The Charlotte-Mecklenburg County Arts & Science Council (ASC) is accepting qualifications from professional artists or teams of artists in response to a significant public art opportunity for Mecklenburg County’s Freedom Park.
Freedom Park is a 98-acre park in Charlotte, North Carolina, built in 1949 to honor veterans after World War II. The park is centered on a 7-acre lake, and is about 3 miles from the heart of Uptown Charlotte. The park’s paved trails, tennis and volleyball courts, athletic fields, playground equipment, festivals and performances draw users from across the City. Every September Freedom Park is the site of the five-day long Festival in the Park, which annually attracts over 100,000 visitors, and has been recognized as a Top 20 Event by the Southeast Tourism Society.
The centerpiece of the park is its unique bandshell, dedicated in 1975. The character of the structure is enhanced because of its location on an island within the park’s lake. The band shell and its accompanying amphitheater play host to both formal performances and daily ad-hoc performances by park visitors.
As one of Charlotte’s oldest parks, Freedom Park is cherished by communities both near and far.
BUDGET: An amount not to exceed $145,000 is allocated, to include all artists’ fees, design, fabrication and installation. Engineering fees and all requirements for code shall be included in this amount.
MINIMUM ELIGIBILITY: Professional artists who have experience managing, designing and completing public art project commissions over $80,000 within the past five (5) years are eligible. Must reside in the United States. Architects interested in applying must have successfully completed at least three (3) public art projects (that are distinguished from infrastructure design) within the last five (5) years to be considered eligible to participate in this opportunity. Eligibility must be demonstrated in the application materials submitted.
PROJECT DESCRIPTION
This public art opportunity is integrated into the water channel surrounding Freedom Park’s iconic bandshell. The selected artist or team of artists will be invited to create an innovative and engaging experience that responds to the body of water as both a site and material, while helping to aerate the pond. This experience could focus on the movement of water, the addition of sculptural elements, or a combination of these two approaches.
The successful artwork will be dramatic without dominating the nearby bandshell. The artwork should invite diverse interpretations while being conscientious of the celebrated history of Freedom Park. Artist working in a broad range of mediums are encouraged to apply.
The selected artist/artist team(s) must take into consideration specific site conditions including, but not limited to, security and safety. All considered media must be durable, low maintenance, and of a permanent nature.
SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS
References will be requested from the finalists.
SELECTION PROCESS
This solicitation process is being undertaken to enable the Public Art Commission to identify the most highly qualified artist(s) for this opportunity. A panel of local and national arts professionals and community stakeholders will review eligible artists’ applications, determine a shortlist of finalists, interview three to five finalists and select one (1) artist or team of artists. The selected artist or team of artists will be recommended to the ASC Board of Directors to enter into an agreement for this project.
HOW TO SUBMIT
Participants must submit all required materials through SlideRoom (https://asc.slideroom.com), an online application system. Please be sure to allow adequate time to submit your application as technical difficulties can occur. Applications that are mailed, emailed, faxed, or hand-delivered will not be considered.
QUESTIONS? Contact Randella Foster, randella.foster@artsandscience.org
