Artist Sought for Phoenix Sky Harbor Public Art

The Phoenix Office of Arts and Culture’s Public Art Program is requesting qualifications from experienced professional artists to create a signature work for a new concourse in Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport’s Terminal Four.  The site offers the opportunity for an artist to create a significant, large-scale work suspended or integrated into the ceiling.

Budget:  $1,000,000

Eligibility: Professional artists with demonstrated experience in integrating large-scale sculptural works into complex architectural and public spaces

Deadline:  January 18, 2019 11:59pm MST

Project Description

The Phoenix Office of Arts and Culture’s Public Art Program is requesting qualifications from experienced professional artists to create a signature work for a new concourse in Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport’s Terminal Four.  The site offers the opportunity for an artist to create a significant, large-scale work suspended or integrated into the ceiling. It will be viewed from multiple perspectives inside and outside the terminal. The concourse design highlights the airport’s unique location in the beautiful Sonoran Desert, providing unobstructed window views of the mountain ranges south of the city. The selected artist(s) will be expected to create works that take advantage of the terminal’s natural light.  The selected artist will be required to work closely with the design team to integrate the artwork into the terminal design and construction documents.

This is a fast-track project. Design and engineering are anticipated to take place from April through August 2019. Concourse construction is expected to begin in 2019 and conclude in 2022.

Applicants to this project may be considered for additional public art project opportunities advertised by the Phoenix Office of Arts and Culture in the coming year.

Estimated Timeline 

• January 18, 2018:  Application Deadline 11:59 p.m. MST
• January 30, 2019:  Selection panel recommends finalists for the project
• February 5, 2019:  Finalist online orientation (Finalists will receive a comprehensive packet of information about the project.)
• March 7, 2019:  Finalist interview and proposal review
• April 2019:  Contract awarded to selected artist

Selection Process

A selection panel will be convened by the Phoenix Office of Arts and Culture. Members of the panel will include artists, arts professionals, city staff, and community members.  Non-voting advisors to the panel may include additional city staff. The panel will review the work of all applicants before recommending finalists. The selection panel will have the authority to invite finalists to be interviewed or to develop concepts for the projects.

Selection Criteria

At the first selection panel meeting, finalists are selected from the pool of applicants using a 20-point system.  The scoring will be based upon the following distribution of possible points:

• Demonstrated quality of art and design in completed projects:  10 points
• Potential to create a landmark work for the new concourse: 5 points
• Experience working on integrated design teams with architects, engineers and designers: 5 points

After evaluating submissions, the City, at the request of the Evaluation Committee, may ask some or all of the Respondents to submit supplemental information and concepts, or to participate in interviews.

If the Evaluation Committee recommends holding a second stage of the selection process, qualified applicants (“Finalists”) will be evaluated on the basis of a 20-point system.  Finalists will be given approximately four weeks to produce a proposal, and will be given detailed information on selection criteria for each opportunity. Finalists will receive an honorarium for their proposals, the amount and nature of which honorarium will be determined by the City in its sole and absolute discretion. Finalists will be expected to present their proposal to the selection panel before the panel recommends artists for the commissions. Finalists will be scored, and awards will be recommended, based upon the following distribution of possible points:

• Demonstrated artistic quality and feasibility of the proposed concept: 10 points
• Potential to fully develop the proposed concept into buildable plans: 5 points
• Potential to work successfully with the overall project design team: 5 points

The final recommendation(s) of the selection panel will be reviewed by the Public Art Committee; the Phoenix Arts and Culture Commission; a subcommittee of the City Council; and the Mayor and City Council prior to the award of contract.

Submission Requirements

1. Upload a one-page letter of interest, including a description of any past design team experience and how you have worked to develop past projects. 1000 characters max, .doc, .docx, or .pdf files only.
2. Upload email and phone contacts for three professional references. If selected as a finalist, your references will be contacted before the final interview.
3. Upload a current resume that is no more than 3 pages and in no less than 10 point font.
4. Upload up to ten digital images (JPEG or JPG only) documenting previously completed artwork. Images must be 1200 pixels or greater on longest side. Anything larger than 1200 px will be resized to fit the limitations. The file size of each image must be under 5 MB.  Do not include more than one image in in each JPEG file.  Do not superimpose your name, logo, or any other identifying characteristic on the JPEGs.  With each image please include: title, dimensions (H x W x D), date of completion, estimated budget and brief description of the artwork. List must identify artist’s role if the project involved a team effort.

How to Submit

Submissions must be uploaded using the CaFE system only. No e-mailed, mailed, or hardcopy submissions will be accepted. To be considered for this commission opportunity, artists must create a free account on the CaFE website.

QUESTIONS?  Contact Romeo Rabusa, Procurement Officer, (the “City Contact”) at Romeo.rabusa@phoenix.gov (phone 602-534-8334) or Barry Sparkman, Project Manager, at Barry.sparkman@phoenix.gov (phone 602-495-0893). To be considered, questions must be received by Monday, January 4th, 2019, 12:00 noon (MST).