THIS CALL HAS CLOSED.

Budget: $10,000

Activated: 11/17/2020 Deadline: 02/11/2021

Call Summary The City of Austin’s Art in Public Places (AIPP) program of the Cultural Arts Division, Economic Development Department, seeks proposals from practicing visual artists or artist teams to design, fabricate, install and de-install short-term or time-based exterior artworks and murals at City of Austin Public Library Department sites. The intent for the temporary public art program is to promote tourism, cultivate curiosity, spark imagination, engage the community in a meaningful dialogue about public art, foster work by local artists and cultivate exploration of the City of Austin. Artists are encouraged to create artworks that reflect the district in which they select to exhibit and design artworks that can be easily installed and de-installed. Practicing visual artists at least 18 years of age living and working in the City of Austin and its Extra Territorial Jurisdiction (ETJ) are eligible to apply. Priority will be given to proposals that directly enhance cultural experiences for tourists, including projects that highlight underrepresented histories and narratives. Priority will also be given to artists or artist teams from historically under-represented communities & histories, specifically Black/African American, Native American, Asian, Hispanic/Latino, Middle Eastern, Pacific Islander, LGBTQ, and Disability Community members.

Budget Description Budgets for the proposed artworks can range from $3,000 to $10,000 per proposal. Artists will submit an estimated budget for each proposal. Multiple commissions are expected to be awarded. No fund matching or crowd sourcing may be applied.

Project Description Artwork Opportunity Artists may select from a pre-approved list of City-owned Austin Public Library sites listed at the end of this document. Artists will propose their artwork site, with the understanding that artwork may be re-sited for equity issues. Artists will participate in a virtual Speaker Series to showcase their work and experience with TEMPO. Artists’ proposals should take various factors into consideration including weather, durability of materials, appropriateness to the public realm, safety, neighborhood and stakeholder input, etc. Each proposal will be reviewed by the Austin Public Library Department for concept, placement, duration, safety, durability, and materials prior to the Selection Jury. The artwork must not impede traffic, pedestrian right-of-way, safety, line of sight, normal business operations, critical root zone of trees, or any other potentially hazardous conditions. Artwork proposed for exterior environments must require little to no maintenance, be made of durable materials and be safe for a public setting. No poured-in-place concrete may be used for any installations. Artist may consider temporary methods of attachment such as Diamond Piers TM, Earth Anchors TM, rebar, or threaded rods with washers and nuts. The commissioned artist or artist teams is responsible for installation, de-installation and site restoration. The artist or artist team is responsible for any repair of the artwork due to vandalism or other wises during the contracted exhibition period. If the artist or artist team does not repair the artwork in a timely manner, the City reserves the right to remove the artwork at the artist or artist team’s expense.

Artwork Goals The goal of the Art in Public Places Program is to commission works of art and art projects of redeeming quality that advance the public’s understanding of visual art, enhance the aesthetic quality of public places and increase visitors to the city locations in Austin through the exhibition of temporary public art. Temporary public art plays an important role in attracting new and emerging artists to participate in the city’s public art program, enrich the civic dialogue, engage public spaces in unique ways and cultivate tourism around the arts in Austin. The TEMPO program allows artists or artist teams to explore a range of themes suitable for the outdoor environment and provide the opportunity to create innovative, thought-provoking artworks that impact the way people experience their environment. Goals of the TEMPO program: Expose citizens to contemporary artworks by local artists; Foster engagement between artist, artwork and the community; Link local artists with resources and city assistance to develop skills and experience; Facilitate public discussion, civic dialogue, and collaborative partnering for programming; Promote new interest and increased participation in, and focus on, public art; Promote tourism and the convention and hotel industry through arts activity.

Artwork Location Description Tentative List of Pre-Approved Sites District 1: Carver Branch Library – 1161 Angelina St. 78702 University Hills Branch Library – 4721 Loyola Ln, 78723 Windsor Park Branch Library – 5833 Westminster Dr. 78723 District 2: Pleasant Hill Branch Library – 211 E. William Cannon Dr. 78745 Southeast Branch Library – 5803 Nuckols Crossing Rd. 78744 District 3: Ruiz Branch Library – 1600 Grove Boulevard, 78741 Terrazas Branch Library – 1105 E Cesar Chavez St, 78702 Willie Mae Kirk Branch Library – 3101 Oak Springs Dr. 78702 District 4: Little Walnut Creek Branch Library – 835 W. Rundberg Ln. 78758 St. John Branch Library – 7500 Blessing Ave, 78752 District 5: Manchaca Road Branch Library – 5500 Manchaca Rd. 78745 District 6: Spicewood Springs Branch Library – 8637 Spicewood Springs Rd, 78759 District 7: Milwood Branch Library – 12500 Amherst Dr. 78727 North Village Branch Library – 2505 Steck Ave. 78757 Yarborough Branch Library – 2200 Hancock Dr. 78756 District 8: Hampton Branch Library at Oak Hill – 5125 Convict Hill Rd. 78749 District 9: Twin Oaks Branch Library – 1800 5th St. 78704 Central Library – 710 W. Cesar Chavez St. 78701 District 10: Howson Branch Library – 2500 Exposition Blvd. Old Quarry Branch Library – 7051 Village Center Dr. 78731

