A call for outside artists to participate in the U.S. Mint’s Artistic Infusion Program was issued by the bureau Jan. 9.

AIP applications will be accepted through noon Eastern Time Jan. 23. AIP designers are under contract to provide designs in the form of finished drawings. Under current AIP provisions, artists are paid $2,000 to $3,000 per assignment. In addition, artists receive a $5,000 bonus for every design selected for use on a coin or medal.

Application details and requirements are found at https://www.usmint.gov/news/press-releases/mint-announces-call-for-artists.

Renderings of proposed designs by AIP designers and the medallic artists that comprise the Mint’s engraving staff for U.S. coins and medals are considered by both the Commission of Fine Arts and Citizens Coinage Advisory Committee for recommendation to the Treasury secretary, who makes final design selections.

The final sculpt or sculpts from which dies will be produced are executed by the Mint’s medallic artists. The Mint’s engraving staff currently comprises six medallic artists, one of whom is the chief engraver.

Current AIP artists number 24, of whom two are retired U.S. Mint sculptor-engravers and one is a retired bank note picture engraver for the Bureau of Engraving and Printing.

Biographies of all the current medallic artists and AIP designers are found on the Mint’s website at https://www.usmint.gov/learn/artists.