|
THIS CALL HAS CLOSED. |
||||||||||||||||||||||
| Budget: $2,904,000 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Activated: 02/28/2025 Deadline: 03/31/2025 |
||||||||||||||||||||||
| Call Summary The City of Austin Art in Public Places program (AIPP) of the Cultural Arts Division, Economic Development Department (EDD) and AUS Arts of Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS) invites Austin-based artists and artist-led teams to submit qualifications in consideration of collaboration, design, fabrication, and installation of new public art opportunities located throughout the new Concourse B and the new Arrivals and Departures Hall: two spaces for children, a sensory lounge, a mobility lounge and 18 restrooms. Interested artists should approach the opportunities with an open mind and should not attempt to conceptually propose solutions as the contexts for the sites are a part of the Journey With AUS Airport Expansion & Development Plan (AEDP) and do not yet exist. The AEDP building program is designed to meet the current and future needs of our growing region while staying true to our roots and elevating the passenger journey with an authentic Austin and Central Texas experience. AEDP AIPP opportunities for artists have been published through multiple phases. Phase III opportunities are listed below. An informal artist information session was held on February 27, 2025. You can watch the recording here: https://womenandtheirwork.org/archive/aus-public-art-open-call-info-session/. A virtual Pre-Submittal Meeting was held on March 10, 2025. Email alexandra.irrera@flyaustin.com to access the recording. The deadline to submit requirements is March 31, 2025, 2:00 PM CT. Submissions received after the deadline will be considered unresponsive and will not be reviewed. |
||||||||||||||||||||||
| Budget Description This application is for multiple Art in Public Places (AIPP) commissions located at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS). For estimated budgets per project, see the "Project Description" section. All Artwork project budgets are inclusive of artists’ fees, all phases of Artwork design, engineering, testing, prototyping, fabrication, permitting, installation, inspection, artists’ travel, public meetings, presentations, administration, taxes, and insurance relating to the project. Selected artists will be expected to navigate construction logistics and are responsible for their own project management from design through installation and close-out. |
||||||||||||||||||||||
| Project Description Original artwork establishes an intuitive way of discovering and recognizing the locations of restrooms. While new immersive amenity areas are intended to balance functionality with imagination while honoring the transformative power of creating intentional respites, spaces for play, and places with visual and tactile interests within the busy airport environment. Through imagination and inventiveness, these opportunities challenge artists to converge industrial design with artistic sensibilities through creative use of functional and utilitarian materials. Reimagining objects d’art through practical perspectives within different and busy spatial contexts, the art becomes an experiential environment that redefines how we experience airports. 1. Restroom Entries (9 sets) Sites: A/D Hall and Concourse B Estimated Budget. $80K per restroom set Project Summary. Some might say restrooms are the most important amenities to navigating airports. Although we cannot control the spatial layouts or automated water and soap fixtures, we can support intuitive wayfinding by creating remarkable restroom entrances. Artists selected for a restroom entries project should explore harmonious themes and colors while finding inspiration in the locality of all things Austin (landmarks, culture, history, flora, fauna and environment). Up to nine (9) artists (one per set of restrooms) may be selected for this opportunity. 2. Amenity Lounges (x2) a. Mobility Assistance Lounge Site: Departures Ticketing Estimated Budget. $546K b. Sensory Lounge/Zone Site: Concourse B Estimated Budget. $546K Project Summary. These lounges will be signature features for AUS and are intended to increase the impact of AUS’s Guest Services by assisting passengers needing accessibility support. Aspects of the artistic interventions could contribute to providing more convenient access to AUS services while creating a welcoming, inclusive and comforting atmosphere for individuals with special needs and their families. These opportunities could include artists and artist-led teams collaborating with local subject matter experts as well as artists with disabilities. Two artists/artist-led teams will be selected. One for each lounge. 3. Spaces for Children Site: Concourse B Estimated Budget. $546K (x2) Project Summary. There is high demand at AUS for spaces specifically for children. Play features of these spaces for children should be integral to the functional components of the artworks. Each of the two environments should consider distinct approaches with one designed for high energy, movement and exploration and play, and the other designed to imbue a calming and serene effect. Artists selected for these opportunities are challenged to consider contemporary artistic and whimsical concepts using analog and/or simple digitally interactive elements. One or two artists/artist-led teams will be selected. |
