Fort Lewis College - Berndt Hall Public Art Commission

Fort Lewis College seeks qualifications from artists and artist teams interested in creating site-specific public artwork for Berndt Hall in Durango, Colorado. The new wing of Berndt Hall, a science building on the college's 247-acre campus, will house the Geosciences, Physics, and Engineering departments and is slated for completion in fall 2016. The Art Selection Committee will commission outdoor artwork for the exterior of Berndt Hall, with various potential sites including the courtyard area, the western building wall, or the entrance between buildings.

Both 2D and 3D artworks of all media appropriate for outdoor installation will be considered, including sound, kinetic, or interactive pieces. The Selection Committee encourages artwork that serves as a visible marker of the building from afar and considers the building's use by science departments and the cross-disciplinary collaborative design. The public art budget is $202,000, covering all costs including artist design fee, structural engineering, insurance, materials, fabrication, transportation, installation, and documentation. Semi-finalists will receive $1,000 (in-state) or $1,500 (out-of-state) as an honorarium for design proposals and may have travel expenses reimbursed.

All applicants must be legal U.S. residents with skills and experience commensurate with completing a major public art installation. The Program is open to all artists regardless of race, color, creed, gender, national origin, age, religion, or other protected status. Native American artists are encouraged to apply, and the Art Selection Committee reserves the right to give preference to Colorado residents. Artwork must be sustainable and able to withstand intense sun, snow, wind, and temperature extremes characteristic of the area, with low maintenance and low cost requirements. Applications must include six digital images of previously completed artworks, a current résumé, and a statement of interest (250 words or less) submitted through the CaFÉ online system. There is no application fee.