Public Art Sought for Charlotte, NC Neighborhood

The Arts & Science Council (ASC) is accepting qualifications from professional artists or teams of artists in response to a significant public art opportunity for the City of Charlotte’s Comprehensive Neighborhood Improvement Program (CNIP). This project is an opportunity to work throughout a large site with community members, to contribute to the revitalization of a historic Charlotte neighborhood. This Call for Artists is to identify one artist or team of artists who will provide artwork for two projects in the West Trade Rozzelles Ferry CNIP area. Artists well versed in collaborative design and community engagement are encouraged to consider this opportunity.

Budget:  $450,000 for two sites ($204,000 for artwork and $246,000 allowance for engineering, foundations, fabrication, & installation support by the project engineer consultant, paid by the project)

Eligibility:  U.S. professional artists.  Additional eligibility requirements apply, see full RFQ for details.

Deadline:  August 24, 2018

About CNIP

CNIP makes strategic investments in large, multi-neighborhood geographies to address a broad array of community needs, in a way that is consistent with the goals of the City’s Community Investment Plan (CIP). What is unique about CNIP is its comprehensive approach to placemaking by fostering vibrant, diverse, and economically strong communities with a highly connected network of streets around activity nodes that include a mix of office, retail, and residential land uses.  The goals of this comprehensive approach include:

• A well-connected network of streets, sidewalks, greenways, and bike lanes that link and enhance existing community assets;
• Easy accessibility to transit and the larger regional network of streets;
• Better connections between neighborhoods and major employment, institutional, and retail areas
• Successful public/private partnerships that leverage investments and catalyze changes occurring in neighborhoods;
• Greater coordination with public safety, code enforcement, social services, and education; and
• Enhanced engagement with residents in determining which investments meet our collective aspirations

Site Information

The streetscape of West Trade, beginning at an underpass with I-77, is intended to be a link between an existing gateway artwork (Passing Through Light by Erwin Redl) and the new Five Points Plaza. This plaza will be at the convergence of four major roads just West of Uptown Charlotte. Five Points Plaza will serve as the hub for the Historic West End neighborhood, offering a gathering space for the community and a venue for performances, pop-up markets, food trucks, and more. Once complete, this Plaza, the enhancements leading there, and the art created for it will be a beacon, welcoming visitors and guiding residents home.

Project Information

West Trade St. Underpass Enhancement Project

This project will enhance the West Trade St. streetscape and the underpass at the I-77 bridge on West Trade Street. Wayfinding and artwork will be used to announce this special and historical destination in the city, welcoming visitors to points west of uptown for work, academics, shopping, and entertainment. Enhancements will include: street lighting, wider sidewalks, planting strips, drainage improvements, curb and gutter, landscaping, and street resurfacing. The desired artworks for the corridor are eight processional pillars that front both sides of W. Trade St. along the corridor. These eight artworks should reference the Five Points Plaza sculpture for visual continuity along the corridor.

Five Points Plaza

Improvements will be made to the West Trade Street, 5th Street, Beatties Ford Road, State Street, and Rozzelles Ferry Intersection. The project will make a connection between Johnson C. Smith University’s green space and the larger neighborhood. Enhanced waiting spaces will be created for riders of the City Lynx Gold Line traveling to Stewart Creek Greenway, Martin Luther King Jr. Park, and commercial establishments along the corridor. Placing-making, artwork, wayfinding signage, and other amenities will be implemented with this project. The desired artwork for this plaza is vertical sculpture with integrated lighting that will serve as a visual “beacon”. The sculpture should be iconic and draw visitors into the plaza space.

Project Overview

Five Points Plaza will be comprised of four hardscaped locations at the unique convergence of five busy thoroughfares. A central location in the plaza at the corner of Rozzelles Ferry Rd. and West Trade St. has been designated for the placement of a large vertically oriented public artwork. In addition, the City is seeking artwork to be placed in intervals along West Trade Street leading to an underpass with I-77, where an existing artwork “Passing Through Light” by Erwin Redl serves as a gateway to the neighborhood. The artwork designed for this opportunity should visually reference the Five Points Plaza sculpture. Special consideration should be given to the existing underpass artwork while distinguishing itself from it. These processional artworks should act as part of a grand entry to Historic West End, culminating in an iconic beacon for residents and visitors.

The selected artist/artist team will work with the local community, ASC, City of Charlotte West Trade Rozzelles Ferry CNIP Team, AECOM architects and engineers, CityLINX Gold Line team, and Charlotte Center City Partners to create impactful artwork that responds to the parameters of the site and references the history of West End Charlotte. The selected artist/artist team will be expected to engage with the City’s design team and include substantial community involvement when developing the concept for their artwork.

