REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS
ArtLocal Public Art Project
Creating Collaborative Public Art in Kettering Neighborhoods
Kettering, Ohio
DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSIONS: June 30, 2017
ESTIMATED BUDGET: $15,000
The City of Kettering CitySites Public Art Program is seeking artists, artist teams, designers or architects living within a 125-mile radius of Kettering to design a site‐specific public artwork in the Oak Park neighborhood park of Kettering.
Project Description
ArtLocal is a new initiative utilizing art and creative thinking in localized public spaces throughout the city of Kettering. Through hands-on workshops, dialogues with residents and special events, ArtLocal will facilitate community participation in the development of a collaborative permanent artwork in non-traditional spaces, reflecting their identity and values.
ArtLocal will commission a permanent, collaborative public artwork that is significant to Oak Park residents and their identity within Kettering. The artwork should utilize enduring materials that can withstand a dynamic recreational space and pedestrian traffic, and can be easily cleaned and maintained.
As a collaborative process, the artist will lead interactive workshops and programs initiate and facilitate a dialogue about the city and the neighborhood, and engage youth, families, veterans and people with disabilities in the creative process (which will be organized with assistance from the Division Manager of Cultural Arts for the City of Kettering).
About the location
Kettering is a suburban city with a population of approximately 55,000 and characterized by socio-economic diversity. The Oak Park neighborhood is located in Northeast Kettering. Oak Park is a 1945 plat development of modest, wood-frame Cape Cod-style homes, with a population of over 1,100. Oak Park was built quickly after WWII to house workers of the General Motors plant, located less than .5 miles away (the plant is now home to Tenneco Inc.).
The Oak Park neighborhood has limited public space, however the city maintains a 3.6 acre park (appropriately named Oak Park), which includes a playground, ball field, shelter and walking path. This is the primary public space in the neighborhood and will be the site of the public art piece. The park is heavily used by residents for daily recreational activities, as well as for neighborhood gatherings in the warmer months.
Budget
The artist or artist team will be paid $15,000 and is inclusive of all costs associated with the project, including but not limited to: artist expenses, administration, sub-consultants, travel/lodging, artwork fabrication (including materials, details and specifications), storage, transportation and installation, related permits, licenses, taxes and insurance. Any expenses that exceed the contracted amount will be the artist’s responsibility.
The artist will be responsible for submitting an artwork maintenance manual upon completion.
Eligibility
Artists and/or artist teams must have previously created public art or exterior projects. The artist must carry personal liability insurance for the duration of the project and be willing to meet all contractual obligations.
Three references (names/contact information) are required from prior art projects.
Artists are eligible from a 125 mile radius of Kettering, Ohio.
Employees of the City of Kettering and members of the Art in Public Places Committee and the Kettering Arts Council are ineligible to apply.
Artist Selection Process
Please note that all dates are subject to change.
Parks, Recreation and Cultural Arts staff will review the RFQ submissions and work with an Artist Selection Committee, including members of the Art in Public Places Committee and local stakeholders, to select the artist.
The artist will be selected with the following criteria:
- Proven ability to create a collaborative, community-centric public artwork;
- Experience of successfully designing, fabricating, administering, and completing public art projects and/or custom architectural elements on time and within budget;
- The aesthetic significance and quality of past artworks, including the artworks transformative and distinctive qualities;
- Quality and scale of past work, demonstrated technical competence (materials, installation, maintenance);
- Past artwork’s appropriateness to surrounding architecture, topography, local history, and community attitudes and concerns;
- A proven ability to coordinate and collaborate with project managers, affiliated professionals and community stakeholders.
Selection and General Production Schedule (all dates are subject to change)
| RFQ Posted | June 6, 2017 |
| RFQ Application Deadline | June 30, 2017 |
| Selection Committee Review and Selection | July 2017 |
| Artist Selected and Contract | July 2017 |
| Artwork Development and Community Meetings | August – October 2017 |
| Artwork Fabrication and Installation | August 2017 – April 2018 |
| Artwork Dedication | May 2018 |
Submission Procedures
The following information will be required to apply to this commission:
- Letter of Interest. Please include the following:
- Artist Name, Address, Telephone, Email Address and Website. If applicable, include Artist Team Members and contact information as listed above.
