In commemoration of the 40th Anniversary of the City of Rockville’s Art in Public Places Program, the City is seeking an artist to create a site-specific work of art to beautify the corner and surrounding area at Route 28 and Fallsgrove Drive, a heavily used entrance into the city.
Budget: $250,000
Eligibility: Professional artists over 18, living in the United States
Deadline: 05/15/2020
Project Description
The planned location for the gateway artwork is part of the Thomas Farm Community Center, which is located on the top of the hillside and offers a plethora of education and recreational opportunities. Located near the center is Fallsgrove Park, a 30-acre outdoor space used by local families and residents from the surrounding mixed-use living spaces. Parallel to Route 28, and visible to the project site, is an asphalt path that is part of the Millennium Trail and is heavily used by bicyclists and walkers from the neighborhood. The location is highly visible to residents, commuters and other visitors to the City of Rockville.
The suggested locations for the artwork are the hillside and the pathway adjacent to the community center. Possible themes could be a kinetic component and the incorporation of light in the artwork that will be seen during the day and evening.
Site History
Rockville, Maryland is located less than 15 miles northwest of Washington, D.C. Rockville is the seat of government for Montgomery County and is considered one of the nation’s leading small cities, and frequently recognized as one of the best places to live in the nation. Rockville has a rich history going back millennia with the first Native populations estimated coming to the area around 8,000 B.C. up until today where the community is one of the most diverse and international in the world, with more than one-third of residents having been born outside of the United States.
As public art is used as a tool to engage and strengthen communities so should the final artwork. The final piece should be thought provoking, memorable and re-enforce a strong sense of arrival to Rockville.
The City of Rockville was the first community within Montgomery County that not only realized the value of public art but took the necessary actions for adoption of two ordinances for the purchase of works of art for community projects. The Incorporation of Works of Art in Public Architecture requires that 1% of the construction costs for a City designated project is set aside for the purchase of a work of art. The Art In Public Places ordinance requires that one tenth of one percent of the previously adopted operating budget is allocated for the purchase of a work of art.
Timeline
The City of Rockville reserves the right to adjust this timetable as required during this Call to Artists submission process.
Selection Process
Artist submits materials of previous work for review. Artist Nomination Committee reviews applicants’ portfolios and selects finalists.
This panel is composed of representatives from the City of Rockville Cultural Arts Commission, City of Rockville Recreation and Park Advisory Board, City of Rockville Planning Commission, and Americans for the Arts. The committee anticipates selecting 3 finalists based on each artist's portfolio. Finalists will be provided more detailed information on the project and a $1,000 stipend to develop a site-specific proposal. Proposals are presented to the Artist Nomination Committee. The city will provide travel fees to present proposals. More information will be provided to the three finalists at the time of their selection. The Artist Nomination Committee develops a recommendation for selection of one artist. The Cultural Arts Commission is presented the recommended site-specific proposal and makes an independent recommendation. Recommendations from the Artist Nomination Committee and the Cultural Arts Commission are presented to the City of Rockville Mayor and Council for consideration and final award of the public art commission. The selected artist is contracted through the City of Rockville.
NOTE: The selection of an artist’s design proposal is wholly within the discretion of the Mayor and Council of Rockville. The City of Rockville reserves the right to accept or reject any or all of the proposals for any or no reason and is under no obligation to commission a work of art from any submitted proposal.
What to Submit
Interested artists MUST submit the following materials to be considered:
How to Submit
All artists interested in being considered for the project must apply through this online form. Hand-delivered, emailed, or mailed submissions will NOT be accepted. Submissions must be complete by 11:59 p.m. EST on Friday, May 15, 2020.
QUESTIONS? Contact Betty Wisda, 240-314-8681 or bwisda@rockvillemd.gov
