Call to Artists for Public Art
Sun Tran Bus Storage and Maintenance Facility
Tucson, Arizona
Request for Qualifications
Budget for Artwork: $144,000. (This budget may increase if additional proposed components of the project are funded. This determination is expected to be made in the spring of 2010.)
Application Deadline: Tuesday, November 10, 2009
The City of Tucson Department of Transportation and its public transit system operator, Sun Tran, are seeking an artist or team to create public art for a new administrative, bus maintenance, and storage facility. The facility, located in northwest Tucson, is part of Tucson’s 2006 voter-approved Regional Authority (RTA) Plan with roadway, transit, safety, bicycle and pedestrian, and environmental and economic vitality improvements.
The 20-year RTA plan includes new bus routes and more frequent service, necessitating a larger bus fleet. A new facility is required to house and maintain the additional buses.
Location: The City of Tucson purchased 25 acres to the northeast of I-10 at Prince Road on the previous site of an earlier airfield. Interesting information about Tucson’s ‘Freeway Airport’ can be found by linking to www.airfields-freeman.com/AZ/Airfields_AZ_Tuscon_N.htm . The project’s current stated address is 3920 N. Sun Tran Blvd.
Project Scope and Status: Phase II of the bus facility project is currently under construction. Phase III includes an extension of the maintenance building, more bus parking, and a new administration building which is currently in design (Architects: GLHN Architects & Engineers, Inc) and will be bid for construction in May 2010. The entire facility is US Green Building Council LEED Registered and will be Silver Certified or better.
Additional information about the project may be found by linking to http://dot.ci.tucson.az.us/transit/busStorage.php.
Goals and Art Opportunities: The final configuration of the facility and administration building is dependent upon the outcome of a spring 2010 bid process for construction. The art budget of $144,000 is secure; the art opportunities may vary if the final configuration varies from what is currently planned and budgeted.
The building’s style and materials offer a palette for the artist’s consideration as does the high energy efficiency of the facility and its incorporation of solar-power in the bus parking canopies. One possibility is salvage of building materials during the Phase III construction process for incorporation into the artwork, or salvage of discarded bus components resulting from maintenance and repair operations. These building materials might include: scrap corrugated aluminum, wire, other structural metal, masonry, glass, paints, wood, packaging, and trim, etc.
The primary viewers of the artwork will be Sun Tran employees and visiting officials from local jurisdictions, but it will be located where it is visually accessible for the general public. Potential art opportunities include but are not limited to artwork suspended from the central ceiling spine, exterior and/or interior, of the administration building; addition of a shading element at the west facing glass façade area of the administration building; a large transparent barrier separating public and secured space in the lobby; an open landscaped area at the entrance to the administration building; and along the entry road into the facility. Artists may identify other possibilities.
Art Budget: The budget of $144,000 for art must cover all costs related to design, materials, production, transportation and installation of the artwork, as well as costs for permits, taxes, and insurance that may be required by the City of Tucson. City policy requires that artists contracted for public art commissions obtain a license to do business with the city.
Expectations: The selected artist will work with Department of Transportation Project Manager, the City of Tucson AE Project Manager, and the Project Design Team and may be expected to attend one or more public meetings during the design process to present the artwork to the community. The artist must meet with the Project Panel organized by the Tucson Pima Arts Council for review, comment, and approval of the design before entering into production of the artwork.
Presubmission Meeting: A Presubmission Meeting for artists interested in applying for this project will be held on Thursday, October 29, 2009, at 4 PM at the Tucson Pima Arts Council in the first floor meeting room, Suite 109. The Tucson Pima Arts Council is located at 100 N. Stone in the Pioneer Building. Suite 109 is a meeting room; the Arts Council offices are located in Suite 303.
The Presubmission meeting is an opportunity for artists not familiar with the artist selection process administered by the Tucson Pima Arts Council to ask questions about the selection process. The City of Tucson Project Managers will also be available to address questions about the project. It is not anticipated that new project information will be presented at the meeting.
Selection Process: A panel composed of members of the Project Design team, artists, an arts professional, and community members will select up to three finalists, based on qualifications as demonstrated through the materials requested below. Presentations by finalists are tentatively planned for Tuesday, December 8, 2009 beginning at 1 PM. Each finalist will receive a $250 honorarium to interview for the project. The Tucson Pima Arts Council is unable to pay travel expenses at this time.
Calls to Artists issued by the Tucson Pima Arts Council are available on our website at www.tucsonpimaartscouncil.org. Internet access is available at all public libraries. Artists may sign up to receive email notification of public art opportunities offered through the Tucson Pima Arts Council at www.tucsonpimaartscouncil.org/about/emailsignup.html. Interested artists without Internet access may call to set up an appointment for technical assistance with TPAC staff. You may also obtain a hard copy of this Call to Artists by calling (520) 624-0595, ext. 10, or a copy may be picked up during regular business hours at the Tucson Pima Arts Council, 100 N. Stone, Suite 303, Tucson, AZ.
Application Procedure: the following materials as listed in 1, 2, 3, and 4 are required as electronic versions on a CD. All written materials as specified in 1, 2, and 4 below (statement, résumé, and image list) must be submitted on the CD along with one printed copy. Printed versions of the digital images are not required. No application materials will be returned.
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A statement, not to exceed 1 page, of qualifications and interest.
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A résumé or biographical sketch, not to exceed 2 pages, highlighting pertinent experience.
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Eight digital images of your artwork in JPG file format; artists applying as team members may submit four images each. Images are limited to 72dpi and no more than 640 x 480 pixels (no exceptions). High-resolution images will not be accepted. The images should be organized on the CD as individual files and named to correspond to the image list requested below. The JPG file names must include your name, a number, and the image title. A suggested convention for naming the files starts with your last name followed by a number (1-8) and then a brief title of the artwork (Example: Jones-1-Freeflight.jpg).
- An image list, organized to correspond with the image order on the CD, identifying each artwork by title, year completed, medium, dimensions, and a brief description.
Timeframe (Tentative)
Call to Artists Issue Date Wednesday, October 14, 2009
Presubmission Meeting Thursday, October 29, 2009
Application Deadline Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Announcement of Finalists Friday, November 20, 2009
Finalists Interviews Tuesday, December 8, 2009
Announcement of Selected Artist Tuesday, December 15, 2009
Approval/Contract Process December – February 2010
Art Design February – May 2010
Art Production Installation June 2010 – May 2011
Submission Deadline
Application materials must be received by 4:00 PM on Tuesday, November 10, 2009. Materials may be mailed or delivered to:
Public Art for Sun Tran
Tucson Pima Arts Council
100 N. Stone Ave. #303
Tucson, AZ 85701
For more information, contact Mary Ellen Wooten at (520) 624-0595 ext. 12 or mewooten@tucsonpimaartscouncil.org, or Tom Fisher at Tom.Fisher@tucsonaz.gov at (520) 837-6752. Favor de llamar al Tucson Pima Arts Council, 624-0595, para asistencia técnica en español.