Yesler Neighborhood Park Project - Public Art Commission

The City of Seattle is seeking an established professional artist or artist team (maximum two artists) to create site-integrated artwork for the Yesler Neighborhood Park Project. The selected artist will work collaboratively with Parks, Seattle Housing Authority (SHA), community representatives, and redevelopment consultants to develop artwork that creates a sense of place within the park's 1.7-acre boundaries.

Yesler Terrace is Seattle's first public housing project, built in the early 1940s and the first racially integrated housing in the city. SHA is undertaking a 15-year redevelopment of this 561-unit community on 30 acres on First Hill's southern slope. The neighborhood is among Seattle's most diverse, with residents speaking more than 30 languages and representing communities from the Horn of Africa and Southeast Asia. The artist should respond to the site's patterns of use and design, including pathways, seating elements, and landscape, while addressing and reflecting the community's multicultural character. Interactive art and artistic elements that coincide with the park's healthy lifestyles and exercise goals are encouraged.

Eligibility is open to professional artists residing and eligible to work in Washington and Oregon. Students are not eligible. Artists whose work addresses environmental issues and those interested in working with diverse communities are especially encouraged to apply. The total budget is $130,000: $20,000 for a design contract to develop the site-integrated artwork, and $110,000 for fabrication and installation if the design is accepted. The project schedule includes schematic design by July 2014, construction documents by early 2015, and construction from summer 2015 through December 2015. Applicants must submit a letter of interest (maximum 2,000 characters), résumé, up to three references, up to 16 images, and an image identification list (maximum 500 characters per image). Selection will be based on interest and experience working with diverse communities, proven ability to collaborate with project managers and stakeholders, artistic merit, experience with site-integrated works, visual sophistication, creativity, and demonstrated ability to complete projects on time and within budget. Applicants will be notified of results by early August 2014.