In partnership with the Highway Bridge and Maintenance Division, Broward Cultural Division’s Public Art & Design Program is seeking to commission one artist or artist-led team (Artist), to transform the Andrews Avenue Bridge located in downtown Fort Lauderdale.

Budget: $180,000
Eligibility: Professional artists over 18 living in the U.S.; additional eligibility requirements apply (see below)
Deadline: 07/01/2019 10:59 AM Central Time

Project Description
An Artist shall design, fabricate and install unique, site specific, artwork for the Andrews Avenue Bridge. Artwork may be visible to viewers on the riverfront, on boats, and pedestrians and motorists on the bridge.

The artwork must be highly durable, and resistant to weather inherent in outdoor, and waterfront environments. Long-term maintenance must be minimal and assured by the proper selection and installation of materials. Shortlisted artists shall coordinate proposed artwork location(s), with major architectural or engineering interface, such as any structural support, proposed anchoring systems, if applicable, electrical service such as power or lighting, with the Agency representative and bridge renovation Design Team. All elements attached to the structure must be designed to withstand 152 mph winds or as required by the current Florida Building Code and with an engineered anchoring system designed by a Florida licensed structural engineer. An Information Meeting will be scheduled by the County for the shortlisted artists to discuss possible artwork opportunities in consultation with Agency representative. The shortlisted Artists will receive additional information about the project including maps, photos, and architectural drawings of the bridge.

Artwork Goals
This artistic intervention shall create a sense of place, bring interest, and help activate the riverfront. The artwork shall make a visual statement and be impactful to the community. In order to develop a holistic approach to the artistic treatment along the riverfront, the selected artists, upon entering into an agreement with the County, shall submit conceptual design proposals for the two other bridges adjacent to the Andrews Avenue bridge: The S. Avenue of the Arts and the SE 3rd Avenue bridges. These conceptual designs could be further developed and implemented under separate agreements. A variety of media may be considered by the shortlisted artists, but the artwork shall be designed for both daytime and nighttime viewing.

Artwork Location Description
The drawbridge spans the New River between Las Olas Boulevard and South Fifth Street. Opportunities for artwork exist at the bridge-tender house, the sidewalk from Las Olas Boulevard to the bridge pedestrian ramp, the underside of the bridge deck and the bridge pillars.

Eligibility
This Call to Artists is open to professional artists, eighteen years of age or older; residing in the United States who have not been previously selected for a County project in the past 10 years and who have completed a minimum of five (5) public art projects with a budget of $25,000 or more and have demonstrated experience completing and coordinating exterior art installations with construction project managers, and related contractors, engineers and architects.

Selection Process
The Broward Cultural Division manages the application process. An Artist Selection Panel (Panel) shall review the applications to this Call to Artists. This Panel includes a member of the Public Art & Design Committee, arts professionals, and an agency and community representative. Shortlisted artists will be invited to develop conceptual design proposals to present in person to the Artist Selection Panel. They will receive information about the project and have a minimum of one (1) month to prepare a conceptual design proposal for review by the Artist Selection Panel. During the selection process, finalists will be paid a $1,500.00 honorarium for the proposal and presentation expenses and up to $500.00 of approved travel expenses. Finalists’ proposals must include a written narrative, visual materials (drawings and optional models) necessary to convey the initial concept or approach to the project, estimated project budget, schematic project schedule, and future maintenance schedule. Proposals, including models/maquettes, become property of Broward County and will not be returned. Finalists must submit digital files of their full presentation five (5) business days prior to the scheduled date of the finalist interviews. The County reserves the right to re-issue this Call to Artists, to reject any and all responses to this Call to Artists, and to negotiate with any qualified artist selected for this project.

Selection Criteria
The Panel shall review the applicants and select a shortlist of finalists on the basis of the excellence of their past work of similar scope, as demonstrated by the visuals and other submission materials. The Panel shall also consider the versatility and appropriateness of the media in which the shortlisted Artists have demonstrated proficiency, as it relates to the scope of this project.

What to Submit

1. Professional Résumé – Artist shall include public art commissions with contact information for Project Manager or Program Director and budget size of past projects.
2. Electronic Images – Artist and Professional Visual Artist must submit 10 digital images of most recent relevant work. All images must be saved using a file name and number that corresponds to the Annotated Image List (see below). Each digital image must feature a single work. Composites of various artworks in a single image will not be considered.
3. Annotated Image List – Include name of artist, title of work, year, media, size, and location of artwork and/or project, project budget, image number and any other relevant information.

How to Submit

Applications must be submitted via the Submittable website .  NOTE: Hard copy materials will not be accepted for this Call to Artists.

QUESTIONS? Contact Dominique Denis, 954-357-7236 or ddenis@broward.org