CALL TO ARTISTS REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS CITY OF TACOMA MUNICIPAL ART PROGRAM East 64 th Streetscape, Tacoma, WA APPLICATION DEADLINE October 10, 2018, 11:59pm BUDGET $72,000, all-inclusive SUMMARY The City of Tacoma s Office of Arts & Cultural Vitality is seeking an artist or artist team to participate in the streetscape improvements along Tacoma s East 64 th Street, between Pacific Avenue and McKinley Avenue by creating permanent public artwork(s) along the streetscape to enliven this multi-modal transportation corridor running through this residential neighborhood. In addition, the artist will work with the design team to affect the aesthetic design of the streetscape and identify opportunities for discrete or integrated artworks to be incorporated into the streetscape design in future phases. The project should be informed by a meaningful community engagement process in order to reflect the needs of the community, create identity, and communicate an authentic sense of place. The selected artist will have experience working with diverse cultural communities and demonstrated success creating aesthetically strong artwork that results from community engagement. ELIGIBILITY Applicant(s) must live in Washington State. Applicant(s) can apply as a single artist or as an artist team. Applicant(s) must be 18 years or older and not a full-time student. Applicant(s) must be a professional artist. Applicant(s) cannot be a member of the Tacoma Arts Commission or an employee of the City of Tacoma. People who are members of historically disenfranchised racial, ethnic, cultural, and other identity groups are encouraged to apply. PROJECT BACKGROUND The East 64 th Street Improvement project covers East 64 th Street from Pacific Avenue on the west and will eventually extend to the eastern City limits near Pipeline Trail. The project will be completed in three phases. This public art opportunity only covers Phase I of the streetscape improvement project, between Pacific Avenue and McKinley Avenue. The East 64 th Street Improvement project consists of replacing the road, adding protected bike lanes, replacing sidewalks and curb ramps to meet current ADA standards, and upgrading the stormwater drainage, illumination systems, and traffic signals. Parallel parking will be added where applicable. 1
Multi-modal transportation is an important element of the East 64 th streetscape design and the City of Tacoma is committed to developing a transportation system that serves the needs of all people. The City of Tacoma adopted a Complete Streets Ordinance in August 2017, providing guiding principles and practices so that transportation improvements are planned, designed, and constructed to encourage walking, bicycling, and transit use while promoting safe operations for all users of the City s transportation network. The corridor of East 64 th Street was identified in Tacoma s Transportation Master Plan Bicycle Priority Network (pages 76-79) as a future protected bicycle facility. This will include a curb and planting strip and parked cars that will create a physical separation between bicyclists and moving vehicles. This protected bike lane will connect to: Swan Creek Park Pipeline Trail (future, funded) Pacific Avenue Bus Rapid Transit with transit access to job centers in Tacoma, Pierce County, and King County via Sounder (future) North-South connection of the A Street bike boulevard (future) North-South connection of McKinley Avenue bike lanes (future) ABOUT THE NEIGHBORHOOD The East 64 th Street neighborhood is racially and ethnically diverse: 28% Hispanic, 28% White, 22% Asian, and 17% Black. There are many small businesses that target populations that speak a language other than English. The top three spoken languages in this area, other than English, are Spanish (22%), Vietnamese (8%), and Cambodian (7%). The neighborhood groups that border East 64 th Street on the north include: Stewart Heights, Hope Heights, and Cloverdale Park. The neighborhood groups that border East 64 th Street on the south include: Hillsdale, Boze Block Watch, and Champions. ART OPPORTUNITY/CONSIDERATIONS: The intent of this project is to engage an artist or artist team in the Phase I streetscape improvements along Tacoma s East 64 th Street, between Pacific Avenue and McKinley Avenue; take full advantage of the City s investment in the area; and help create a unique sense of place through this residential neighborhood. The project must deliver the following elements: Artwork(s) that enliven Phase I of this multi-modal transportation path Work with the design team to affect the aesthetic design of the streetscape, including identifying opportunities for artwork to be incorporated into the design and/or construction in future Work with the design team to implement integrated and/or discrete artworks along the streetscape as part of construction, or as part of the larger artwork(s) Meaningful community engagement process led by the artist (with support from the City), that informs the artwork Art elements could include discrete artworks installed in the planting areas, art elements integrated into the East 64 th & McKinley intersection, and artistic patterning stamped into the concrete The selected artist will have experience working with diverse cultural communities and be successful creating aesthetically strong artwork that results from meaningful community engagement. There will be an opportunity to leverage construction and the City s community engagement effort for this project the successful artist or team will take full advantage of investments in streetscape improvements and will be flexible, creative, and motivated by these opportunities. 2
A successful project will: Act as a visible marker for East 64 th Street Relate to different types of viewers (especially pedestrians and bicyclists) Be informed by a process that engages the community in a meaningful way Help create a visually cohesive and unique sense of place in this residential neighborhood Contribute to creating a more welcoming environment for pedestrians and bicyclists, and encouraging motorists to slow down when traveling through the area Leverage City of Tacoma s investments in streetscape improvements SELECTION CRITERIA The artist or artist team will be selected based on: Artistic quality as exemplified in past work Exhibited ability to work across cultures and within diverse communities to inform aesthetically strong artwork Experience working collaboratively with architects and engineers to influence overall project design Ability to work with durable, low-maintenance materials Ability to think and work in a scale and with materials appropriate to the site Ability to think conceptually and create artwork responsive to the site Ability to relate to multiple types of viewers (especially pedestrians and bicyclists) Ability to meet project timelines TIMELINE* October 10, 2018, 11:59pm Week of October 15, 2018 Week of October 22, 2018 Week of October 29, 2018 November January 2019 Late November 2018 January 2019 June 2019 *All dates subject to change Deadline for submissions Review of submissions and selection of finalists Site visit with finalists (optional) Interviews with finalists and selection of artist/artist team Work with the community and design team Preliminary concept(s) due Final design(s) due Construction to begin QUESTIONS? Contact Naomi Strom-Avila, 253-591-5191, nstrom-avila@cityoftacoma.org SUBMISSION PROCESS Eligible artists and artist teams interested in this opportunity must submit the following four items via Submittable: https://tacomaarts.submittable.com/submit This is a request for qualifications, not proposals please do not submit proposals for this opportunity. 1. Short Responses Responses to the following questions in 200 words or less each: What is your approach to public art? Why are you interested in this project? What is your experience working with design teams? If you have not worked with a design team, what skills or experience do you have to successfully complete this part of the project? What is your experience working with diverse communities? How have you successfully engaged community to influence your work? 3
2. Resume and References Three pages or less, including three professional references. Artist teams should submit a resume for each artist. Only finalists references will be contacted. 3. Work Samples and Descriptions Ten digital images of past work with concise descriptions. If available, work samples should include documentation of similar past public projects. Artist teams are encouraged to submit work that was previously completed as a team. 4. Two Samples of Community Engaged Process Two samples of the artist s community engaged process. Samples can be videos, articles, images, marketing materials, project webpages anything that helps tell the story of a relevant past project that engaged community in a meaningful way. Samples can be submitted as JPEG images, PDF or Word documents, and/or URL links to webpages or videos. Map of East 64 th Street showing three phases of the project. This opportunity will only affect Phase I (indicated by red line). 4
Pacific Avenue 5
McKinley Avenue Sections of Concept Plan for Phase I (Pacific Avenue to McKinley Avenue) 6