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CALL TO ARTISTS City of El Cerrito, California Arts in Public Places Program Public Art for the City of El Cerrito San Pablo Avenue Streetscape Project REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS Deadline September 14, 2009 www.el-cerrito.org/admin/spa_art.html Eligibility Open to professional artists (or teams of related disciplines) residing in the USA. Local artists are encouraged to apply. Budget $100,000 all-inclusive, including installation About El Cerrito El Cerrito is located in western Contra Costa County and forms part of the highly urbanized area along the eastern shore of San Francisco Bay. This 3.9-square-mile city is blessed with a pleasant climate year-round, and the hilly areas of El Cerrito provide spectacular views of its famous neighbor, San Francisco. Its residents enjoy the 80-acre tree-lined Hillside Park open space, as well as 45 acres of parks, 18 acres of school recreational areas, and 38 acres of other amenities, including the Ohlone Greenway, a pleasantly landscaped area that runs along the BART right of way the length of the city and is popular with walkers, runners and bicyclists. El Cerrito is a well-educated community, with 70 percent of people 25 and over having attended college. Its population, estimated at 23,440, has a history of civic involvement. El Cerrito is strategically located along Interstate 80, and its extensive transportation system includes two Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) stations. Its major commercial corridor runs the length of San Pablo Avenue, a multi-jurisdictional state highway. Art Opportunity With the goal of transforming San Pablo Avenue in El Cerrito into a unique destination, the City has embarked on several beautification and “place building” efforts, including: • initiating a year round streetlight banner program • implementing a unique wayfinding/identity signage program • renovating landscaped medians • building a new City Hall, renovating a theater, and developing a riparian- corridor/park at the City’s northern end The City is about to begin construction for the San Pablo Avenue Streetscape Project (Project). The Streetscape Project was designed to create a more pedestrian friendly environment the length of the Avenue. The scope includes new/realigned crosswalks, decorative crosswalk and sidewalk treatments, street furnishings, street/pedestrian lighting, and landscape improvements. ---PAGE BREAK--- The City seeks an artist to develop and install site-specific artworks for various sites along the length of the Project. The selected artist will work with the Arts and Culture Commission (ACC), community, and staff to create site-specific, durable, artworks that serve to provide continuity and color along the Project. The artworks should be made of durable material that is low maintenance, with an effort toward incorporating recycled materials if possible. Artists may propose works of art that would fit into the fabric of the streetscape, which could include such examples as: • Artistic functional streetscape elements, such as (but not limited to): benches, kiosks, fixtures, sidewalk treatments, banners, trash cans, lighting, granite seat pads • Mosaics • Visual art pieces • Other elements conducive to an outdoor streetscape environment The City will ask the selected artist to respond to the cultural diversity of the El Cerrito community and develop artworks that identifies San Pablo Avenue as unique, walkable, and reflective of the surrounding neighborhoods. Applicants will ideally have specific skills designing, fabricating and installing artwork in one or more of these media: • Metal • Glass • Stone • Concrete • Ceramic • Wood • Mosaic • Light • Surface treatment The selected artist should be able to work with architectural plans and have an interest in working cooperatively with design professionals, City staff and community members. Artists should have experience working within the public process, in public settings, as well as a proven ability to fabricate their own work or to work with fabricators and installers. The City is committed to excellence in environmental stewardship and in sustainable building practices. We encourage artists whose work addresses issues of sustainability and “green” design to consider applying for this Project. Project Area The Project Area covers the length of San Pablo Avenue in El Cerrito. The Project’s timeline, phases, plans, photos, and bid documents can all be found on the City’s website page dedicated to this Call to Artists at www.el-cerrito.org/admin/spa_art.html. The following site locations that have been proposed as the best locations for the installation and/or exhibition of new public art created under this Project: ---PAGE BREAK--- • Baxter Creek Area • Del Norte Area • Potrero Avenue Area • Civic Center Area • Moeser Lane Area • Stockton Avenue Area • Cerrito Theater Area • El Cerrito Plaza Area The artist may also propose other areas along the Project, however these eight areas should be considered the minimum number of site locations for artworks. It is anticipated that the Project will begin on the north end of San Pablo Avenue and continue south to completion. El Cerrito Art in Public Places Program In 2005, the El Cerrito City Council adopted an Art in Public Places Ordinance (Section 13.50 ECMC). The purpose of the ordinance is to establish guidelines, procedures, and standards for the integration of public art into new private and public development and redevelopment projects. In order to realize the vision of enhancing art in public places, new projects with development costs of $250,000 or more shall devote an amount not less than 1% of the development costs to the acquisition and installation of public art. This commission fulfills the San Pablo Avenue Streetscape Project’s contribution to the Art in Public Places Program. The Program dictates that public art shall: • Be designed and constructed by a visual art professional who is not a member of the Project architect, engineering or landscape architect firm • Require low a level of maintenance • Relate in terms of scale, material, form and content to the immediate surroundings • Meet all applicable building code requirements The following guidelines should be taken into consideration for any public art placed within the City of El Cerrito: 1. Quality: The work should be of the highest standard with regard to workmanship, materials, assembly, content, placement, and appropriateness in theme and character as determined by the ACC. 2. Elements of Design: consideration should take into account that public art, in addition to meeting aesthetic requirements, also may serve as focal points, modifiers, definers of public spaces and/or creates identity within the public realm. 