Landmark Sculpture - 14th Street and US 41 Roundabout

The City of Sarasota, Florida is sponsoring an outdoor landmark sculpture for placement within a future roadway roundabout at the intersection of 14th Street and US 41. This project is part of a public art initiative focused on acquiring public works of art for roundabouts to be constructed over the next decade. The City intends to construct approximately 16 new roundabouts by 2025 which will incorporate public artwork in the center islands. This Call to Artists is for one roundabout at 14th Street and US 41; a separate call has been issued for a roundabout at 10th Street and US 41.

The design competition will begin with a review of application materials to identify three artwork proposals most favored by the City's Public Art Committee. The three finalists will be invited to present their proposals in person to the Public Art Committee and will receive $1,000 honorariums. Finalists must include a site-specific maquette and/or other visual depictions of the proposed artwork. The Public Art Committee will rank the three proposals and make a recommendation to the City Commission, which grants final approval. Only one of the three finalists will be offered the commission. The commissioned work will become part of the City's permanent public art collection.

The roundabout will be located in Florida Department of Transportation right-of-way and must be approved by that Department. Design criteria include: complementing the downtown location; requiring minimal maintenance with no water features; being a high-quality, free-standing outdoor sculpture of original design; not drawing viewers to it but appreciated from a distance; not creating a distracting situation for drivers; not exceeding 25 feet in overall height above the nearest travel lane (with a 3½ feet base, leaving maximum 21½ feet for artwork); being structurally sound and meeting Florida Building Code standards for foundation and 150 MPH wind loading; having a minimum six-foot offset from the edge of the inside travel lane; using materials suitable for Sarasota's subtropical climate; containing no signs, traffic control features, auditory devices, reflective surfaces, flashing lights, moving parts, or advertising; not displaying messages with text (though alpha-numeric characters in design format are allowed); having required lighting not directed at motorists, bicyclists or pedestrians; not obstructing signs or interfering with sight distance; having an anti-graffiti coating; and including a two-year warranty on materials and craftsmanship. The center island has a diameter of 70 feet with an anticipated display area of approximately 15 feet in diameter. The project budget does not exceed $150,000, covering all costs including design, engineering, production, transport, installation, site preparation, lighting, travel expenses, and required insurance. Artists must have successfully completed projects of similar scale and budget. Submittal documents include: a written description of proposed artwork with title, explanation of relationship to location, media type, dimensions, weight, and fabrication information (up to 8 images); resume outlining experience; proposed budget estimate; images of previous artwork with title, media type, dimensions, and year of completion; 3 or more professional references; and a disclosure statement.