Fire Station 30 Public Art Commission - Seattle

The Seattle Office of Arts & Cultural Affairs, in partnership with the Seattle Fleets and Facilities Department and the Seattle Fire Department, seeks an artist or artist team to develop a permanent site-specific art project for Fire Station 30 in the Mount Baker neighborhood. The new two-story fire station is located at 2931 Mt. Baker Blvd. S in Rainier Valley/Mount Baker near Franklin High School, with completion anticipated for spring 2011.

The selected artist will work with the community, firefighters, and staff to create a site-specific, durable artwork within a 56-foot-long by 40-foot-wide grass lawn in front of the facility. The artwork should address the work and spirit of firefighters, respond to the cultural diversity of the Mount Baker community and nearby Franklin High School, consider the Olmsted boulevard character, and identify the fire station as a civic facility within the surrounding neighborhood. Artists should have specific skills in media including metal, glass, stone, concrete, ceramic, wood, light, surface treatment, sustainable design, or environmental design. Experience fabricating and installing permanent artwork, working in public settings, and engaging with design professionals, city staff, and community members is essential.

The selected artist will receive a commission of $80,000, inclusive of all costs to design, fabricate, and install the artwork. The artist will first receive $8,000 for design, followed by $72,000 for fabrication and installation upon design approval. Applicants must be established professional artists living in Washington or Oregon. Artists may apply as a team. No students of any level are eligible. Application requirements include 16 artwork images, a letter of interest (not to exceed 2,000 characters), resume, and three references. The application deadline is 11:00 PM, Thursday, August 5, 2010. For questions, contact Jason Huff at (206) 684-7278 or [email protected].