The City of Philadelphia’s Percent for Art Program, through the Office of Arts, Culture and the Creative Economy (OACCE), announces a two-stage selection process by which we will award and commission a site-specific artwork on the new 11.5-acre park at Penn’s Landing. This commission is part of the $225 million construction project undertaken by the Delaware River Waterfront (DRWC), the City of Philadelphia Government and Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT).

BUDGET:  $700,000

ELIGIBILITY: Professional artists and teams over 18 living in the United States

DEADLINE: January 4, 2021

Review full RFQ here.

The Percent for Art Program and DRWC seek to commission a high quality, original, and site-specific sculptural public artwork that is integrated with the site’s design. The artwork has the opportunity to be integral to the design of the park’s features such as walks, low walls, shade
structures at the garden or stage, or seating terraces and elements. This integration could help tell the many stories – historic, present and future – that make up the site’s past and the park’s potential to speak to all Philadelphians and visitors, with meaning, inclusivity and thoughtfulness. The artwork could also be a singular grand sculptural element. The artwork should inspire interaction and creative use of the park’s features and places.

The selection process will take place in two stages.

• STAGE 1 consists of this Request for Qualifications (RFQ), with Responses due by January 4, 2021 at 5 p.m. EST.  Up to five (5) Respondents will be prequalified to move to the Stage 2 Request for Proposal (RFP) process and be permitted to submit full proposals and applications.
• STAGE 2 will consist of a full RFP requiring proposals and complete Applications. Only artists who have been pre-qualified in Stage 1 will be permitted to apply in Stage 2. Prequalified artists will be required to submit a formal proposal consisting of narrative text, budget,
  and images. Stage 2 Applicants will receive a $1,500 honorarium to cover research, administrative and logistical costs. Stage 2 Applicants will be required to give an in-person (likely virtual) presentation.

WHAT TO PROVIDE

• Eight (8) digital work samples of your artwork
  • Images should be labeled as last name, first name, and number; for example: Smith_Jane_01
  • Images should be saved as JPGs, GIFs, or PNGs at 72 dpi with 1200 pixels as the widest dimension
• A SINGLE Word or PDF document with the following information:
  • Artist Info: Name, Address, Phone, Email, Website, Race (optional), how you heard about the call (optional)
  • Statement of Interest:Thisbriefcoverlettermayincluderelatedexperience,artistic ambitions, and/or a description of your vision for the site; you may include proposed images, if applicable (One text page maximum, including images)
  • Resume or Bio (Two-page maximum)
  • Image Identification Sheet: These must correspond to the numbers of your submitted images. List your images as: Title. Year. Materials. Dimensions. Location (if applicable). Project Budget (if applicable).
  • Title your document as last name_first name_Info; for example: Smith_Jane_Info

General application guidelines:

• Submit what you believe is your strongest work, in the context of this commission opportunity
• Submit your work samples in the order you would like them to be reviewed
• For images with details: show the overall image first, followed by detail images
• Do not send additional catalogs, reviews, promotional items, or original artworks; they will not be reviewed
• Incomplete or ineligible submissions will not be reviewed; it is the applicant’s responsibility to verify the completeness of their application
• The application deadline for submission is January 4, 2021 at 5 p.m.

HOW TO APPLY

Email the application materials to margot.berg@phila.gov via a file-sharing program such as Dropbox (https://www.dropbox.com/) or Hightail (https://www.hightail.com/)

Applicants unable to use Dropbox or Hightail can send a CD to: Margot Berg, Public Art Director, 116 City Hall, Philadelphia, PA 19107

QUESTIONS? Contact Margot Berg, margot.berg@phila.gov