Artist Sought for Public Art Commission in Huntsville, AL

Artist Sought for Public Art Commission in Huntsville, AL

Website: https://artist.callforentry.org/festivals_unique_info.php?ID=5945

 Huntsville, AL, Unknown

RCP Companies, The Community Foundation of Greater Huntsville, Redstone Federal Credit Union, the City of Huntsville and Arts Huntsville are seeking Statements of Qualifications from artists interested in creating artwork to be sited in Huntsville’s Big Spring Park and adjacent CityCentre at Big Spring development in the City’s downtown arts and entertainment district.

Budget: $530,000 (includes landscaping)
Eligibility: Professional artists over 18
Deadline: 02/15/2019 5:00 PM Central Time

Project Description

The CityCentre Public Art Project is a collaboration between the developer, RCP Companies, The Community Foundation of Greater Huntsville, Redstone Federal Credit Union, the City of Huntsville and Arts Huntsville. Arts Huntsville is managing the project and the artwork will be owned by the City of Huntsville.

Three sites have been identified for the artwork: a renovated plaza area in the City’s iconic Big Spring Park and a plaza area in the interior of RCP Companies’ new CityCentre mixed-use development, and a pocket park adjacent to Redstone Federal Credit Union’s new branch located along Downtown Huntsville’s developing greenway system. The park plaza is approximately 30’ by 60’. The CityCentre plaza is a triangular area approximately 60’ by 60’. The triangular pocket park is approximately .10 acre with an opportunity to site the artwork in the southern portion of the space adjacent to the intersection of Pelham Avenue and Joseph E. Lowery Boulevard. (Preliminary plans for Pelham Park are currently in development and will be available for review and discussion during April 2019 artist site visit in Huntsville.)

The artwork can be sited anywhere within the available sites so long as it does not interfere with pedestrian or vehicular traffic (see attached site plan for the general zones acceptable for installation).

The selected artist or artistic team may engage a landscape architect to coordinate the siting of the work, and to ensure that the surrounding landscape and hardscape are in visual harmony with the work.

With this public art installation, it is the goal of RCP Properties, The Community Foundation of Greater Huntsville, Redstone Federal Credit Union, the City of Huntsville and Arts Huntsville to achieve the following:

  • SERVE AS A VISUAL LINK between Big Spring Park, the CityCentre development, and the pocket park adjacent to Redstone Federal Credit Union and the City of Huntsville’s developing downtown greenway system, encouraging pedestrians to readily travel between all sites and circulate through downtown Huntsville’s central business district.
  • CREATE COLLABORATIVE SPACES at the sites that provide social moments to be enjoyed by people meeting, gathering, dining and just passing through.
  • HAVE A STRONG VISUAL PRESENCE both day and night, engaging pedestrians as well as being visible by passing vehicles.
  • EXHIBIT AN INNOVATIVE, MEMORABLE AESTHETIC representative of Huntsville that will draw residents and visitors to the site.
  • CELEBRATE OUR COMMUNITY’S CORE VALUES and philanthropy embodied through The Community Foundation of Greater Huntsville.
  • SERVE AS A CELEBRATION OF COMMUNITY GIVING AND PHILANTHROPY in Big Spring Park and provide a vehicle for the Community Foundation to recognize major donors today and in future years.

Artist Scope of Work

The anticipated services to be performed shall consist of, but not necessarily be limited to, the following:

  1. Developing and securing approval for a concept for the project.
  2. Developing final design and construction documents stemming from the originally approved concept proposal. These documents may include stamped drawings, a detailed narrative description of the artwork, a description of materials and fabrication techniques, a comprehensive budget, and a project and funding schedule. These materials will be reviewed and approved by Arts Huntsville staff, relevant City Departments and the architectural team before the artist may proceed with fabrication.
  3. Performing all services and furnishing all of the supplies, materials, and/or equipment necessary for the fabrication and installation of the approved design. This performance must be in accordance with the mutually agreed-upon project schedule.
  4. Arranging for the transportation and installation of the artwork in consultation with Arts Huntsville, the City of Huntsville and the contractor/construction manager for CityCentre.
  5. Working cooperatively and maintaining effective communication with all parties involved in the project.
  6. Attending all necessary design, construction, and installation coordination meetings.
  7. Attending events, as requested, to celebrate, educate and inform the public about the project.
  8. Delivering a fully documented maintenance manual for the artwork upon completion of the project.

Timeline

  • January 11, 2019: RFQ Release Date
  • February 15, 2019: Deadlines for receipt of submittal via CaFÉ™ system.
  • February 27, 2019: Committee reviews qualifications. Finalists selected.
  • April 3-5, 2019: Finalist site visit. Finalists begin work on concept proposals.
  • June 6, 2019: Finalists present concept proposals to Committee.
  • Mid-June 2019: Artist award.
  • Late June 2019: Finalize contract with selected artist.
  • July 2019 – July 2020: Fabrication.
  • August 2020: Installation.

Selection Process

The artist/artistic team for the CityCentre commission will be selected through an open call process. A selection panel with representatives from the project partners will review the applications, consider the sites for the artwork and the project goals, and shortlist up to four semi-finalists to attend site visits in Huntsville. Selected semi-finalists will be invited to propose artwork based on the project criteria. Up to four semi-finalist artists or artistic teams will receive $3,000 as an honorarium to create and present a design proposal. Out-of-town artists (or a member of the artistic team) will be reimbursed for travel to attend both the site visit and proposal presentation in Huntsville, and lodging will be provided. The panel will reconvene to review the semi-finalists proposals and award the commission.

Selection Criteria

Semi-finalists and the project finalist will be selected by demonstrating the following:

  • Artistic excellence, originality and ability to project a consistent body of work, as evidenced by representation of past work in images and other supporting materials
  • Appropriateness of artist’s/team’s approach and style to the project’s creative placemaking goals and sites for the artwork
  • Technical feasibility of the proposed project
  • Timelessness of the artwork, including its durability, maintenance requirements, permanence of materials, safety, accessibility and protection against vandalism
  • Experience of the artist/artistic team on major projects with diverse stakeholders and design and engineering professionals and consultants
  • Availability of the artist/artistic team to work within project time frame
  • Ability of artist/artistic team to effectively communicate and collaborate with design professionals, engineers, community leaders and city officials

The panel reserves the right to make no selection from the submitted application or semi-finalists’ proposals. Arts Huntsville, together with the project partners, has the right to issue additional solicitations for Qualifications and reserves the right to withdraw this call at any time.

How to Submit 
Applications will only be received through the CaFE system, at this link:  https://artist.callforentry.org/festivals_unique_info.php?ID=5945

QUESTIONS?  Send all questions to be received by February 4, 2019 to: Alex Abel-Boozer, by email at alexander@artshuntsville.org (please reference project name “CityCentre Project” in the subject line).