Utah Public Art Program Seeks Artists for Science-Related Commission

The University of Utah, in partnership with the Utah Division of Facilities Construction and Management and the Utah Division of Arts & Museum Public Art Program, is requesting artist or artist team qualifications for the creation of site specific artwork(s) for the University of Utah Crocker Science Center in Salt Lake City, Utah.

While defining the Crocker Science Center project, the University of Utah and the College of Science developed the following objectives for the building: providing opportunities to discover connections between the natural science disciplines of biology, chemistry, mathematics, physics, and astronomy; facilitating the integration of scientific knowledge related to our surroundings from the smallest sub-atomic particle to the scale of our universe; and serving as a hub for interdisciplinary collaboration between researchers and students seeking to better understand life at the cellular level. The building has both "education" and "research" wings that interface seamlessly and transparently via the central atrium space. Academic activities in the building will model the same process of inquiry that is playing out in the research labs, which themselves will be open to view from public spaces.

The design of the building provides many opportunities for the integration of artwork into the architecture and site. The Selection Committee is open to artist-suggested sites and has also identified some of the opportunities artists may consider:

1. Atrium/lobby linking the historic building into the new.
2. Historic entrance lobby and student areas at the north end of the ground floor.
3. 2nd floor balcony into atrium in the vicinity of the café.
4. New Eastside entrance to the building that utilizes a former historic window opening.

The Selection Committee asks the commissioned artist(s) to consider the following cross-disciplinary concepts:

• Patterns
• Cause and effect: Mechanism and explanation
• Scale, proportion, and quantity
• Systems and system models
• Energy and matter: Flows, cycles, and conservation
• Structure and function
• Stability and change

Budget: $280,000 is available for all related expenses of this Public Art commission(s) including (but not limited to) artist fees, fabrication, insurance, shipping, travel, installation, documentation, etc.

Eligibility:  Resident American or legal resident artists / artist teams are encouraged to apply.  Artists are allowed to apply in teams. Artists applying as a team must split the allotted number of work examples between themselves.

Timeline

• June 29, 2016 - Deadline for receipt of preliminary materials
• July 12, 2015 - Committee Review
• September 21, 2016 – Finalists presentations
• October, 2017 – Substantial completion of the project

To apply:  https://www.callforentry.org/festivals_unique_info.php?ID=3507&sortby=fair_name&apply=yes