Montgomery County, TN, through the Public Art Ad Hoc Committee, seeks to commission an artist to design, construct, and install (or provide instructions for installation including oversight of the installation) an outdoor sculpture acknowledging our relationship with the men and women of Fort Campbell, KY, and honoring their service to the country.
Budget: $200,000
Eligibility: Professional artists residing in the U.S.
Deadline: May 19, 2019
Background
Clarksville/Montgomery County, TN, is the fifth largest metropolitan area in Tennessee, with a combined population of nearly 200,000. Situated on the Cumberland River, Clarksville is home to Austin Peay State University, hosts several annual outdoor festivals, and has a growing corporate culture (including Google, Hankook Tire, Bridgestone, and Trane). Most importantly for this RFQ, Montgomery County is adjacent to one of America’s largest military posts, Fort Campbell. This 106,700 acre post is uniquely capable to deploy mission-ready contingency forces by air, rail, highway, and inland waterway; Fort Campbell is also home to the 101st Airborne Division. It is an Army facility that supports active and reserve component units, Army civilians, Army Families, retirees and veterans. The commissioned sculpture will serve as recognition of these men and women and their service to the country.
Location Description
Clarksville is connected to Fort Campbell through one major thoroughfare, Fort Campbell Boulevard. As it approaches the Fort, Fort Campbell Boulevard divides; the expansive median is home to Patriots Park. The commissioned sculpture will sit at the southern end of the park, visible to passing traffic (with a daily traffic count of around 40,000). While Patriots Park is a recreational destination, the sculpture will mainly function as a visual for passing motorists.
Criteria
There are no established stylistic/aesthetic criteria for the awarding of this commission; the committee is eager to see a range of solutions to the request. The final sculpture might communicate the core values of the military, including loyalty, honor, and service; it will serve as Montgomery County’s acknowledgement of the positive impact of the military on our community. It will be created with materials that require minimum maintenance and will withstand the local environment. The selected artist will enter into contract with Montgomery County to provide design, fabrication, and installation services.
Because Fort Campbell Boulevard is classified as a state highway, proposals must adhere to Tennessee Department of Transportation standards (including restrictions on height, color, materials, etc.). This information will be shared with the three finalists; the winning proposal will be developed with the assistance of local engineers in order to meet T-DOT proposal standards, and is subject to T-DOT and County Commission approval.
Selection Process
Qualifications submitted by interested artists will be reviewed by the members of the Public Art Committee. Up to three finalists will be short-listed and issued a request for proposals, with a stipend of $2,000.00 per finalist, inclusive of traveling to Clarksville for a meeting with T-DOT/engineers and a site visit. Upon submission, all proposal materials become the property of Montgomery County.
Each artist selected as a finalist will provide the following materials to the committee: concept drawings, thematic description/interpretation, and detailed budget and timeline (including costs for materials, fabrication, installation, engineering if applicable, insurance, etc.).
The committee will select finalists based on strength of past work as shown by application materials, and demonstrated ability to design and install works of a similar scale. The Committee will make a final selection based on the thematic and formal strength of the proposal.
The committee’s choice for final selection is subject to approval by the Montgomery County Commission and the Tennessee Department of Transportation before the contract is awarded. A final timeline for fabrication and installation of the work will be negotiated at that time.
What to Submit
Interested artists must submit the following as an expression of interest:
How to Submit
Submit materials digitally via the CaFE system.
QUESTIONS? Contact billyrenkl@bellsouth.net