UFASB Whitney Laboratory for Marine Studies

The Art in State Buildings Program at the University of Florida will commission an artist or artist team to create a site-specific work of art for the Whitney Laboratory for Marine Studies in St. Augustine, FL. The sites for art are both interior and exterior, and all appropriate media will be considered. Of particular consideration for exterior works is the location on a barrier island between the Atlantic Ocean and Matanzas River (Intercoastal Waterway), which is prone to hurricanes, high winds, flooding, and salt air. Plastic is not allowable unless there is an educational reason.

The total budget for this project is $100,000 for finalists' proposals, creation, and installation of selected work. The final art budget is between $95,000-$98,000. Finalists will receive an honorarium to create and present a site-specific proposal. The total amount of each honorarium will be determined based on the number of finalists (up to 4), and the total amount available for all honoraria cannot exceed $5,000. The committee is equally considering a single installation or an installation with multiple pieces of art throughout the available locations.

Exterior sites include a grassy area, saltwater pond, bioswale, and exterior wall. Interior sites include floor space for embedded art, ceiling space for suspended art, a double-height lobby wall, selfie wall, and stair guardrails. Dimensions, elevations, floorplans, and renderings are available in the linked document. All sites are being considered equally and it is not expected that all sites will receive art for the available budget.

Applications are due October 13, 2023. Finalists will be notified in November 2023, with proposals due February 2024. Applicants must submit a letter of interest, current resume/CV with emphasis on public art experience, and 10-20 digital images of artworks (up to 6 video or audio files may be submitted). For full consideration, submitted resume/CV must demonstrate that the artist meets at least 2 of the following criteria: works included in private, public, corporate or museum collections; received awards, grants or fellowships; completed other public commissions on a similar scale; or participated in exhibitions at major museums or galleries. International artists are eligible.