University of Illinois Art in Architecture at Natural History Building – Globe Sculpture 
Budget: $40,000
Deadline: 04/03/2023

Call Summary
The School of Earth, Society and Environment (SESE), together with the School of Integrative Biology (SIB) do research on Earth and Earth processes, including the biosphere (the plants and animals), the geosphere (the solid earth, its continents, oceans and mountains), the atmosphere (weather, storms, and climate), and human society (social science, geography, and geographic information). The objective for this globe sculpture is to depict on it these four components: weather and storms, continents, mountains and oceans, human society (cities, farmland), and living things (rainforests, animals etc.). The vision is to be able to identify these components when admiring this interior globe sculpture for the Natural History Building at the University of Illinois in Champaign/Urbana.

Project Description
The Natural History Building, located at 1301 West Green Street, Urbana, was designed by the prominent architect, Nathan Ricker, and was constructed in three phases between 1892 and 1924. Its exterior facade of red brick has a Victorian look. The building is officially listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The NHB Renovation and Construction Project, which took 7 years and cost nearly $79 million, involved a complete gutting and reconstruction of the building’s interior. The 156,000 sq. ft. building now hosts state-of-the-art lecture halls, instructional labs, classrooms, research laboratories, and offices. These serve all components of the three academic departments of SESE, and the teaching components of SIB.

Because of the nature of the academic activities that take place in the building, the committee is seeking to procure a sculpture of the earth which shall depict and communicate in a realistic, naturalistic, or even abstract way, an aspect of the geological and biologic history.

Eligibility
This RFA solicitation for public art is open to all professional artists, artisans, or artist-led teams currently residing and legally permitted to work in the United States.

Faculty, instructors, and staff of the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign as well as degree seeking fine art students are not eligible to apply.

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
Artists/teams may submit their work for consideration as defined below. The artist or team that is selected to produce the custom artwork will be notified by the Art in Architecture coordinator. Do not send a proposal unless contacted by the coordinator.

Submission Instructions
Email Address: fandsartinarch@mx.uillinois.edu

Emailing Submission Instructions:
Artists, artisans, and artist-led teams interested in the project should e-mail the following:

• Resume (if a team. one for each member) with current contact information, including: Name, Address, Phone, E-mail, Website (if available)
• Artist Statement/letter of Intent
• Up to 15 JPEG images of examples of the artist’s artwork.

References of at least three professionals (commissioning agency or organization, design or arts professional, architect, landscape architect, engineer, etc.) who have a detailed knowledge of the artist’s work and working methods. Include contact name, complete address, telephone number, and e-mail for each reference.

Interested artists must send the artwork materials by April 3, 2023 at 4:00 P.M Submissions received after this date will be kept for review for other Art in Architecture projects. Application materials may be delivered by email to fandsartinarch@mx.uillinois.edu.

Contact Information
Erika Lee
1501 S. Oak
Champaign/Urbana, Illinois IL 61820 United States
1-217-244-4134
erikalee@illinois.edu

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