Art Goals and Criteria

This opportunity should achieve a cohesive and unique aesthetic experience that is distinguished from, yet sensitive to; the overall design of the CNIP area, architecture, history, character, and existing artwork in this expansive project site.

• The artwork must be sited within the areas designated for the opportunity. These include a central location inside Five Points Plaza, and the streetscape along West Trade Street.
• Artwork should reference the history of the project corridor and Historic West End Charlotte.
• The selected artist/s must facilitate opportunities for community engagement.
• Artwork must reflect significant input from community members.
• The artwork should be designed for viewing by pedestrians, streetcar riders, and vehicular traffic.
• The artwork should draw people to the corridor and Five Points Plaza.
• The artwork must conform to all safety restrictions outlined by the West Trade Rozzelles Ferry CNIP team (City Project Manager, Project Architects, Engineers, and Project General Contractor).
• The artwork should be constructed of durable materials and permanent in nature.

Goals and Criteria specific to West Trade Underpass Enhancement

• The desired artwork will comprise multiple elements serving as a link between Five Points Plaza and the I-77 underpass “gateway”. The corridor art elements should visually reference the Five Points Plaza sculpture.
• The artwork should reference the history of Historic West End Charlotte.
• The artwork should be sensitive to existing artwork in the area.
• The artwork on both project sections should have a strong visual impact and draw people to the corridor.

Goals and Criteria specific to Five Points Plaza artwork

• The desired artwork is a tall, vertical structure with integrated light.
• The artwork should be dramatically lit at night.
• The artwork should distinguish itself from the hardscape in day-light.
• The artwork should not extend beyond the space designated for this project.
• The artwork should reference the history of Historic West End Charlotte.
• The artwork on both project sections should have a strong visual impact and draw people to the corridor.

Artist Eligibility

This call is open to all U.S. professional artists. Artists who have received a commission or purchase for over $25,000 from the Arts & Science Council cannot be considered for another commission or purchase for 3 years after the date of a signed contract or letter of agreement. ASC staff, County or City staff, Public Art Commission members and their immediate families, are not eligible to apply for this project.

• Professional artists who have experience managing, designing and completing public art project commissions over $85,000 within the past ten (10) years are eligible.
• Architects interested in applying must have successfully completed at least three (3) public art projects within the last five (5) years to be considered eligible to participate in this opportunity.
• Eligibility must be demonstrated in the application materials submitted.

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. An artist selection panel of local and national arts professionals, and community stakeholders appointed by the Public Art Commission; will review eligible artists’ applications, determine a shortlist of finalists, interview three finalists, and select one artist or team of artists. The selected artist or team of artists will be recommended to the Public Art Commission and the Board of the Arts & Science Council for final approval to enter into contractual agreement for this project.

Selection Criteria

• Artistic merit in concept and fabrication as demonstrated in submitted work samples.
• Documented experience in design development and management of fabrication and installation of permanent artworks commissioned for and successfully integrated into new construction and/or architectural renovation projects.
• Proven ability to collaborate with stakeholders and design team members.
• Demonstrated ability to present and articulate all conceptual material and logistical aspects of proposals for public art to diverse stakeholders including but not limited to: commissioning agency staff, project managers and/or owners, community stakeholders, and local press.

Projected Timeline

• 7/23/2018:  Request for Qualifications open
• 8/24/2018:  Artist application submission deadline
• August 2018:  Artist selection panel reviews applications and selects 3 finalists
• September 2018:  Artist selection panel interviews finalists and selects one artist/team
• Fall 2018-Spring 2019:  Artwork design development
• November 2020: Project completed

How to Apply

Applications must be received via SlideRoom (https://asc.slideroom.com) by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on August 24, 2018. There is no application fee to apply or use the SlideRoom online application system. The following materials will be required to be uploaded to SlideRoom:

1. Credentials: a Resume or Curriculum Vitae (CV) demonstrating professional history and skills or experience as a professional artist (maximum two (2) pages). For artist teams, each team member must submit an individual resume (two (2) pages maximum each)
2. Statement of Interest: a brief introductory narrative that provides insight about your interest in the project and your studio practice (one (1) page maximum).  If applying as a team, identify all team members and their proposed project roles (e.g. lead artist, technical consultant, fabricator, etc.)
3. Images: up to eight (8) total images and/or digital video files limited to two minutes each – of recent work completed within the past ten (10) years
4. Annotation: titles, date, budget, client, media, and dimensions of artwork submitted in the images
5. References: three (3) professional references who can speak to the artist's ability to meet deadlines, work with community, and create innovative work as part of a design team. Include name, organization, phone number, and email

Drawings, renderings, and/or models of uncompleted project proposals will not be considered, without exception.

QUESTIONS?  Contact Todd Stewart, Program Director, Public Art (704) 335-3273 or email at todd.stewart@artsandscience.org.