Public Art Sought for New Recreation Center

The Arts & Science Council (ASC) is accepting qualifications from professional artists or teams of artists in response to a public art opportunity for Mecklenburg County’s Eastway Regional Recreation Center.    ASC is seeking artists or teams of artists with a demonstrated record of integrating artwork in a natural setting, while responding to infrastructure and community input. The nature of the artwork will be a shelter / event gathering space.

BUDGET:  $352,120

ELIGIBILITY: Professional artists who have experience managing, designing and completing public art project commissions over $125,000.00 within the past five (5) years. 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.

DEADLINE:  March 30, 2018 11:59 p.m. EST

PROJECT BACKGROUND

Mecklenburg County Park and Recreation is in the design phase for the first of four regional recreation centers. Eastway Regional Recreation Center will provide a variety of health, wellness and educational opportunities including; indoor aquatics, sports courts, fitness center, indoor track, multi-use event rooms, demonstration kitchen, arts/culture classrooms, and more. Programming at the center will be trend focused, innovative and responsive to the needs of the neighborhood’s diverse population.

The facility will be located at the existing 90+ acre Eastway Park, 423 Eastway Drive, Charlotte, NC. A long winding drive will lead to the recreation center, offering a buffer from the surrounding cityscape, much of the property will remain a naturally wooded park.  This unique site combined with the facility’s robust programming opportunities will establish Eastway Regional Recreation Center as the common gathering place long-desired by the community.  Learn more at: www.eastwayrec.com

PROJECT OVERVIEW

The selected artist/s will be asked to create an artwork that can serve as a shelter and event/gathering space.  This artwork will become a signature feature of Eastway Regional Recreation Center and should be consistent with the center’s themes of healthy living, fitness, and strengthening community.  Artwork created for this project should be able to address multiple needs, and could be designed in multiple parts and/or to be expandable in the future.

Several locations around the site have been identified as possible opportunities for artwork placement.  The artist/s will be active in directing the design and preparation of the site/s.

ARTWORK GOALS AND CRITERIA

This opportunity should achieve a cohesive and unique aesthetic experience that is distinguished from, yet sensitive to, the site and architecture of the Eastway Regional Recreation Center.

• Artwork is constructed of durable materials and should be permanent in nature
• Artwork provides a degree of shelter from sun, rain, and wind
• Artwork can accommodate multiple uses such as outdoor educational programing, an area to rest from athletic activities, a performance space, and serve as a landmark in the park.
• Artwork should be able to accommodate at least 60 users at one time.
• Artwork should be lighted at night
• Artwork may not be attached to the building

SELECTION PROCESS

This solicitation process is being undertaken to enable the Public Art Commission (PAC) to identify the most highly qualified artist(s) for this opportunity.  A 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 to five finalists and select one (1) artist or team of artists.  The selected artist or team of artists will be recommended to PAC and the ASC Board of Directors to enter into agreement for this project.

PROJECTED TIMELINE

• March 2, 2018:  Request for Qualifications released.
• March 30, 2018:  Artist application submission deadline.
• May 2018:  Artists notified
• Summer 2018:  Design Development
• September 2018:  Facility Construction Begins
• Spring 2020:  Final Project Deadline

HOW TO APPLY

To view/begin the application, go to https://asc.slideroom.com and sign up for an account. Applications must be received via SlideRoom by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Savings Time on March 30, 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:

• Credentials:  a Resume or Curriculum Vitae (CV)demonstrating professional history and skills or experience as a professional artist (maximum two pages)
• Statement of Interest:  a brief introductory narrative that also provides insight about your interest in the project
• Images: up to eight (8) images or three (3) digital video or movie files limited to two minutes each – of recent work completed within the past five (5) years
• Annotation: titles, date, media and dimensions of artwork

References will be requested from the finalists.

QUESTIONS?  For further information regarding the RFQ, please contact Jonathan Pellitteri, Project Manager, Public Art, at (704) 335-3054 or by email at j.pellitteri@artsandscience.org.  A complete RFQ including images can be found at https://www.artsandscience.org/resources-for/artists/calls-to-artists/ .