Public Art Sought for L.A. County's Vermont Corridor Lobby

Public Art Sought for L.A. County's Vermont Corridor Lobby

Website: https://www.lacountyarts.org/opportunities/civic-artists-request-qualifications/vermont-corridor-lobby-artwork

 213-202-5941

 Los Angeles, CA, Unknown

The LA County Department of Arts and Culture’s Civic Art Program (Arts and Culture) seeks artist(s) or artist team(s) to design an indoor two-dimensional artwork for the entrance lobby of the Vermont Corridor Building, a new facility for the Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health (DMH) and the Department of Workforce Development, Aging and Community Services (WDACS).

Budget: $125,000
Eligibility: Professional artists residing in and working in the United States; prefer artists who do not already have artwork in the L.A. County Civic Art Collection
Deadline: 09/20/2019 7:00 PM Central Time

Project Description
The LA County Department of Arts and Culture’s Civic Art program strives to create artworks which reflect aesthetic and technical quality, innovation, site-specificity, and civic engagement. To ensure that the artwork meets the expectations of staff, neighborhood residents, and other stakeholders, the selected artist (or artist team) will be required to participate in a rigorous design process. This process includes place-based research through creative public engagement, regular site visits and design meetings, conservator review, structural engineering, budget tracking, and timeline management.

Site History
The mission of the LA County Department of Mental Health is to optimize the hope, wellbeing, and life trajectory of Los Angeles County’s most vulnerable through access to care and resources that promote not only independence and personal recovery, but also connectedness and community reintegration.

The mission of the Department of Workforce Development, Aging, and Community Services (WDACS) is to connect communities and improve the lives of all generations in LA County. We achieve our mission through effective, partnership-driven services and initiatives that:

  • Connect individuals to careers and employers to a skilled workforce
  • Ensure the well-being of older and dependent adults in the community
  • Resolve conflict and improve human relations in our diverse County

The Vermont Corridor is a major project which spans 5 County-owned properties in the Koreatown area of Los Angeles. The purpose of this project is to expedite the elimination of blight, provide DMH and WDACS with a new headquarters facility, offer job opportunities for residents, and provide expansion opportunities for local and/or small businesses. Project completion is anticipated for June 2021.

This civic art project coincides with a series of structural and architectural transformations of several County buildings and properties into modern facilities that will serve the public in ways that revitalize communities, improve services, and support a welcoming environment for a department whose core mission centers around hope, recovery, and well-being.

Artwork Location Description
The lobby will serve as both a lobby entrance with a hospitality feel and as a respite for persons experiencing homelessness by offering a resting place, access to resources and specialists, etc. The area will be equipped with tables and chairs, a small reception area, and adjacent rooms for some support services.  Both visitors and staff will utilize the Vermont Avenue entrance, which is the main presence along Vermont Avenue.

The artwork will be located on the soffit wall at the Vermont Avenue entrance to the building, which measures measures 12’8” high x 54-0” wide.

Artwork Goals
The artwork should add to a safe and therapeutic environment—a welcoming harbor. The artwork design should be site-specific, informed by the nature of the neighborhood, the facility, and specifically with the services that this facility provides.

Timeline

  • July 26, 2019: RFQ Issued
  • August 14, 2019, 6:30-7:30 PM PST: RFQ Process Workshop (optional)*
  • September 20, 2019: Deadline for RFQ Submissions 5PM PST
  • First Week, October, 2019: Project Coordinator Committee Meeting, (3-4) Artists Shortlisted to Develop Proposal
  • January, 2020: PCC Meeting to select Finalists/Proposal
  • February, 2019-March, 2020: Artwork Design
  • May, 2020-January, 2021: Fabrication
  • April, 2021: Artwork Installation Complete

*Potential applicants are invited to discuss the RFQ process with the Los Angeles County Department of Arts and Culture’s Civic Art Program at the August 14 Artists’ Civic Art Application Process Workshop. This workshop will cover the application process and strategies for successful portfolio submissions for a range of upcoming Civic Art opportunities.

Selection Process
Up to four artists will be short-listed for interviews (and to develop paid proposals) based on the qualifications and criteria listed in this artist call. A finalist/artwork proposal will be selected from a short presentation and interview. A unique Project Coordination Committee (PCC) has been assembled for this civic art commission. The PCC reviews artist applications, conducts finalist interviews, selects the artist (or artist team), and reviews the project from design development through artwork installation. The PCC is composed of three to five representatives from applicable County departments and arts professionals. The Civic Art program staff serves as non-voting advisors to the PCC and facilitates the selection process. All artists who submit their materials for review will receive written notification of the results of the selection process, including identification of the selected artist(s).

