South Valley Pool Mosaic Art Project

The Bernalillo County Arts Board solicits a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) for artists or artist teams for a permanent site-specific mosaic art project for the South Valley Pool and Splash Pad located at 3912 Isleta Blvd SW, Albuquerque, NM 87105. This is a local call open to New Mexico-based artists. The established budget for this project is $35,000. The winning artist or team will create the concept and design of the mosaic, engage in community outreach, and implement installation. The mosaic will be culturally relevant and reflect the landscapes, heritage, and cultures of the South Valley.

The recently renovated facility features an outdoor pool, shade and picnic structures, areas of grass and landscaping, a newly renovated parking lot, a new bathhouse, water slides, and interactive sprays and water cannons. Locations identified by the Selection Committee for the mosaic include the exterior façade of the main entrance and the seating wall between the splash pad and the swimming pool. A portion of the mosaic may also be placed on the walls of the pool itself, but the overall work must not affect the integrity of the pool or the safety of the public. The artwork shall be designed to have a structural lifetime of at least 25 years and be able to withstand harsh conditions of high-altitude ultraviolet rays and contact with water.

Submit two to seven images of previous work and one to three digital images of an initial conceptual design for the mosaic. Digital images should include the artist's name, artwork title, dimension/size, media, date of creation, and cost. Also submit an artist statement, résumé, questionnaire, image key, and references. Artist name and address must be on every page of submitted documents. Three finalists will be chosen to prepare final designs and present to the Selection Committee and community. The final selection will be awarded May/June 2022, with project completion by Winter 2021-22.