Coleman and Bassett Illuminated Underpass

The City of San José is seeking an artist or artist-led team to create public art for the Coleman Ave underpass. This project is part of affordable housing developments near the Coleman Ave underpass, with funding from an Affordable Housing and Sustainable Communities (AHSC) grant established under California's Global Warming Solutions Act. The public art will enhance the community's relationship to infrastructure, reduce energy consumption, and encourage active transportation such as walking and cycling. Artists are encouraged to incorporate functional energy-efficient and/or zero-energy elements into the artwork.

The project budget is $300,000, allocated as follows: $45,000 for design completion from concept development through construction documentation including engineering; up to $230,000 for fabrication and installation; and a mandatory $25,000 contingency hold. All project expenses including design time, fabrication, transportation, installation, insurance, and other related costs must be covered within this budget. The artist or artist team is expected to fabricate and install the artwork.

The design phase includes background research, design development through four steps (concept proposal, schematic design, design development, and construction documentation), staff review, community feedback, and approvals from the San Jose Public Art Committee and Department of Public Works. Installation and project completion is scheduled for January 2021. This opportunity is open to individual artists or artist-led teams working or living in the United States, at least 18 years of age, with necessary documentation to work in the U.S. Applicants must submit 8 images through CaFÉ. Artists currently under contract with the City of San José Public Art Program are not eligible unless their current project will be complete by February 2018 or is suspended.