, story walks, and sculpture installations reach 15,000 participants annually.