City of Tampa McKay Bay Transfer Station Public Art Commission

The City of Tampa is seeking a visual artist to create a commissioned artwork for the western exterior façade of the newly constructed McKay Bay Transfer Station. The artwork area measures approximately 143' x 48'. This opportunity is open to a variety of mediums and is part of Mayor Jane Castor's Transforming Tampa's Tomorrow (T3) strategic goals, which emphasize sustainability and resilience. Artists whose work builds public awareness about environmental issues are encouraged to apply.

The McKay Bay Transfer Station is a 53,000 square-foot facility that serves as a processing site for the temporary deposition, consolidation, and aggregation of waste. The facility includes a Citizen's Drop-Off Area, a 30,000 square foot tipping floor, and a 5,600 square foot employee building. Materials processed at the Transfer Station are sent to the McKay Bay Waste-To-Energy Facility, which converts energy from municipal solid waste into electrical power for up to 15,000 Tampa homes per month. The City also operates a materials recycling program for glass, plastic, aluminum, paper, and yard waste.

The selected artist will manage all aspects of design, fabrication, installation, budget, and work with city staff and architectural plans for the site. The project budget ranges from $150,000-$200,000 to cover all expenses including design, fabrication, installation, travel, and insurance. Applications must include contact information and website, up to ten work samples, work sample descriptions, a current professional resume (limit three pages), and a letter of interest (not to exceed 3,000 characters). Do not submit a proposal or visual illustration with your application; artists who do will be disqualified. The Art Selection Committee will conduct a blind review of images, then review resumes and artist statements. The committee may select a finalist directly or choose multiple finalists to submit refined proposals. The application deadline is December 19, 2022 at 11:59 p.m. EST. Artist selection is expected in the first quarter of 2023, with design concepts finalized by April/May 2023 and a target installation date of Winter 2023/2024.