Bell Street Park Boulevard Artist Commission

The Seattle Office of Arts & Cultural Affairs seeks an artist to develop site-specific artwork for the new Bell Street Park Boulevard Project. The selected artist will work with Seattle Parks and Recreation and its consultants to develop artwork along the linear park and to help activate the spaces created.

The artist will work with project design consultants, Seattle Parks and Recreation, community representatives and the Office of Arts & Cultural Affairs to develop site-specific artwork for the Bell Street Park Boulevard. The artist's approach may include a combination of artwork, design enhancements, amenities and ideas for park activation. The community has expressed an interest in artwork that unifies the length of the boulevard and that could be extended in the future if the boulevard expands west to the waterfront and east to Denny Way. The artist should be familiar with Belltown's unique characteristics, demographics and history. Possible art opportunities may include sidewalk treatments, lighting, amenities and infrastructure enhancements. The selected artist will work with Parks and Seattle Department of Transportation to understand and comply with relevant standards for accessibility and safety. The artist will work closely with the park design team during the final stages of the project design phase. Artist selection will coincide with the 65-percent completion of the park design in April 2010. It is expected that the majority of the artist's contribution will be fabricated and installed by the artist, rather than as part of the overall construction project. The artist may be asked to attend several community meetings.

This call is open to invited professional artists residing in Washington state. The total project budget is $75,000. Applications must include sixteen (16) artwork images, a letter of interest (not to exceed 2,000 characters), resume, image identification list, and references. The artist will be selected on the basis of: quality of concept, design, and craftsmanship of past works; ability to produce durable outdoor art; proven ability to collaborate in design teams with design professionals and community stakeholders; and demonstrated ability to complete projects on time and within budget. Applicants will be notified of the panel's decision by email by March 2010.