Art in Public Places Commission: Central New Mexico Community College

The Art in Public Places Program of New Mexico Arts and the Local Selection Committee for Central New Mexico Community College (CNM) seek an artist or artist team to create a site-specific commission project. The LSC is interested in commissioning artwork that will engage students, faculty, staff, and visitors to the CNM Main Campus in a way that speaks to ideas of education, community, transformation, and success. The work should be monumental in scale and serve as a meeting place or identifiable location in a new system of wayfinding on campus—a landmark gathering point. The LSC encourages consideration of projects that incorporate shade and/or seating, designs that are inspiring or thought-provoking and offer visual contrast to the angular architectural style of the CNM campus, and the use of locally sourced material and labor. The site is located at the center of CNM's Main Campus near downtown Albuquerque, at the hub of campus activity along major pedestrian walkways. The work should be designed to provide a center-point in an open area to the southwest of the existing Student Resources Center.

Media must be durable, low maintenance, permanent, safe for both children and adults, and ADA compliant. At the selected artist's expense, the artwork may require certification by an electrical, civil, and/or structural engineer licensed to practice in New Mexico, and review by a professional fine art conservator. This request for qualifications is open to all artists or artist teams working in the United States. AIPP regulations state that current employees or family of current employees of CNM will not be considered. Past employees are eligible to submit proposals but may not become employed by CNM for the duration of the project.

$110,500 is available for this project after finalist presentation fees and travel expenses. This amount includes all fees and expenses associated with the project including materials, equipment, labor, permits, engineering documents, insurance, taxes, travel, installation, shipping, identification plaque, and documentation of the completed project. Up to five finalists will be invited to submit a formal proposal and will receive a $1,000 honorarium for a written proposal and maquette. One site visit is required of each finalist to include a personal presentation to the Local Selection Committee and the public. Finalists will also receive a travel stipend based on distance: $250 for 50–300 miles one-way, $450 for 301–800 miles one-way, and $900 for 801 miles and over one-way.