Art in Public Buildings RFQ: Casper College Visual Arts Building

Casper College, one of Wyoming's eight community colleges located in Casper, is seeking artists for a public art commission at its new Visual Arts Building. The two-story facility includes studio and classroom space for painting, drawing, printmaking, ceramics, sculpture, metalwork, woodwork, photography, welding, and museum studies. The building features a two-story atrium in the lobby entrance, a gallery with monthly rotating exhibitions, and a climate-controlled storage and exhibition prep space.

The committee is interested in exterior, site-specific work for several locations in the south plaza that could accommodate large sculptural work, as well as the northeast corner of the site in front of the metal paneling surrounding the outdoor kiln yard. Artwork should connect to the college and Visual Arts Department's emphasis on teaching foundations, offer a conceptual approach to landscape and sense of place, and appreciate the building's clean and simple design. The committee is not interested in representational work. All styles, genres, conceptual approaches, and mediums will be considered. Artists willing to work with students during fabrication or installation, or provide public art talks or lectures, are particularly encouraged to apply. All proposed artwork must be durable, structurally sound, secure, site-appropriate, and easy to maintain.

The total project budget is $51,750.00. Submissions are due December 10, 2021 via CaFÉ and must include 1-10 images and up to 2 videos. Selected artists will be invited in January 2022 to submit complete formal design proposals including budget, timeline, and references. A decision will be made by February 2022, with artwork installation planned for August 2022. Applicants must be U.S. citizens or legal residents, minimum 18 years of age, demonstrate previous experience through portfolio submission, and be willing to meet project deadlines and travel for presentations if selected. Final artwork becomes the property of the Wyoming State Museum; artists retain copyright while the State of Wyoming receives permission to use images for publicity purposes.