Wickiup Hill Learning Center Exhibit Gallery - Artist Qualifications

The Linn County Public Art Commission is seeking qualifications from artists for artwork to be incorporated into the Wickiup Hill Learning Center Exhibit Gallery. The Linn County Public Art Commission was established in 2010 to direct funding for the inclusion of works of art in County capital improvement projects.

The Wickiup Hill Learning Center is a nature center developed and managed by the Linn County Conservation Board. An artist will be commissioned to create a three-dimensional suspended art piece which blends into the exhibits and becomes part of the entrance and introduction gallery. The educational exhibits in the expanded exhibit area will be focused toward younger, school-aged children, with three exhibit galleries: "Life Along the River," "Nature Is Fun," and "Everyone Lives In A Watershed." The project goals include being in harmony with the introduction of the exhibit gallery's central theme and subthemes, blending into the exhibit environment and aesthetically enhancing the building, and adding to the overall experience of being at the Wickiup Hill Learning Center. Budget: $19,000 including design, fabrication, and installation.

This Request for Qualifications is open to all professional artists and artist teams. Only the first 200 applications received will be accepted. A selection panel will review qualifications and select up to 3 finalists who will be asked to develop concept proposals. A proposal fee of $500 will be paid to each finalist. Finalists will make proposal presentations to the selection panel via conference call. Selection criteria include artistic excellence as demonstrated by past work, understanding of the project and ability to create artwork that responds to the project goals, and availability to meet the project timeline. Artists must submit a typed Letter of Interest (no longer than 3 pages), current artistic Resume (no longer than 3 pages), five digital images of previous artwork with title, medium, dimensions, brief description, location, date of work, and budget or price for each image, and the names of three references with current contact information including phone numbers and email addresses. Deadline: May 11, 2012.