Oakland Fire Station 18 Public Art Project

The City of Oakland is seeking an artist or team to design, fabricate and install a new work of art in conjunction with the replacement of Oakland Fire Department Station 18, located at the intersection of Bancroft Avenue and 50th Avenue in Central East Oakland. The selected artist will develop an integrated public art project which enhances the new facility, relates to the mission of the Oakland Fire Department, and reflects the community surroundings. The artwork will ideally be integrated into the final architectural plans through collaboration with project architects Shah Kawasaki of Oakland, California.

Preferred sites and materials for public art include surface treatments to the exterior façades along 50th and Bancroft, including the public building entrance on Bancroft. Such treatments might include the design of images and/or text incorporated into metal, stone or other permanent, durable materials. Extensions of surface treatments or installations into the community meeting room space adjacent to the building entrance are also considered. Artwork must be accessible and visible to the general public and fabricated in durable, permanent media that is safe and easily maintained.

This project is open to practicing, professional artists living or working in the Northern California Bay Area region, defined as the counties of Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, Napa, San Francisco, Santa Clara, San Mateo, Solano and Sonoma. Artists working in all permanent visual media are welcome to apply. The public art budget for this project is $115,000, which includes all artist/artist team design and collaboration fees; fabrication of work; transportation of work to site; and on-site design application, installation, and/or artwork integration oversight as needed. The selected artist(s) will be required to hold an Oakland Business Tax Certificate for the duration of the project and provide proof of insurance for commercial general liability, automobile, and worker's compensation in accordance with City standards. Applications must be submitted online through www.callforentry.org by Wednesday, January 23, 2008. There is no application fee.