Request for Qualifications: Mosaic/Mural Public Art Installation, Frankfort, KY

This is a two-phase artist selection process for a mosaic and mural public art installation in Frankfort, Kentucky. The project is part of a multi-year public art initiative to make Frankfort the "Public Art Capital of Kentucky." It is a collaboration between the City of Frankfort and Josephine Sculpture Park (JSP), which manages and curates the project.

The installation will be located in a new transit center and parking garage under construction in downtown Frankfort, bounded by Clinton St, Wilkinson St., Mero St, and St. Clair. The artwork will be installed on the back wall of a central stairwell approximately 50 feet tall and 24 feet wide, constructed of concrete and CMU with clear glass front and side walls. The installation should be inspired by the Kentucky River, a 260-mile tributary of the Ohio River that flows through Frankfort and supplies drinking water to 700,000 people. The artwork medium should be primarily mosaic tile with paint used to accent and enhance the mosaic work.

Phase 1 is a Request for Qualifications with a deadline of November 9, 2023. Three to five artists or artist teams will be selected to advance to Phase 2, a Request for Proposals. Selected artists will receive a $500 honorarium for completing a proposal. The all-inclusive project budget is up to $70,000, covering all artist fees, materials, travel, lodging, transportation, site preparation, insurance, permits, and installation costs. The selected artist or team will be commissioned to design, create, and install the artwork, with installation scheduled between May and December 2024. Artists must demonstrate artistic excellence, professional experience, and proven ability to complete public art projects of similar scale. Submissions must include a current CV/resume, letter of interest with detailed description of approach, artist statement (limited to 2000 characters), and up to 12 images of previously completed work.