Public Art Projects for the Future Maryland Purple Line

The Maryland Transit Administration (MTA) is seeking artwork for projects integrated into the design and infrastructure of the future Purple Line transit corridor in suburban Washington, D.C. The Purple Line is a new, 16-mile-long light-rail line extending from Bethesda in Montgomery County to Carrollton in Prince George's County. Art opportunities relate to stations (underground, surface and elevated) as well as infrastructure elements between the stations. Construction is expected to begin in 2015 and end in 2020.

Artist selection will be a two-phase process: Call to Artists / Request for Qualifications (RFQ) and Procurement. This RFQ phase will generate lists of qualified artists working in a variety of media who may be invited to create integrated public artworks for Purple Line stations and connecting infrastructure. A Selection Panel will review submissions and generate lists of artists for the Procurement phase. Subsequent to the RFQ phase, the Soliciting Organization will determine specific project opportunities, budgets and timelines, and conduct competitive artist selection processes. This is the only open call that will be issued for the Purple Line.

The Art-in-Transit Program seeks artists with experience in the following categories: terrazzo, concrete, inlays or similar media for floor surfaces; murals, mosaics, light, metalwork, ceramic tiles, form-liners or similar media for vertical surfaces; metalwork for fences and grates; lighting effects for walls; urban environmental artworks related to stormwater management; posters and graphic projects; community-based interpretive projects; photography; color palettes for complex public space and infrastructure systems; two-dimensional imagery for glass interlayers; text-based narrative works; three-dimensional wayfinding markers; and textile design. This Call is open to all professional artists or artist teams, preferably with public art experience. Artists must be U.S. citizens or have legal working status in the U.S. Local artists are encouraged to apply.

Artists should be aware that they must consider approaches relating to the local community and undertake research including direct community contact through site visits. Work must meet standards of durability and longevity expected for public transit environments, with a projected useful life of not less than thirty-five years. The Federal Transit Administration requires consideration of quality, impact on the public, connection to site or adjacent community, appropriateness for the site including safety and scale, and durability. Submissions should include 7-10 images. Number of applications allowed: 3.