Alabama Women's Tribute Statue Commission: Statues for Rosa Parks and Helen Keller

The Alabama Women's Tribute Statue Commission is issuing a Request for Proposals for artists to submit proposals for the design and fabrication of statues of Rosa Parks and Helen Keller to be placed on the grounds of the Alabama State Capitol. Responses may be for the Rosa Parks statue, the Helen Keller statue, or for both.

The Rosa Parks statue will be placed on the west front of the Capitol facing Bainbridge Street and should be made of bronze, approximately 9 ft. 6 in. x 4 ft. 2 in. x 2 ft., with a granite base of approximately 10 ft. 1 in. x 7 ft. 9 1/2 in. x 6 ft. 8 in. A pedestal is required. The Helen Keller statue should be designed and located to be readily accessible to and touchable by people with disabilities. A pedestal may or may not be needed depending on the artist's design. Artists will work with the AWTSC, the Alabama Department of Finance, and the Alabama Historical Commission to determine final location and sizing. Physical installation is outside the scope of this RFP.

The AWTSC will select up to three artists for follow-up interviews for each statue. Semi-finalist artists will receive a $2,000 stipend to create and present a design proposal in the form of a maquette. Out-of-town artists will be reimbursed for pre-approved travel expenses in accordance with IRS regulations to attend a site visit and proposal presentation in Montgomery. Submissions must include a letter describing the artist's interest and preliminary vision, a statement indicating which statue(s) the artist hopes to design, a description of the creation process and method, a proposed budget, professional resume, artist's website, images of previous relevant art commissions (1-8 images), a list of previous works (not to exceed twenty projects), and contact information for at least three professional references. Eligibility criteria include demonstrated experience on projects of similar scope, experience developing and implementing projects in public spaces with budgets of $150,000 or greater, experience with statues in historic locations, experience designing and fabricating permanent outdoor sculptures, success coordinating with partners and public entities, ability to meet deadlines, durability of previously-installed outdoor sculptures, competitive pricing, and relevant qualifications or recognition through portfolio, gallery or museum exhibits, awards, grants, or other accomplishments.