The Norfolk Public Art Commission and the NEON Arts District Planning Committee seek to commission an artist to work with engineers and other design professionals on the streetscape improvement plan.
COMPENSATION: $35,000 (planning fee; no artwork creation at this time)
ELIGIBILITY: Professional artists
DEADLINE: April 2, 2020 (immediate start)
LOCATION/CONTEXT
The NEON Arts District in Norfolk, Virginia is Norfolk’s first official arts district and is home to a wave of passion and creativity in downtown. The NEON draws from the neighborhood’s history with the automobile industry as it moves into a new and vibrant future. You can experience theater, opera, glass blowing and international exhibitions within the Districts’ boundaries at the well-known Chrysler Museum, Harrison Opera House, The Pushers improv comedy group, and Hurrah Players technical theater school. Busking, night life, street activity, food trucks and more are all part of the NEON experience. You will find an electric mix of people, artists and organizations added to the existing gun shop, furniture store, tattoo parlor and 90-year-old haberdasher. Biking, cafes, markets, retail and other small businesses–both permanent and pop-up--are encouraged. The District has become a vibrant, 24/7 place where the diverse people from all areas of Norfolk live, create and play.
PROJECT DESCRIPTION
The City of Norfolk has hired RK&K Engineering to upgrade the streetscape and make much-needed infrastructure improvements. The Public Art Commission is seeking an artist to collaborate with engineers to design integrated art elements into the new streetscape plan. This is an opportunity to influence the overall use and aesthetic of the District. The art project design could include material choices, tree grates, sidewalk furniture, sites for
temporary and permanent public art, planters, bollards, pavement treatments and other creative ideas. The artist will be responsible for interacting with the art community and facilitating any additional stakeholder involvement necessary for the artwork/streetscape plan to advance. Engineers have begun work and the selected design team artist will need to be sensitive to what may be limited opportunities. The design timeline is moving quickly. For examples of design team public art go to www.norfolkarts.net
PROJECT SITE
The streetscape improvement plan encompasses both sides of the street along three block, gutter, and sidewalk in the NEON district along Granby Street between Brambleton Avenue and Virginia Beach Boulevard.
ARTIST SCOPE OF WORK
We want the artist to start work as soon as possible. The completion deadline has not yet been determined. The selected artist will work closely with the design team to make recommendations for the streetscape design that includes 1) elements to be incorporated into the streetscape construction budget, 2) elements that may be fabricated separately and installed by the construction contractor, and 3) elements that may be created in a separate public art contract. This will cover all artist’s time and fees necessary to complete the scope of the project.
The selected artist may be asked to host design charrettes with the NEON community.
The selected artist must carry a $1M Commercial General Liability Insurance Policy naming the City of Norfolk as an additional insured and must provide certificates of insurance to that effect guaranteeing thirty (30) days written notice before any changes to the policies become effective. Insurance can be purchased and certificate presented after the first payment is made. If the artist employs anyone in connection with this work, the artist must carry a worker’s compensation insurance policy and an automobile liability insurance policy if appropriate. The artist shall also be responsible for assuring subcontractors, if there are any, meet the same insurance requirements.
TIMELINE
SELECTION PROCESS
Up to three finalists may be selected to be interviewed by the Public Art Planning Committee via Skype or in person. The finalists will be interviewed about their past work, experience on a team, understanding of this project, and their creative process. The committee reserves the right to select the final artist without a finalist process.
SELECTION CRITERIA
The commission will be awarded based on many factors such as the aesthetic value, creativity and contemporary relevance of the proposed piece. The city will consider the diversity of beliefs and values and general standards of decency of the citizens who fund the commission and purchase public art for the City of Norfolk. The following criteria will be used in the proposal evaluation process:
WHAT TO SUBMIT
The following materials are required:
HOW TO SUBMIT
Submission must be submitted via the Submittable website or delivered to 810 Union Street, Suite 303, (City Hall Building) Norfolk, VA 23510 by 2:00 PM EST on April 2, 2020. Artists are highly encouraged to apply through Submittable. There is no application fee to apply or use the Submittable online application system. For assistance with the Submittable online application process, contact Submittable tech support at support@submittable.com.
QUESTIONS? Contact Danny Hawk, Office of the Purchasing Agent at danny.hawk@norfolk.gov. Before submitting proposals, please review the website http://www.norfolk.gov/bids.aspx for possible updates and addendums.
