City of Seattle: Seawall Project Call for Sound Artwork

The Seattle Office of Arts & Culture, in collaboration with the Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT), seeks an artist or artist team to create an integrated sound-based artwork on the Elliott Bay waterfront. The project is funded by 1% for Art funds generated by the reconstruction of the Elliott Bay Seawall in downtown Seattle. Using the immaterial medium of sound, possibly in conjunction with physical structures, the selected artist will create a site-specific or site-responsive work that will expand visitors' experience of the waterfront. The piece may introduce sound to the site, or it may attenuate, concentrate or otherwise manipulate existing sounds. It may use electronics, acoustic and resonant materials, or physical structures.

The Elliott Bay Seawall Project will replace the existing deteriorated seawall in downtown Seattle from South Washington Street to Broad Street. The central seawall, the focus area of this art opportunity, is between South Washington Street and Virginia Street. Construction is anticipated to occur over three years, with completion scheduled for early 2016. The commissioned artist will work with project designers and engineers from the Elliott Bay Seawall Project, Waterfront Seattle, SDOT, other city departments and community representatives to select sites and develop sound-based art. One artist or artist team will be selected to receive a commission of approximately $200,000, inclusive of all fees, taxes, fabrication, delivery, installation, travel and other project-related costs. The artist will join the Seawall Project team in August 2013 and will initially be contracted for concept design only. Upon acceptance of the concept design by the Office of Arts & Culture's Public Art Advisory Committee, the Office will contract the selected artist for design development, engineering, fabrication and installation of the artwork.

The call is open to professional artists residing in the United States and Canada who are eligible to work in the U.S. Application deadline is 11 p.m., Thursday, July 11, 2013.