City of Seattle: North Precinct Police Station Artwork Project

The Office of Arts & Culture, in partnership with the Department of Finance and Administrative Services (FAS) and the Seattle Police Department (SPD), is seeking an artist or artist team to develop permanent artwork for the new SPD North Precinct Police Station, located at the southeast corner of Aurora Avenue North and North 130th Street. The selected artist or artist team will work with FAS, SPD, project design consultants, and community members to create artwork that will have a strong visual presence responsive to the surrounding community and reinforce the public nature and essential function of the facility.

The artist or artist team will investigate place-making and connecting the new facility with the North Seattle community, neighboring businesses, residences, and the site's busy arterial streetscape. Artwork opportunities can be incorporated within the precinct's property, on the exterior of the facility, and/or in publicly accessible interior spaces without compromising security. The selected artist or artist team should have the ability to understand architectural plans and an interest in working cooperatively with design professionals, city staff, and community members. Artists should have experience working within the public process and a proven ability to fabricate their own work or to work with fabricators and installers. The city encourages artists whose work addresses sustainability and green design to apply.

The selected artist will receive a commission of $200,000, inclusive of all costs to design, fabricate, and install the artwork. The call is open to established professional artists residing and eligible to work in the United States. Artists may apply as a team of no more than two. Students are not eligible. Applications must be submitted digitally through the CaFÉ online system and include a letter of interest (not to exceed 2,000 characters), résumé, three references, and up to 16 images with an Image Identification List (not to exceed 500 characters per image). Applicants will be notified of the panel's decision by email by end of April 2014.