West High School and Romig Middle School Library Public Art Project

The Municipality of Anchorage is announcing a call for qualified artists to create artwork for West High School and Romig Middle School in Anchorage, Alaska. The art selection jury intends to commission two complementary installations totaling $97,500 to be permanently installed at two different locations within the indoor atrium area located just outside of the renovated library. West High School and Romig Middle School are the only combined school in Anchorage, and the renovated library is the largest school library in the state of Alaska.

Location 1 (Atrium, skylight): $65,000. The jury is interested in seeing suspended or wall mounted artwork that will capture, reflect, or otherwise respond to the natural light of the atrium, adding color and movement to the predominantly white space. Location 2 (Atrium, floor): $32,500. The jury would like to see functional, floor-based artwork that encourages zones of conversation between students from both schools as they converge at the library. Artists or artist teams may apply for one or both locations.

Themes discussed by the Art Selection Jury focused on literacy and language and the convergence of the two schools in the common area. There is preference to see artwork that responds to the diversity of the student population and acknowledges global interconnectedness and stewardship. Both West and Romig have Spanish and Russian Immersion Programs and serve a campus of diverse learners and ethnicities with a population of students who speak over 55 languages. The total population for both schools is upwards of 2,600 students with an age range from 12-19.

There are no restrictions on style or design of the artwork, but the proposal must provide assurance the artwork will be durable and routine maintenance requirements must be minimal. The installation must be permanent and must be designed to last the life of the building. This is an earthquake area and needs to meet standards in the IBC 2009 building code as amended by the Municipality of Anchorage. All suspended pieces must be at least 18" lower than the sprinkler system by code. Sculptures taller than 6' must be engineered and permitted through the MOA system. The total budget of $97,500 includes all costs of design, fabrication, installation, photographic documentation, catalog documentation and an identifying plaque. Any permitting, engineer fees, or structural fees required must be paid by the artist. State laws related to public construction, including licensing, insurance, bonding, and payment of prevailing wage rates, may apply.

Artists will be selected based on: Artistic Merit as evidenced by representation of relevant past work in images; Appropriateness of the artist's medium, style and previous experience in relation to the project goals and setting; Experience with projects of a similar scale and scope including familiarity with the public art process, public review approval process, and/or collaboration with high schools and design agencies; and communication skills and ability to work with diverse community members. Artists with no prior public art experience will be seriously considered.

Artists are required to submit: Six digital images of past work (each identified with title, materials, dimensions, and value); Current 1-2 page resume, including 3 professional references; and Artist statement describing why you are interested or particularly qualified for this project.