Public Art for Sacramento River Trail at Stress Ribbon Bridge - Outdoor Sculpture

The City of Redding invites professional artists to submit qualifications to design, deliver, and install public art adjacent to the Stress Ribbon Bridge on the Sacramento River Trail. The project is funded by the George Emmerson Family in honor of Susan Emmerson, a community member and artist who taught art at local schools.

The public art sought will be monumental and civic scale, culturally appropriate, timeless and enduring, instantly memorable, climate appropriate for Redding's summer heat, wind, rain, and occasional snowfall, and easily maintained. The budget is $200,000.00. The Sacramento River Trail is a 17.4-mile National Recreation Trail spanning from the Sundial Bridge to Shasta Dam. The Stress Ribbon Bridge, the first stressed ribbon bridge constructed in the United States, features a single clear span of 418 feet and is showing signs of needing restoration. The artwork installed in its vicinity will inform restoration details such as paint color and concrete embellishments.

Eligibility is open to all practicing artists at least 18 years of age with prior public art experience. Artists must demonstrate skills in fabrication, installation, structural engineering, and working with contractors, or ability to hire qualified professionals. The selection process includes a staff screening for completeness, followed by a Selection Committee review to produce a short-list of up to three finalists. Finalists will participate in a mandatory site tour and prepare a conceptual design proposal for an in-person presentation interview. Selection criteria include artistic excellence, experience with similar-scale projects, appropriateness to site and intent, availability during project timeline, price and market value, technical feasibility, work habits, and considerations of safety, accessibility, durability, maintenance, permanence, vandalism protection, and timelessness. Questions regarding the RFQ must be submitted in writing to [email protected] by December 23, 2020 at 12:00 noon PST. Submissions are due January 8, 2021 at 10:59 p.m. PST via CaFE.