Martin Luther King & Veronica S. Shoemaker Boulevards Gateway Public Artwork

The City of Fort Myers Community Redevelopment Agency, in collaboration with the Lee County Black History Society and the Fort Myers Public Art Committee, is requesting qualifications from artists for a public art project at the intersection of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Veronica S. Shoemaker Boulevards. This intersection serves as a critical gateway connecting the historic Dunbar Community to downtown Fort Myers. The project seeks qualified artists or artist teams to design, construct, and install a public art piece that commemorates local culture through themes of Dreams, Hope, and Civil Rights.

The artwork site is an open, grassy area located south of Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard and between the north and southbound lanes of Veronica S. Shoemaker Boulevard, approximately 70 feet from Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard. The site will be framed by recently added landscaping. The artwork must be sized and scaled to stand out from the landscaping and be readily viewable by passing motorists. There is no electrical service on-site; artists wishing to include lighting must utilize outdoor solar lighting options. The total project budget is $100,000, which covers all costs including materials, engineering, fabrication, permitting, transportation, installation, insurance, and the artist's fee. Three finalists will each receive a $500 design fee to develop a virtual proposal for final consideration.

Submissions must be received by midnight EST on Thursday, October 28, 2021. The Selection Committee will evaluate applications based on the artist's prior work and experience with site-specific public art projects of similar scope and scale, capability to produce artwork compatible with the site and visible to motorists, professional experience completing projects within timeline and budget, ability to create artwork resistant to theft and vandalism and durable in Southwest Florida's subtropical climate, and diversity in style, scale, and media. Up to three finalists will be selected and given six to eight weeks to produce an electronic proposal for virtual presentation. The winning design will be selected based on artistic merit, incorporation of desired themes, site suitability, material durability, maintenance requirements, and the artist's experience completing projects on time and within budget. Installation is scheduled for April 1 through June 30, 2022.