Invitational RFQ for Artists - City Services Building - City of Santa Monica

The City of Santa Monica is seeking an artist or artist team to create artwork for the City Services Building (CSB), a proposed addition to the City's historic City Hall at 1685 Main Street. The approximately 50,000 SF structure will house a consolidated permit center and 240 staff members and will be designed to meet the Living Building Challenge (LBC), an internationally rigorous sustainability certification program. The building will harvest all its energy from the sun, collect and reuse all water from site precipitation, and process all waste onsite. Construction is scheduled from 2017 through spring 2020.

This competition is open to invited artists and artist teams who reside in the United States. Previous experience in civic art is essential and must be demonstrated in the submitted portfolio. The selected artist must be able to meet the City's contract requirements and be available to meet numerous times over a several-year timeframe with City staff, the project team, and City advisory boards and commissions. The all-inclusive budget for design, fabrication, and installation is $500,000, covering all project-related expenses including design, travel, presentation materials, engineering, insurance, and artwork lighting.

Three primary sites are available for artistic response: the Interior Permit Counter (a wall/divider creating a permeable membrane that acts as a visual barrier and privacy screen), the Interior Courtyard (an open-air centerpiece connecting the new building with historic City Hall), and the South Stairwell (visible to the public from the building exterior). The selection panel will review submitted qualifications and select up to five finalists for interviews. Finalists will receive a $1,000 honorarium to develop their presentation and reimbursement for travel expenses. Selection criteria include high quality and innovation of past work, strength of articulated interest in the opportunity, demonstrated ability to produce and present work, clarity of vision in relation to art in public spaces, understanding of materials and techniques, demonstrated ability to meet deadlines, and demonstrated ability to work collaboratively. Submissions should include a brief objective statement, letter of interest, portfolio of sixteen images and up to four media files, image/media list with detailed information, and resume/CV.