RI State Council on the Arts Virks Building Public Art Commission

This is a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) for a public art commission at the Virks Building in Rhode Island. The building, constructed in 1936 by the Public Works Administration, will house approximately 250 employees of the Executive Office of Health and Human Services. The selection panel has identified potential sites for artwork including the front desk, lobby back wall, lobby vestibule, and exterior areas near the front stairs. The panel suggests that successful commissions might reference health and healthy families, support, communities, inclusion, and hope.

Artists or artist teams must submit six digital images of relevant artwork completed within the past five years, along with current resumes. Work samples may also include up to two audio files and two video files (minimum four total samples, maximum eight). Submissions are made through CaFÉ with no application fee. Selected finalists will receive a $2,500 honorarium to develop detailed proposals including scale models, renderings, itemized budgets, and project descriptions. The artist is responsible for all costs related to installation, drawings, permitting, equipment, supervision, and procurement of a Rhode Island engineer's stamp. The final artwork must comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act and be designed for durability and minimal maintenance in a heavily used public facility.

The selection timeline includes a submission deadline of August 30, 2016 at 5:00 p.m. EST, with finalist notification in mid-to-late September, site visits in October, finalist presentations in November, and final approval by the Rhode Island State Council on the Arts in December. The accepted artwork will be owned and maintained by the State of Rhode Island. For questions, contact Elizabeth Keithline at [email protected].