Call Summary
Omaha’s Lauritzen Gardens is uniquely positioned as the region’s premier botanical center and garden resource. The Committee for the new Children’s Garden is seeking a permanent outdoor sculpture as a featured element that will have a lot of visibility from the interstate and from within the park. Professional public artists or artists teams internationally are eligible to apply.
The full budget for the project is $180,000, which should include all artists expenses. Finalists will receive an honorarium to create their proposal and travel reimbursement funds.
All submissions must be made via SlideRoom. Please note that while this project is being hosted by the Nebraska Arts Council, it is not a Nebraska 1% for Art project.

Budget Description
A maximum of $180,000.00 is allocated for this project.
All expenses for the selected design and commission are the responsibility of the artist/team, including but not limited to:
travel/lodging, fabrication and supplies, installation expenses (as needed: integrated lighting, engineering, rigging, equipment rental, etc). Footings will be provided by Lauritzen’s contractors.

Artwork Goals
Lauritzen Gardens is creating a new space dedicated primarily to children and those young at heart, which will have several different attractions and areas to learn and play. The Artwork for this call will be featured in the Discovery Overlook, which has tremendously scenic views of the Missouri River. The river’s flowing waters will carry through different design elements such as waves in the pavement and knee wall.

Since this site is located on a hill, this sculpture has the potential to be visible from Interstate 80, especially if the artwork has some vertical presence. The Committee is interested in the sculpture interacting with wind to create sound. They are also open to the possibility of the sculpture having an interactive sound element. The sculpture should be designed in a way that is safe for visitors to be near and interact with. The goal for this artwork is to be both eye-catching and inviting, and to encourage people to linger and use the space – so the artwork should be interesting to view both at a distance and close-up. The Lauritzen has artworks throughout the gardens and often works with local artists for special temporary exhibitions.

The sculpture must be engineered and designed with materials that can withstand Nebraska weather and wind. The artwork should be contained within the space allotted for it on the map.

Artwork Location Description
The space itself is the high-point of the Children’s Garden, and is approx. 35’x 20’ in dimension. The main pathway ascends up from the Gathering Plaza, enters the main space of the overlook, then there is a pathway that wraps around and descends to lead visitors to the Artifact Hills space. Along the descent there are ‘otter slides’ that kids can use to slide down and then climb back up on. This space will also feature telescopes to look along the river, a science station, and demonstration plantings of plants discovered by Lewis and Clark.

Eligibility
Professional public International artists/teams are eligible.

Application Requirements
Artists are allowed to apply in teams.
Artists applying as a team must split the allotted number of work examples between themselves.

Selection Process
The Lauritzen Selection Committee, in consultation with the NAC, has full oversight for the selection of an artist for this project. Professional public International artists/teams are eligible. The committee reviews RFQ submissions on SlideRoom.

Finalists will receive a presentation honorarium and a travel stipend, if applicable. Finalist presentations should include concept, design, detailed budget for the available funds, installation method, projected maintenance.

Selection Criteria
Clarity of conceptual approach for work in Letter of Interest and in artwork descriptions. Evidence of ability to complete projects from prior artwork samples.

Timeline*
RFQ Open: September 1, 2022
Submission Deadline: October 31, 2022
Finalists Notified: November 11, 2022
Proposal Presentations: January 30, 2023
Artwork Installed: December 2023

*Assume time zones are relative to call location.

Additional Resources
https://www.artscouncil.nebraska.gov/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/RFQ-draft-Lauritzen.pdf

Contact Information
Meagan Dion
1004 Farnam St
Omaha NE 68102 United States
meagan.dion@nebraska.gov
4025953935

Submission Instructions
Website Address:
https://nebraska.slideroom.com