Municipality of Anchorage: Airport Heights Elementary School Renovation Public Art Commission

The Municipality of Anchorage is announcing a call for qualified artists to create artwork for Airport Heights Elementary School renovation in accordance with Municipal Code 7.40. The art selection jury intends to commission three art installations totaling $168,000 to be permanently installed at three locations at the renovated elementary school located at 1510 Alder Drive, Anchorage, AK 99508. Project construction began in summer 2015 and will be completed by summer 2016, with artwork installation likely taking place in summer and early fall 2016.

Location 1 (Interior Main Hallway Wall with Graphic Design for Exterior Entry Wall): $50,000. The main hallway extends from the front entry to the back entry with a total width of 120' 2". The exterior entry wall is 30' 7" wide and will have a graphic transferred onto ceramic tile. The jury seeks a cohesive design that begins at the exterior entry and flows through the hallway. The jury is open to any type or medium of wall intervention and is interested in artwork that reflects the themes "Honoring. Dreaming. Achieving." The design should be vibrant, colorful, welcoming, and activate the space.

Location 2 (Glass Artwork for Interior Windows in Multipurpose Room): $40,000. The jury has identified 2-3 locations for integrated artwork in the Multipurpose Room. Interior windows viewing into the Music Room and Arts Activity Lab measure 12'W x 5'H (4 glass panes each). A rear platform window measures 12' 8"W x 10' 0"H (6 panes). The jury welcomes submissions including all three windows if within budget. The view to the exterior and light transmission must not be obstructed by the art intervention.

Location 3 (Exterior Sculpture in back of building incorporating trail): $60,000. The sculpture site is approximately 50' from the Multipurpose Room exterior windows. A path/track runs from the playground to the school, measuring approximately 1/4 to 1/3 of a mile and used by students during Physical Education classes and by the local community. The jury is interested in submissions that incorporate the trail. At least 75% of the budget must be directed toward the sculpture and no more than 25% on the trail. Themes include weather, nature, and time. The sculpture must be engineered and pass all municipal permitting requirements. Durability and safety are paramount given Alaska's extreme and harsh climate.

The total budget of $168,000 includes all costs of design, fabrication, installation, photographic documentation, catalog documentation, and an identifying plaque. Any permitting fees required for sculptures taller than 6' must be paid by the artist. State laws related to public construction, including licensing, insurance, bonding, and payment of prevailing wage rates, may apply. All suspended pieces must be at least 18" lower than the sprinkler system by code. Sculptures taller than 6' must be engineered and permitted through the MOA system. The artwork must be permanent and designed to last the life of the building and meet IBC 2009 building code standards as amended by the Municipality of Anchorage.

Selection criteria include artistic merit as evidenced by relevant past work, appropriateness of the artist's medium and style in relation to project goals, experience with similar scale projects and familiarity with the public art process, and strong communication skills. Diversity of artists and media is valued. Artists with no prior public art experience will be seriously considered, and artists with strong bodies of work but little public art background are encouraged to apply.

Artists must submit six digital images of past work via CaFE (callforentry.org), with each image identified by title, materials, dimensions, and value; a current 1-2 page resume including 3 professional references; and an artist statement. Eligibility is national with Alaska preference. Contact: Curator of Public Art, 1% for Art, (907) 343-6473.