Heron Sculpture at Phinizy Center for Water Sciences

The Greater Augusta Arts Council, on behalf of the Phinizy Center for Water Sciences, is requesting proposals from qualified sculptors or artist teams to create a unique, durable, low-maintenance, safe to touch, larger-than-life-sized sculpture of a heron (or group of herons) to be placed on the grounds of the Phinizy Center. The sculpture is intended to last for 50 years minimum in good condition and be a realistic representation of a heron (or group of herons). The location coordinates are 33.387700, -81.963535.

The selected artist will receive a stipend of $15,000 to cover all expenses associated with the envisioning, creation, transport, and installation of the sculpture. Payment will be made in three installments: $5,000 upon contract execution, $5,000 upon satisfactory mid-way progress, and $5,000 upon satisfactory installation. Installation is scheduled for May 2024. The artist is responsible for transportation and installation costs, including site preparation such as concrete pad. The Greater Augusta Arts Council may offset lift rental costs if needed.

The proposed sculpture must be an original metal or stone work that is structurally sound, durable, and requires little to no maintenance beyond routine cleaning. It must withstand adverse weather conditions common to the Augusta region, including hot summers, cold winters, humidity, heavy rain, wind, thunderstorms, and occasional snow. The work must be suitable for pedestrian interaction with low exposure to injury, with no sharp parts. If meant to be climbed on, climbable areas must be no higher than two feet from the ground. The sculpture must be 10-15 feet high (including base) and recognizably represent a heron or group of herons. Eligibility is open to professional sculptors and artist teams; all team members must be at least 18 years old and reside in the United States. Phinizy Center employees are not eligible. Artists may apply up to 5 times with separate proposals, but each application must contain only one individual design. Applications with multiple proposal designs will be disqualified. Selection criteria include artist qualifications and experience, proposal clarity and organization, aesthetic appeal of portfolio and proposed sculpture, appropriateness to project requirements, installation plan, feasibility within budget and timeline, and professional references.