Houston Police Department Seeks Artist for Commissioned Sculpture

Houston Police Department Seeks Artist for Commissioned Sculpture

Website: http://houstonartsalliance.com/civicart/opportunities

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Through a contract with the City of Houston General Services Division (GSD), Houston Arts Alliance (HAA) is charged with managing the selection process for the commission of an artist or artist team to develop sculpture for the exterior space of the Houston Police Department’s (HPD) Southwest Police Station. HAA is also charged with contracting the finalist to complete the project.

The sculpture will be located on the landscaped area of the building at the corner of Brookston and Nitida. The work will be a welcoming beacon to the community.  Lighting and planters may be an element in the work

Criteria for Civic Art from the Houston Police Department

  • Civic Art should be designed to welcome the visitor and promote a calming and comfortable experience from the moment of arrival. This notion of calming is important for areas outside the building and must continue to the interior space.
  • The development of Civic Art projects should consider the Department’s values and enhance the idea of the facility as a ‘beacon of safety,’ express the dignity of law, and convey fairness and access to justice. 
  • Works will be located in publicly accessible areas
  • Works will be sensitive to the local context, geography, culture and history

Goals for the Southwest Police Station project:

  • To create a world class art collection for the HPD system with high-caliber art by artists from Houston, the region, and the world.
  • Artwork reflects HPD’s vision to be a vital member of a dynamic and diverse local, national, and global community; family friendly; art that is suitable for all HPD locations.
  • Works that reflect HPD’s mission, values, and guiding principles.
  • Works that are regarded as an excellent addition to the City of Houston Art Collection.

ELIGIBILITY:  Artists in the United States are eligible to apply. Houston-area artists and artists living in and around the neighborhood of the Southwest Police station are strongly encouraged to apply.

BUDGET:  The project has an anticipated total budget of up to $200,000 for an exterior sculpture. The contract will be inclusive of all work including, but not limited to, design proposals, artists fees, design, engineering, permitting, insurance costs for each year of the project, lighting and lighting software, studio and project administration, travel, fabrication, materials, installation, and required documentation.

TIMELINE – All dates are subject to change:

  • Monday, May 23, 2016: RFQ released
  • Monday, June 20, 2016: RFQ submission deadline
  • By Monday, June 27, 2016: RFQ notification; RFP released to finalists
  • Monday, July 25, 2016 (Final Date TBD): RFP Deadline
  • By Friday, July 29, 2016: RFP selection panel (including artists in-person presentations)
  • By Sunday, July 31, 2016: Selected artist presented for a vote to the HAA Civic Art Committee
  • By Friday, August 5, 2016: Selected artist presented for a vote to the HAA Board of Directors
  • By Friday August 12, 2016: Selected artist presented to Houston Police Department for approval
  • By Friday, August 19, 2016: Finalist notified in writing by HAA
  • By Monday, August 29, 2016: Contracting complete
  • September 2016 – July 2017: Project development, fabrication, and installation

APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS

  • Resumes or company information of artist(s) and team members (3 page maximum each)
  • Letter of intent: including contact information and a description of how the artist or artist team meets the criteria listed in the RFQ (1,000 word maximum)
  • Biography/artist statement (500 word maximum)  
  • Work examples: Digital images of works that demonstrate the above criteria (Only JPEGs up to 5 MB in size, 20 maximum)
  • Image list: including artist, title, year completed, dimensions, material, and budget or price (as applicable) for each image selected in your portfolio
  • Contact information for three professional references (no more than one page)

TO APPLY:  Apply only through houstonartsalliance.submittable.com/submit

Submit questions in writing, via email, no later than Wednesday, June 15, 2016, 5 p.m. (CST) to civicart@haatx.com. Questions will be answered, as they are received, and no later than Friday, June 17, 2016.