City of Miami Beach: Washington Avenue Revitalization Commission

The City of Miami Beach is seeking qualified artists or teams to design and create a permanent, outdoor installation for Washington Avenue that will have a revitalizing effect on the area. This commission is open internationally to all qualified artists and is not limited to Florida residents.

Eligibility Requirements: Applicants must be individuals or teams generally recognized as professional practitioners of visual arts and/or civic design. All qualified artists or teams must have at least five years of demonstrated professional art experience with outdoor public art and/or civic art, experience with design, and must have completed a project of at least $75,000 or greater. Teams may include sculptors, designers, gallerists, architects, engineers, and other design professionals with focus on civic design and aesthetics.

Project Details: The total budget is $500,000 to $700,000, which includes all costs such as concept fees, travel, materials, fabrication, transportation, insurance, installation, engineering, and a 15% contingency fee. The project should commission a permanent outdoor installation addressing Washington Avenue from South Pointe Drive (southern boundary) to Dade Boulevard (northern boundary). The artwork may utilize medians and public-owned structures including the 21st Street Community Center, Convention Center, SoundScape Park, Old City Hall, Police Station and Plaza. The project was originally envisioned as an illumination and/or projected image installation, but equal consideration will be given to proposals using any media. Artists should consider the Art Deco Historic District, the transition from residential to commercial areas, scale of surrounding buildings, materials conducive to South Florida weather, and the community's cultural and aesthetic values.

Application Requirements: Submit up to 10 images of previously completed work with accurate identification of medium, dimensions, date, location, client/agency, size, budget, and completion date. Include a one-page cover letter (not to exceed 500 words) listing experience with public art projects, a current professional resume, at least three professional references for durable outdoor art with contact information, a proposed budget, and an anticipated production and installation timeline. All submissions must be received by April 5, 2013 at 11:59 p.m. EST via CaFE. There is no application fee.

Selection Process: The Art in Public Places Committee will review all applications in three phases. Phase 1: The committee will select no more than two finalists, each awarded $5,000 to develop conceptual designs. Phase 2: The committee will conduct interviews with finalists and hold a public presentation meeting. Phase 3: The City Commission will evaluate the finalists' conceptual designs and determine the award recipient. The selection will be based on aesthetic merit, visual and technical sophistication, creativity of approach, ability to produce durable outdoor art, proven ability to coordinate with project managers and design professionals, experience and qualifications, and demonstrated ability to complete projects on time and within budget. Funding for this call is contingent on a successful ArtPlace grant application, and the project will require eventual approval by the City's Historic Preservation and Planning boards and by the Mayor and Commission.