Green Crescent Public Art Project

Green Crescent Public Art Project

Website: http://www.minneapolismn.gov/finance/procurement/rfp

 Minneapolis, MN, Unknown

The City of Minneapolis invites experienced public artists to apply to design and create public art for the Green Crescent, part of the I-35W Transit/Access Project. The Green Crescent is a one-block stretch of land that runs adjacent to Stevens Avenue and I-35W between Lake Street and Midtown Greenway. It will serve as a high quality pedestrian/bicycle link for community members, commuters, visitors, and anyone using this link to make a connection between the Midtown Greenway, Lake Street and the new transit facility and plaza.

Application Deadline:  December 12, 4 p.m. CST

Budget: $250,000

Eligibility:  Public artists residing in the Midwest.

About The Green Crescent Public Art Project
The City is seeking an experienced artist/artist team to collaborate with the steering committee, community, and community artists in creating public art for this project. Possible art opportunities include gateways or wayfinding artworks integrated into the space, pavement treatments on the pedestrian trail, artistic treatment of seat walls, and a light installation. Some goals of the public art project include:

  • Be a welcoming safe space for all residents in the adjacent neighborhoods, as well as for daily commuters and one-time visitors.
  • Be a space that supports and explores the idea of connection – the connection of adjacent neighborhoods, and the actual physical link between the Green Crescent pedestrian and bike trails and the Midtown Greenway and Lake Street.
  • Be a bold, iconic gateway and/or wayfinding tool that orients people between Lake Street, the Green Crescent and the Midtown Greenway.
  • Be an inspirational, anchoring element that commemorates and celebrates the rich culturally diverse communities in the area and their community histories, and is inspired by input from community members and local artists.
  • Be a grand and timeless artistic gesture that is thoughtfully integrated into the design of the I-35W/Lake St. transit Station, the Green Crescent and the Midtown Greenway.
  • Be durable and maintainable in Minneapolis’ climate and urban environment.

Compensation
The total budget for the public art project is $250,000, including design. The selected artist/artist team will be contracted for $12,000 for design. Once the design is approved, the City will then enter into a contract with the selected artist/artist team for fabrication. This budget should cover any and all of the costs and expenses associated with fulfilling the artist’s responsibilities, including travel.

Artist’s Responsibilities
Artists/artist teams will collaborate with the project staff and steering committee. The artists/artist team’s responsibilities include:

Design and Engagement:

  • Developing and refining artistic concepts and designs with input from committees, boards, community groups, and local artists.
  • Developing designs that comply with all codes and functional requirements, are constructed of durable materials, and require little repair or maintenance.
  • Developing final drawings, models, presentation materials, and other visual and written items.
  • Providing documents for the purpose of the City obtaining approvals from all of the appropriate entities.
  • Participating in an ongoing design review and modification process with input from the staff and appropriate City committees.
  • Presenting concepts and designs to committees, boards, community groups, and others with input from City staff and consultants.
  • Participating in final project unveiling and celebration.

Communications and Administration:

  • Providing ongoing regular updates to City staff and project managers including regular and consistent email communications.
  • Working closely and coordinating with the consultants and contractors that will be designing and constructing the site.
  • Developing and maintaining cost estimates and a final budget.
  • Communicating completed phases of the project and requesting payment.
  • Participating in interviews and appearances on the project as coordinated by the City.
  • Aligning communications and outreach with City staff, project team members and others.

Maintenance and Fabrication:

  • Participating in a thorough design review assessment administered by an art conservator determined by the City.
  • Developing a maintenance plan for the artwork.
  • Fabricating artwork or overseeing fabrication by others.
  • Obtaining all necessary documents from experts and consultants, etc.
  • Providing signed engineering drawings for the artwork and footings, including mechanical and/or electrical portions of the work that are not part of overall construction project.

Installation and Site Preparation:

  • Delivering and installing the artwork in coordination with construction of the site.
  • Working with the design team and contractors to coordinate the installation within the overall construction budget and timeline.
  • Note: Concrete testing and the plaque will not be provided by the artist.

Copyright and Ownership:

  • Providing the City with copyright privileges to make two-dimensional reproductions for non-profit use, such as brochures, publicity, and web-site publications.
  • Providing the City the right use any documentation of the project submitted including site plans, images of engagement, fabrication, installation, etc.
  • If the artwork is integrated into the site in a way that it cannot be removed without destroying a portion of the site infrastructure, the artist/artist team will be required to waive their rights according to appropriate sections of the Visual Artists Rights Act of 1990.

Documentation:

  • Providing the City with documentation of the project, including site plans, images of the fabrication process, information on all fabricators and subcontractors and material specifications.

Project Timeline

  • November 9, 2017: Call for Artists Posted
  • November 28, 2017: Artist Informational Meeting, 3:30 p.m. CST, Northeast Library, 2200 Central Ave. N.E., Minneapolis, MN 55418
  • December 1, 2017: Deadline for submitting questions to ann.godfrey@minneapolismn.gov
  • December 5, 2017: Posting of Materials from Informational Meeting and Questions and Answers on Website
  • December 12, 2017: Deadline for Submissions, 4 p.m. CST
  • Week of December 28, 2017: Finalists Notified
  • Week of January 8, 2018: Finalists Interviews and Selection
  • Late January/February 2018: Begin work on Design

Who is Eligible to Apply
The project is open to public artists residing in the Midwest. This project is seeking artists/artist teams who are practicing artists with professional artistic resumes. Artists may apply individually or as teams. While there’s no restriction to the number of participating members, smaller teams are recommended. Teams should be adequately sized to ensure simplicity in project management and communications. A lead contact must be identified and stated upon application. Note that the entire team will receive the same size design fee as a single artist. It is highly recommended that all members of the proposed team have previous experience and show evidence of working together as a team on at least one public art project.  Architectural, engineering and design firms, galleries, organizations, and public art consultants/project managers are not eligible to apply or to be part of the applying team.

What to Submit

Artwork Samples:  Images that do not meet the required formats may not be considered.

  • Submit ten images as jpegs. It is recommended that your images be roughly 1920 x 1920 pixels and no more than 1.8 MB in file size.
  • Videos or websites will not be reviewed during the first round. (Finalists will be able to submit videos).

Written Materials: Proposal packets should be submitted in 8 1/2 x 11 pdf format. Please include:

  • Cover Sheet: A completed copy of the cover sheet form, available from http://www.minneapolismn.gov/finance/procurement/rfp
  • Written Description: A written description of up to two pages that addresses:
    • Why you are interested and what excites you most about the project
    • If you are a team, your experience working together in the past, and which artist will be the lead contact for your team
    • Other commitments and time frames during which you would be unavailable.

Resume: A current resume(s) of all of the artists involved, including information on background and ability to conduct the tasks listed. Up to two pages per artist.

Image List: A completed copy of the image list form, available from http://www.minneapolismn.gov/finance/procurement/rfp

References: The names, addresses, and daytime phone numbers of three references who can speak about your ability as an artist and, a collaborator, and if relevant, as a team.

Send to
Proposals should be emailed, strictly following the requirements listed, to RFP.Responses@minneapolismn.gov. Please note that this mailbox has a limit of 10MB, and you will most likely need to email a link to your full application at a document storage website, such as Dropbox, or send multiple emails.  Late applications and applications that do not follow these guidelines may not be considered.

Questions:  Questions regarding this proposal should be submitted in email to: Ann.Godfrey@minneapolismn.gov by November 30. All questions and answers will be compiled and posted online as an addendum to this Call for Artists. Do not contact other contractors or City staff working on this project.