- Your interest in this project and your experience working on comparable projects, including your experience with community-centric projects. Include how your work and experience will complement the goals of this project.
- Describe your eligibility with the criteria as defined in Eligibility section of this RFQ.
- References, including at least three (3) art and/or design professionals who have detailed knowledge of the artist’s work and working methods, including fulfilling deadlines, working with the community, etc. Please include contact name, organization, address, telephone number, and e-mail for each reference.
- Resume or CV. Submit a brief, current résumé that includes all contact information and website plus a list of previous public art commissions, design team experience, exhibitions, awards, grants and education, if applicable. If submitting as a team of artists, compile all résumés into a single document.
- Artist Statement. Please include up to 1000 words about your artwork, process and vision.
- Work Samples. Please include the following:
- Ten (10) digital images. In your image caption information, please include the title of the artwork, medium, dimensions, location of artwork and date created or installed.
FAQs
Do I need to submit a proposal for my public artwork idea?
No! This RFQ is to provide us with your experience as an artist and working in community engagement. We encourage you to share your project ideas in the Letter of Intent and/or Artist Statement, but it is not required as we hope that the public artwork design will be developed collaboratively with Oak Park residents.
I haven’t done much public art before. Can I still apply?
Yes! We are interested in an artist’s vision, and will use the RFQ materials of the portfolio, community engagement experience, and the potential of creating a dynamic, collaborative experience. Artists new to public art will have the resources of the CitySites public art program, the Art in Public Places committee, and other affiliated artists to help guide the project.
How am I expected to create this project with the community?
Staff with the City of Kettering (the Division Manager of Cultural Arts) will work with the artist and with community stakeholders to create programs and opportunities for collaborative interactions. This may include workshops, special events, and a presence at neighborhood activities such as with the Kettering City Schools, neighborhood associations, Cities of Service, etc. These activities will take place during the fall of 2017.
I have an idea of what I want to make, but don’t know what the budget covers.
The artist will work with City of Kettering staff to finalize the design and materials of the public artwork. Based on the final project design, City staff will work with the artist to determine artwork and infrastructure expenses, some of which may be covered outside of the artist’s budget.
About CitySites
Kettering’s CitySites is a percent for art program recognizing artistic excellence, accessibility to the arts for all people, and the positive impact of creativity on our community and quality of life in the City of Kettering. View the collection at www.playkettering.org/citysites.
About ArtLocal
ArtLocal is a new initiative utilizing art and creative thinking in localized public spaces throughout the city of Kettering. Through hands-on workshops, dialogues with residents and special events, ArtLocal will facilitate community participation in the development of a collaborative permanent artwork in public spaces, such as neighborhood parks. ArtLocal is managed by Rosewood Arts Centre and the City of Kettering’s Parks, Recreation and Cultural Arts department.
ArtLocal goals are:
- Connect local artists with a targeted community
- Create a collective cultural and creative experience
- Alter perceptions of a neighborhood and broaden civic engagement
- Enhance a sense of pride, ownership and appreciation of a public artwork
- Accessibility of public art to all
- Build advocacy for the arts at a local level
In its inaugural year, ArtLocal will work closely with Cities of Service (COS), a City of Kettering program dedicated to innovative ways to harness the power of volunteers and address critical city needs. In 2017-18, COS will be present in the Oak Park neighborhood of Northeast Kettering, and organize neighborhood clean-ups, a community garage sale, and a neighborhood block party.
More Information
Additional site images and frequently asked questions will be posted at http://www.playkettering.org/citysites through the RFQ submission deadline.
Questions about this project can be directed to:
Shayna V. McConville, Division Manager of Cultural Arts
City of Kettering Parks, Recreation and Cultural Arts
Rosewood Arts Centre
2655 Olson Drive, Kettering, OH 45420
(937) 296-0294
citysites@ketteringoh.org
ArtLocal is an initiative of the Cultural Arts division of the City of Kettering Parks, Recreation and Cultural Arts. Support for this project is made possible by CitySites, the Community Foundation for Kettering and the Ohio Arts Council.
