Request for Qualifications - Fogarty School of Nursing at Rhode Island College

The Rhode Island State Council on the Arts and Rhode Island College will commission artwork for the Zvart Onanian School of Nursing wing in the entrance lobby or exterior sites adjacent to the John E. Fogarty Life Science building, located at 600 Mount Pleasant Avenue, Providence. The artwork will be commissioned through Rhode Island's Public Art Law, which mandates that 1% of all state capital construction and renovation funds be allocated to the purchase and maintenance of public art. The budget is $30,000 and is all-inclusive, covering all materials, fabrication, engineer fees, insurance, permits, installation, lighting, wiring, support or bases, and other costs. One artist or artist team will be commissioned.

This Request for Qualifications is open to all professional artists; students are not eligible. At this preliminary stage, applicants must submit six images of work completed within the past ten years, a resume, and a one-paragraph artistic statement. Work sample requirements include a minimum of 6 and maximum of 6 images, 0-1 audio files, and 0-2 video files, for a total of 6-9 samples. Three finalists will be selected and invited to develop detailed proposals including itemized budgets, scale models and/or renderings, and in-depth project descriptions. Each finalist will receive a $1,000 honorarium to cover all travel expenses for site visits and presentations.

The estimated timeline includes an application deadline of February 15, 2022 at 11:59 p.m. EST, panel review in March 2022, finalist site visits in early April, finalist presentations and selection in May 2022, and final approvals by RISCA Council and RIC's President's Advisory Board on Public Art and President's Executive Council in spring/summer 2022. Installation will occur after contract signing. The artwork should convey freshness, newness, and vitality; improve engagement and community on campus; align with Rhode Island College's mission; and meet sustainability goals. Exterior works should not obstruct building signage. Interior works may be 3-D, freestanding, wall-mounted, or ceiling hung.