We Have A 'Blank Canvas' Ready For You! -- Moxy Hotels Launches Worldwide Search For Best New Artists

BETHESDA, Md., Sept. 3, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Moxy Hotels, a new lifestyle, design-led economy hotel brand that debuted this week in Milan, is on the hunt for tomorrow's most exciting visual artist. Moxy is looking for innovative painters, illustrators and graffiti artists to submit their own unique creations in the exclusive Moxy Blank Canvas challenge to be selected as the 'Artist in Residence' at the new Moxy Milan. They will also be given their own Moxy Blank Canvas studio, where they will be able to create custom artwork for the Moxy Milan and future Moxy Hotels. The challenge starts today – visit MoxyHotels.com/BlankCanvas to learn more and participate.

The grand finale of the judging process will see three final candidates create a piece of artwork in front of a live audience of media, hotel guests, art enthusiasts and the Milanese social scene on 30 October in Milan celebrating the official launch of the new Moxy Milan.

"The Blank Canvas challenge is a wonderful opportunity for any emerging artist to showcase their work within an exciting new design hotel," said Tina Edmundson, global brand officer for Marriott International's luxury and lifestyle brands. "It's the perfect way for Moxy to create visually exciting environments for our guests which reflect the youthful, urban energy of a city like Milan. We are excited about making art part of the Moxy experience."

The Blank Canvas challenge— how to enter

First Round
Artists will be asked to submit their work by 3 October via MoxyHotels.com/BlankCanvas for review by a panel of judges including Ramesh Jackson of Moxy Hotels, a participant from Red Bull and CEO and co-founder of GlobalStreetArt.com, Lee Bofkin. Candidates are encouraged to create artwork that represents both the vibrancy of Milan and the Moxy Hotels travel experience – spirited, fun and thoughtful.

Second Round
The three selected finalists will then be invited to the unveiling celebration of the Moxy Milan Hotel on 30 October 2014 for the Blank Canvas live art experience. The artists will be presented with a blank canvas, art supplies and a live audience and will be asked to create a second piece in just one hour. The winner, selected by the media, art connoisseurs and Moxy Hotel guests in attendance, will be appointed as the official 'Moxy Artist in Residence' and awarded with their own studio at the next Moxy Hotel, along with a prize of US$3,000. Their original artwork from the first stage of the competition will also be displayed in the Moxy Milan Living Room for guests to enjoy.

The Moxy Milan sets the stage for the global introduction of Moxy Hotels, with new openings planned for Munich, Frankfurt, Berlin, Oslo, Aberdeen and London.

For more information on Moxy Hotels visit, moxyhotels.com
Instagram @moxyhotels #atthemoxy

For submissions visit MoxyHotels.com/BlankCanvas

NOTES TO EDITORS:

The Blank Canvas challenge asks for:
A bold, vibrantly coloured design that captures the attitude and character of Milan and displays a Moxy attitude: spirited, fun and thoughtful

The winner will have:

• The original artwork displayed in the Moxy Milan Living Room on display to guests every day
• The opportunity to become the Blank Canvas Artist In Residence, curating and designing work for the next opening of a Moxy Hotel
• Receive press and social media coverage through regional media partners of the Moxy
• The artist's work and biography will be featured in the #ATTHEMOXY Guestbook across social media and on moxyhotels.com
• $3,000 USD in prize money

Finalists

• Finalists will compete live at the Moxy Milan 'Blank Canvas' event in front of European lifestyle and art media and members of Milan's social society
• Finalists will be provided with a written brief one week prior to the final event. Each finalist will create a new work, live at the final event on a new Blank Canvas
• Round-trip economy flight to Milan, Italy from home city, three (3) nights' accommodation at Moxy Milan Hotel, breakfast and lunch
• Canvas and basic art supplies for live 'Blank Canvas' competition on 30 October.

THE COMMUNITY CHOICE

• The artist as selected by the social media community on Facebook and Twitter will receive:
• $1,000 USD towards their creative work
• Exposure across Moxy's social media network and on moxyhotels.com.

KEY DATES
Submit By: September 22, 2014 at 10:00AM
Voting Starts: September 22, 2014 at 10:00AM
Voting Ends: October 3 2014 at 10:00AM
Community Winner Announcement: October 10, 2014 at 8:00PM
Finalists Announcement: 10 October 2014 at 8:00PM
Live Final Event: 30 October 2014
All times are in Central European Time (GMT + 2:00)

THE JUDGES

Ramesh Jackson,
Ramesh Jackson is the Vice President & Global Brand Manager for Moxy Hotels. Ramesh has had an exciting career in hospitality filled with unique and varied assignments that have taken him all over the world, including to the likes India, Southeast Asia, Brazil, China, Europe and Australia. A true hotel and travel expert, he also believes in giving back to the communities in which he's lived and worked and is involved in numerous social and charitable organizations. Ramesh is a passionate family man who loves traveling the globe with his wife and their two young daughters.

Red Bull
For several years, Red Bull has been working with unique and talented artists as part of their Red Bull Curates Project. Red Bull Curates is a collaboration between artists and venues giving talented artists a platform to showcase their work turning traditional venues into a creative environment. Their challenge is to transform a blank canvas-wrapped Red Bull cooler into an inspired work of art resulting in unique installations throughout the world and their art a permanent feature.

Lee Bofkin
Lee Bofkin is the CEO and co-founder of GlobalStreetArt.com, an artist-led platform whose mission is to build a permanent, museum dedicated to street art and graffiti - both online and in bricks and mortar. Through their Walls Project, GSA have organised over 600 legal street art murals in London since 2012. Lee is a former UK break-dancer and has a PhD in math and evolution.

GUIDELINES

HOW MOXY MILAN WILL SELECT

Moxy Milan together with the panel of judges will select from all qualified submissions. A qualified submission is one that meets all the Terms & Conditions, Guidelines and Official Rules.

The community can support their favourite submissions through social voting via Facebook and Twitter. The artist with the highest number of votes will be chosen as the Community Choice.

CREATIVE INVITE GUIDELINES

• This opportunity is open to artists globally
• Artists should retain their original artwork files (in 300dpi), but designs must be submitted in JPEG or PNG; max size 5MB.
• All entries must be original artwork (meaning not using third-party, pre-existing copyright materials). Photographs will not be accepted.
• Artists must join Talenthouse using an active email address in order to ensure they can be contacted should they be selected.
• Artists must include a description about their submission and about themselves.
• Artists must have an up-to-date Talenthouse profile.
• The host may use the work of the selected artist as set out within the Creative Invite official rules. The host may use all submitted works in context of this Creative Invite. All artists retain ownership of their work unless specially requested by the host to sign over, the specific terms of which can be agreed between the host and the artist.
• All submissions will feature as part of a global gallery with public voting on Facebook and Twitter.
• Talenthouse reserves the right to disqualify artists who we believe are cheating the voting system as this is against the spirit of the Creative Invite [Blank Canvas challenge?].
• Inappropriate, offensive, harmful or submissions that do not fit the brief will be removed.
• No purchase necessary to enter.

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SOURCE Marriott International, Inc.