Capitol Hill AIDS Memorial Project - Lead Design Team Artist Selection

The City of Seattle Office of Arts & Culture, in partnership with the AIDS Memorial Pathway (AMP), is seeking a professional artist or artist team to serve as lead designer for a public art memorial project honoring the impact of the AIDS epidemic in Seattle and King County. The selected artist(s) will work with a design team of developers, architects, landscape architects, community members, and technology consultants to develop, plan, and scope artworks and art concepts for multiple sites in and around Cal Anderson Park in Seattle's Capitol Hill neighborhood, integrated into the Capitol Hill Transit-Oriented Development (TOD).

The selected artist(s) will receive a $40,000 artist fee to create a cohesive vision for art and propose future artworks and technology solutions. An additional budget of approximately $1.1 million—separate from the artist fee—will cover fabrication and installation of proposed works. The lead design team artist(s) may also propose a work of their own using these future funding sources. Responsibilities include developing calls for artists, participating in artist selection panels, coordinating with selected artists, making recommendations to appropriate artists, participating in community open house events, and coordinating with technology consultants to create a digital platform using Augmented/Extended Reality (A/XR) technology.

The project goals are to create a place of reflection and remembrance honoring those who died and those affected by HIV/AIDS; tell the history of Seattle/King County's AIDS crisis and communities' responses through stories, oral histories, photographs, artifacts, and technology; and provide a call to action to end HIV/AIDS and discrimination. Potential artwork sites include the north edge of Cal Anderson Park, the plaza north-end wall at the Capitol Hill Link Light Rail Station, bench/seating surrounding the plaza perimeter, and additional sites to be determined. Eligibility is open to artists or artist teams living in the United States, 18 years of age or older. Submission requires 16 images. Expected completion of the Capitol Hill Link Light Rail Station Transit-Oriented Development Project is first quarter 2020.