||||||||||||||||||||||
| Site History In response to record-breaking growth, the airport is embarking on a series of long-term and near-term improvements, new facilities and expansion projects to serve generations of Austin and Central Texas travelers to come. At a time when air travel can make us feel rushed, disoriented and anxious, new facilities such as a mobility assistance area, a sensory lounge, spaces for children and signature restroom entries designed by artists are an integral part of the Journey With AUS that humanizes our travelers’ experience. Through an artistic lens, principles of Universal Design should be applied when thinking about the functionality of these physical spaces. Each space should be accessible and usable by people of all ages, sizes, abilities, and disabilities; and should provide flexibility with usage, elements that are simple and intuitive to use with easily perceptible information and good lighting. Owned and operated by the City of Austin, AUS is located on the former Airforce base, Bergstrom field, and (at the time of this plan) is the busiest non-hub airport in the state of Texas. Currently, Austin is recognized as one of the fastest-growing cities in the US. Its pace of growth is driven substantially by the tech industry, healthcare and hospitality. However, the prevalence of street art, live music performances, festivals and highly ranked food scene help promote the city’s official/unofficial slogan: Keep Austin Weird. On any given day, about 50,000 to 70,000 passengers pass through AUS daily. Many of these travelers seek Austin as a destination for the varied offerings of arts, culture, and entertainment. AUS is well underway to meeting passenger demands by optimizing and expanding the Barbara Jordan Terminal through the AEDP and simultaneously planning for a new Arrivals and Departures Hall along with a new Concourse B. The near and long-term impact and reward will be a beautiful, highly functioning airport with an elevated customer experience and expression of pride for the local and regional community. Additional information about the AEDP/Journey with AUS can be found here: https://www.austintexas.gov/AUSJourney |
||||||||||||||||||||||
| Eligibility Phase III Opportunities are open to Austin-based artists and artist-led teams working locally and based in the Greater Austin area (Bastrop, Caldwell, Hayes, Travis, Williamson, Burnet, and Blanco counties) working in two-dimensional media or experience creating site-specific installations. Through submission of portfolio images, artists must demonstrate a strong design aesthetic, unique perspectives, exemplary approach to compositions, and exceptional use of media and materials. Austin-based artists working in all media are encouraged to apply including mosaicists, painters, photographers, videographers, textile artists and sculptors of soft forms, industrial designers, and lighting designers. Members of an artist-led team could include (but are not limited to) industrial designers, woodworkers, carpenters, crafters and other makers and lighting designers. MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS - Professional artists based in Austin over the age of 18 - Professional Artists. AUS Arts and AIPP define Artist as an individual recognized by critics and peers as a professional practitioner of serious intent and substantial ability in the visual, performing, or literary arts. - The City of Austin AIPP and AUS Arts programs strive to commission a broad range of artworks that contribute to the current dialogue in the field of visual art by broadly awarding commissions among local, state, and national artists. - Applicants who do not meet the minimum qualifications will not be considered. INELIGIBILITY Design professionals, including architects who do not have a consistent visual art practice are ineligible to apply as team leads, but can be a part of an artist-led team. The following are ineligible: 1. Artists who do not live in the greater Austin area as defined above 2. Artists who currently have artworks sited at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport. 3. Artists with more than three artworks in the City of Austin’s Art in Public Places public art collection 4. Artists who currently are under contract with the City of Austin for a permanent AIPP project 5. Artists who have completed an AIPP project within the past year (from the date of application) 6. City of Austin employees 7. Architects, other designers and other contractors currently working with the City of Austin or with AUS 8. Elected and appointed City officials such as City Council and members of City Boards and City Commissions |
||||||||||||||||||||||
| Application Requirements | ||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Resume: 2 page(s) maximum Work examples: 1 - 10 References: 3 |
||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Artists are allowed to apply in teams.