3. Context/Style and Nature: Works of art must be compatible in scale, material, form, and content with their surroundings. Consideration should be given to the architectural, historical, geographical, and social/cultural context of the site. Works may be participatory in nature. ---PAGE BREAK--- 4. Diversity: The Arts in Public Places program should strive for diversity of style, scale, media, artists—including ethnicity and gender—and equitable distribution of artworks throughout the City. 5. Originality: edition of one or part of a limited edition 6. Conservation: consideration should be given to structural and surface integrity, permanence, and protection against theft, vandalism, weathering, excessive maintenance, and accessibility requirements. 7. Public Safety and Accessibility: Each work shall be evaluated to ensure that it does not present a hazard to public safety and complies with all applicable building codes and accessibility requirements. 8. Public Liability: artworks should be examined for unsafe conditions or factors that may bear on public liability. Selection Process A selection panel will evaluate artist’s submissions and either select an artist based on preliminary submission materials, interview short-listed applicants, or seek more detailed proposals. The panel may include local artists, members of the City’s Design Review Board and Arts and Culture Commission, City staff, and members of the Streetscape Project Management Team. Selection criteria include: • Applicant’s professional qualifications • Proven ability to undertake successful creative, innovative, and effective approach in comparable projects • Artistic merit as evidenced by the submitted materials • Demonstrated ability to work with government agencies, engineers, and/or focus groups in the creation of an art project • Experience working with durable materials specific to the outdoor environment • Ability to understand a locale’s sense of place, and design in a context-sensitive manner • Ability to meet deadlines • Excellent communication skills The City of El Cerrito is committed to reflecting the diversity and cultural richness of our City in the selection of artists and artworks. The selection panel will also identify artists who have a demonstrated interest in and commitment to sustainability. References provided as part of this application will be contacted prior to any artist interviews. Based on proposal and review of slides/support materials, the artist will be recommended by a selection panel and approved by the Arts and Culture Commission (ACC). Contract and Project plan are to be negotiated with City staff. The ACC reserves the right to reject any and all applications. Submission Requirements The City requires that all submissions be provided in electronic format only, either via electronic submission via email or on one PC-compatible CD. A CD should be clearly labeled in ink with the artist’s name and contact information. ---PAGE BREAK--- 1. Letter of Interest: Please describe your interest in this Project, describing your proposed design concept, including preliminarily identified materials, approximate dimensions, anticipated fabrication methods, and requirements for long-term maintenance and care. 2. Professional Resume: Please provide your resume or outline your experience as an artist. In the case of a team application, please include resumes for each team member. 3. Images of Proposed Work for this Project: Please provide up to ten (10) images of your proposed concept for this Project as digitally created renderings in digital format (.jpg). Please restrict dimensions to a maximum of 800 x 600 pixels, and a minimum of 720 x 480 pixels. 4. Digital Images of Past Work: Please provide up to ten (10) digital images of past work Images should have maximum dimensions of 800 x 600 pixels and minimum dimensions of 720 x 480 pixels. Additional information, if applicable, could include site, commissioning person or agency, and budget. Installations or 3-dimensional work may be illustrated by multiple images. Estimated Timeline The schedule is contingent upon the City’s Project schedule and may be changed at any time. The Project schedule is scheduled for a 150-working-day installation period beginning in September, 2009. The artist will need to coordinate installation with the construction schedule of the Project within this period to the extent possible, with completion no later than 60 days after the completion of the Project. August 13, 2009 Call for Artists released September 14, 2009 4:00 p.m. Applications due September-October, 2009: Selection of artist, agreement negotiation and signing October 2009-June 2010 Artwork preparation, fabrication and installation phases Depending on the nature of the installation needs, there may be some coordination during this time with the Project manager and/or contractor. Deadline Proposals are due by 4:00 p.m., PST, September 14, 2009 at: City of El Cerrito Art in Public Places Program Request for Proposal 10890 San Pablo Avenue El Cerrito, CA 94530 [EMAIL REDACTED] Inquiries All questions regarding this Request for Proposals are to be directed to Karen Pinkos, Assistant City Manager, City of El Cerrito, 10890 San Pablo Avenue, El Cerrito, CA 94530 (510) 215-4302 [EMAIL REDACTED]. Any addendums to this RFP will be found on the City’s website at www.el-cerrito.org/admin/spa_art.html.