Eligibility Practicing visual artists at least 18 years of age who live and/or work in the City of Austin and its Extra Territorial Jurisdiction (ETJ) are eligible to apply. Artists who have not received a public art commission before are encouraged to submit proposals for consideration. Only one proposal per artist or artist team will be accepted. An artist may not apply as an individual and as a team member on separate projects. Incomplete or late applications will be disqualified. Eligible to apply: Artists currently under contract with AIPP Temporary City of Austin employees Ineligible to apply: Full-time, permanent City of Austin employees Artist or artist teams who have received two previous TEMPO commissions, either as an individual or team.

Application Requirements

Resume: 1 page(s) maximum Work examples: 5 - 10 Letter of Interest: 1000 word maximum Each artist or artist team must submit one PDF document that includes: 1. Artwork description and title - include relationship of artwork to the location and installation and de-installation description; 2. Image of artwork proposal - sketches, renderings or Computer Aided Designs (CAD) are acceptable, include in-context image; 3. Site location and address – X marker on site map of proposal location on Austin Public Library property 4. Itemized materials list - include method of attachment and expendables. (Tools for fabrication and electronics for exhibition are considered capital assets and will not be eligible as part of the materials list. Rental of tools or electronics are acceptable expenses.) 5. Estimated Itemized Budget - including, but not limited to: design, materials, fabrication, transportation, insurance, installation and deinstallation. No fund matching or crowd sourcing may be applied.

Artists are allowed to apply in teams. Artists applying as a team must split the allotted number of work examples between themselves.

Additional Requirements

Demographics Survey: Communities Demographics Survey: Gender Demographics Survey: Race/Ethnicity Demographics Survey: Veteran Status Proposal Document Document Upload

Selection Information

Selection Process Selection Jury The City of Austin AIPP Panel will convene a jury to select proposals for recommendation to the AIPP Panel and Arts Commission. The jury and project advisors shall work together to evaluate proposals based on artistic merit and appropriateness to site. Each artist or artist team will present their Final Design to the AIPP Panel for approval. The AIPP Panel approvals are subject to approval by the Austin Arts Commission prior to authorization of fabrication. The approved recommended artists or artist teams will be put under a Design + Commission contract upon approval of the selection process by the Austin Arts Commission. The jury will be comprised of three artists who have previously participated in the TEMPO program from the list below. Staff are currently reviewing artists who may be interested in participating. The Jury will be aided by a group of non-voting advisors consisting of city staff, subject matter experts and community stakeholders: Tammie Rubin, AIPP Panel Chair Bears Rebecca Fonte, City of Austin, Arts Commission kYmberly Keeton, City of Austin, Arts Commission Lulu Flores, City of Austin, Arts Commission John Daniels, Austin Public Library Jieun Beth Kim, APL Exhibitions Manager, Central Library Marcos Martinez, APL Regional Branch Operations Manager (Interim) Carre Adams, City of Austin, Carver Museum Dr. George Vargas, Mexic-Arte Museum Pamela Benson Owens, Six Square Daniel Llanes, La Raza Round Table Delano Brown, City of Austin, Parks and Recreation Dept. Derrick McKnight, Austin Public Health Dept.

Selection Criteria Evaluation Criteria The selection of an artist or artist team shall be based on artist qualifications which best meet the requirements contained in the Request for Proposals. In addition to the standard AIPP project selection criteria found on the City of Austin’s Art in Public Places website (www.austintexas.gov/aipp/selectioncriteria.htm), the Jury will review and consider the following evaluation criteria: Superior artistic merit; Responsiveness to the physical and cultural context of the site; Ability to engage the community in which the artwork is located; Attention to structural soundness and environmentally safe materials; Relevance to the stated theme or purpose of the installation, as appropriate; Broad viewership, public access, and promotion to Austin’s tourists; Stakeholder and User Department approval.

Timeline 2020 November 17 - Request for Proposal (RFP) OPEN December 15 - Virtual Artist Information Meeting Register at: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/austin-art-in-public-places-tempo-2021-artist-information-meeting-tickets-129347041483 2021 January 26 - Request for Proposal (RFP) CLOSED February 1- Selection Jury Recommendation approval by AIPP Panel February 16 - Finalist announced March - Contract + Artist Cohort Kick off meeting April 5 - Artist’s Final Design presentations for approvals May to June - Artist’s fabrication + installation July 2021 to June 2022 - Artwork exhibition + Artist’s community engagement speaker series 2022 July - Artist’s de-installation and contract closes

Additional Resources

Contact Information

Bryana Iglesias Art in Public Places Coordinator P. O. Box 1088 Austin TX 78767 United States Bryana.Iglesias@austintexas.gov 512-974-7841