Selection Criteria
Artists will be selected on the basis of their qualifications, as demonstrated by the quality of their past work and suitability of their artistic expression for this particular site. Artist applications will be evaluated on the following criteria:

FORM

  • Visually engaging, contextually responsive to the community, and timeless.
  • Ability to develop high quality, innovative, and meaningful artwork.
  • Creates a sense of place.
  • Design which connects/articulates architectural form, massing, and detailing.
  • Integrate art in the fabric of the design.

FUNCTION

  • Meet the programmatic requirements efficiently and creatively.
  • Adds value beyond the expectations of the program without increase in cost.
  • Provides a safe and productive workplace
  • Artwork that is durable, operationally efficient, easily maintainable, and has low operational cost.

ENVIRONMENT

  • Mitigate impacts to surrounding environment.
  • Artwork which contextually responds positively to the site conditions and to environmental policies.

TECHNOLOGY

  • Artist has demonstrated ability to quickly ascertain project requirements, work with difficult materials, restricted site conditions, and strict technical constraints.

PROCESS

  • Ability of the artist or artist team to successfully execute the project within the project timeline and budget.
  • Ability of the artist or artist team to manage the design phase effectively to assure high quality design.
  • Artist or artist team has demonstrated ability to work with a government agency, designers, and technical staff.

What to Submit
Include in your application the following:

  1. A letter of interest stating why this project interests you; how you will be able to engage and welcome different audiences, such as facility users, visitors, and staff; a brief description of your artistic practice, your sources of inspiration, and your methods for developing high quality, innovative, and timelessly meaningful artwork; and your experience in managing budgets of similar scale and working within time constraints. Only applications that specifically address these points will be considered.
  2. Resume including name, mailing address, phone number(s), fax, email, and web page (if applicable). Resume should not exceed three pages.
  3. Five to ten images or video clips of your work (maximum of ten work examples allowed). Submit digital images in .JPEG format, PC compatible no larger than 1920×1920 pixel resolution (do not zip or stuff your files). Title each image with artist’s name and a number (for example 01JaneJones, 02JaneJones). Do not insert multiple photos into one image. Do not send original artwork. Only five to ten examples of your work are allowed. Anything that exceeds this amount will not be reviewed.
  4. List of images submitted, with thumbnails of each image that includes: title, date, medium, and dimension; location of artwork; brief description (maximum 100 characters); budget; commissioning agency or client, and project manager (if applicable).
  5. Three professional references with title, phone, and email addresses included. NOTE: If artists are applying as a team, the team must be declared at the time of application in the letter of interest. Include a team bio, outline the roles and responsibilities of each member, and include brief resumes for all team members with the application. Please submit a minimum of 10 images per team (not per member) of completed or proposed projects.

How to Submit

OPTION 1:  Submit by mail to:  Los Angeles County Department of Arts and Culture Civic Art Program, ATTN: VERMONT CORRIDOR PROJECT/Caroline Lerch, 1055 Wilshire Blvd, Suite 800 Los Angeles, CA 90017  OR

OPTION 2:  Submit via DropBox filesharing LINK (not shared files or folders) to Clerch@arts.lacounty.gov no later than Friday, September 20, 2019 | 5PM PST. Any application materials received after this date and time will be rejected and considered non-responsive.

Filesharing Instructions:

  1. Sign in to DropBox.com, or sign up for an account if this is your first time using Dropbox.
  2. Create a folder using the following naming convention “FirstInitialLastName-Application” (example: CLerch-Application). If you are applying as a firm, use your firm’s design instead of “FirstInitialLastName” (example: Arts&Culture-Application).
  3. Upload the files per our application materials guidelines.
  4. Once you have created your folder and uploaded your application materials, share viewing privileges with the Department of Arts and Culture by hovering your cursor over the folder you want to share and click Share. The next prompt or pop up screen will ask if you want to create a link (if you haven’t already designated your folder from the start as a Shared Folder). If a link hasn’t been created, click Create a link. If a link was already created click Copy link. The link will be copied to your clipboard.
  5. You can then paste it to the body of an email addressed to civicart@arts.lacounty.gov.

QUESTIONS? Contact Caroline Lerch, 213-202-5941 or clerch@arts.lacounty.gov