RFQ for Public Artwork - Kettering, Ohio

ArtLocal is an initiative utilizing art and creative thinking in localized public spaces throughout Kettering. This RFQ seeks a permanent, collaborative public artwork for Oak Park, a 3.6-acre neighborhood park in Northeast Kettering. The artwork should reflect the identity and values of Oak Park residents and utilize enduring materials that can withstand recreational use and pedestrian traffic while being easily cleaned and maintained.

The selected artist will lead interactive workshops and facilitate dialogue with the community, engaging youth, families, veterans, and people with disabilities in the creative process. The artist or artist team will receive $15,000, inclusive of all costs including artist expenses, fabrication, materials, transportation, installation, permits, licenses, taxes, and insurance. Any expenses exceeding this amount are the artist's responsibility. The artist must submit an artwork maintenance manual upon completion.

Eligibility: Artists and artist teams must have previously created public art or exterior projects, carry personal liability insurance for the project duration, and provide three references from prior art projects. Artists must be located within a 125-mile radius of Kettering, Ohio. Employees of the City of Kettering and members of the Art in Public Places Committee and Kettering Arts Council are ineligible. Selection criteria include proven ability to create collaborative, community-centric public artwork; experience designing, fabricating, and completing public art projects on time and within budget; aesthetic significance and quality of past work; technical competence; appropriateness to surrounding context; and ability to coordinate with project managers and community stakeholders. Submission deadline: June 30, 2017. Event dates: August 1, 2017 – June 30, 2018.