Call for Artists: Public Art for the Rhode Island State Police Southern Barracks

Artwork will be commissioned for the Rhode Island State Police Southern Barracks through the State's percent-for-art law, which mandates that 1% of all state capital construction and renovation funds be allocated to the purchase and maintenance of public art. The budget for the acquisition of artwork is $100,000. The new Southern Barracks is a 35,000 square foot facility located at 65 New London Turnpike, West Greenwich, RI 02898, on 6.74 acres adjacent to the northbound ramp of Exit 21 off I-95. The facility will house an estimated 80-100 troopers and consolidate services from the Hope Valley and Wickford barracks.

The selection panel determined that an exterior artwork is desirable as the facility will face the busy New London Turnpike and the adjacent DOT Park and Ride lot. An artwork could create a welcoming atmosphere and help "humanize the badge" and create connection with the community. A figurative statue or memorial is not desired. There is no limit on media except that artwork affixed to the building itself will not be considered. The entrance walkway/plaza and lawns present good opportunities for the siting of artwork. One artist or artist team will be commissioned.

Eligibility is open to all working artists regionally residing in Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Connecticut, New Hampshire, Vermont, Maine, and New York. Undergraduate students are not eligible. At this preliminary selection stage, submissions should consist of 6-10 images representing work completed within the past ten years, a bio or resume, and a brief description of potential site-specific proposals. Three finalists will be selected and will each receive an honorarium of $2,500 to craft detailed proposals including an itemized budget, scale models and renderings, and an in-depth project description. The estimated timeline includes panel review in early June 2023, finalist site visit in June 2023, finalist presentations in late August/early September 2023, final approval in September 2023, and artwork installation by June 2025.