Artists applying as a team must split the allotted number of work examples between themselves. |
||||||||||||||||||||||
| Additional Requirements | ||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||
| Selection Information | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Selection Process SUBMISSION REQUIREMENT DETAILS - PLEASE READ BEFORE SUBMITTING: 1. Credentials: CV/Resume (2 pages total) 2. Written Responses to the following scenario and questions (Limit 200 words per response): a. What is your preferred project and why? b. Describe your previous experience working with one or more design teams on interdisciplinary integrated public projects as an individual artist or as a part of an artist-led team. c. How does creating a sense of place inform your artistic practice? d. What inspires your approach to developing unique concepts for your work (as an individual artist or as a part of a team)? e. How does your work provoke curiosity and spark wonderment? 3. Portfolio of Previously Completed Work. DO NOT SUBMIT CONCEPT RENDERINGS a. Ten images of previously completed work (only one image per file, i.e. no composite or collaged images). SUBMITTING ADDITIONAL IMAGES (INCLUDING MORE THAN ONE IMAGE PER FILE) WILL SUBJECT YOUR APPLICATION TO BEING DISQUALIFIED. Or b. Three Videos of previous work limit 60 seconds each. (each video equates to three (3) still images) Or c. Combination of still images and videos not to exceed a total of 10 work samples (each video equates to three (3) still images) d. Image descriptions detailing titles, dates of completion, locations, materials, artwork budgets. For team application, please indicate the lead artist for each project. IMPORTANT! PROPOSAL IDEAS, PRELIMINARY SKETCHES or IMAGES OF INCOMPLETE PROJECTS WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED OR REVIEWED BY SELECTION PANEL MEMBERS AND COULD RENDER AN APPLICATION INELIGIBLE 4. Three Professional references: names, phone numbers and email addresses only – no letters 5. Demographic survey SELECTION PROCESS: Artists will be chosen through an Open Competition process. Two distinct selection panels comprised of visual arts and design professionals with advisory members from AUS will review all eligible applications. Up to three (3) artists or artists-led teams may be shortlisted and invited to interview for each of the amenity lounges and spaces for children – Not to exceed nine artists total as finalists who may advance to an interview. Conceptual proposals may or may not be requested for the interview process. In the event shortlisted artists are invited to interviews and requested to prepare a conceptual proposal, each artist will be compensated with an honorarium of $2,000. Each selection panel reserves the right to recommend one artist or one artist-led team and one alternate at the time of initial review (without interview) for any or all Opportunities to the extent defined above; meaning one artist and one alternate artist per opportunity may be recommended to receive commission without having an interview. Except where otherwise noted in this document, only one artist or artist-led team per opportunity will be awarded a commission. |
||||||||||||||||||||||
| Selection Criteria The panel will evaluate applications based on the following criteria: • Professionalism and applicable experience • Technical skills and aesthetic appeal of past work • Consistent quality and production of artwork • Communication of ideas and intentions |
||||||||||||||||||||||
| Timeline TIMELINE (subject to change) Solicitation Opens - February 28, 2025 Pre-Submittal Meeting (virtual) - Week of March 10, 2025 Submission deadline - March 31, 2025 Short-listed artists notified - April 17/18, 2025 Interviews/Recommended Artists Selected - Week May 19, 2025 Panel/Arts Commission Approvals - June 2/16, 2025 Selected Artists under contract - August 2025 |
||||||||||||||||||||||
| Additional Resources | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| https://www.austintexas.gov/aipp | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| AUS AEDP Phase III Prospectus (AIPP)_english (PDF) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| AUS AEDP Phase III Prospectus (AIPP)_español (PDF) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Contact Information | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Alex Irrera Art in Public Places Coordinator United States alexandra.irrera@flyaustin.com 512-530-5126 |
||||||||||||||||||||||
 |
 |
 |
 |
