RI State Council On the Arts Veterans Home Public Art Commission

The Rhode Island Veterans Home is a 110-acre complex on Mount Hope Bay providing nursing and residential care to Rhode Island war veterans. A new facility is being constructed with 192 skilled care nursing beds and 16 domiciliary beds organized in 6 "neighborhoods" comprising 2 "cottages" each. The approximately 220,000 square foot complex will feature a Commons Building with a sky-lit atrium, dining room, game room, activities areas, chapel, and physical therapy facilities.

This Request for Qualifications seeks artists or artist teams for public art commissions to enhance the Veterans Home. Commissions can be 2D or 3D work in any media. The panel may select one artist to unify various parts of the building or different artists for different sites. Possible sites include public corridors, windows outside the nondenominational chapel, hubs, and the Commons center atrium. An effective commission should encourage resident mobility and interaction, create placemaking or wayfinding, convey respect and tranquility, uplift residents' sense of purpose, and soften and personalize the facility.

Submissions must include six digital images of relevant artwork completed within the past five years and current resumes for each artist. Images must include media, size, title, date of completion, and brief description. Finalists will be selected to develop detailed proposals including itemized budgets, scale models, renderings, and project descriptions. Finalists will receive a $3,000 honorarium covering all travel expenses for site visits and presentations. The final commissioned work must comply with the Americans With Disabilities Act, be durable and sustainable, and meet all safety standards and building codes. The State of Rhode Island requires artists carry a $1,000,000 insurance policy. The accepted artwork will be owned and maintained by the State of Rhode Island. The building is projected for completion in fall 2017.