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THIS CALL HAS CLOSED. |
| Budget: $56,400 |
| Activated: 02/03/2015 Deadline: 03/11/2015 |
| Call Summary The City of Austin Art in Public Places (AIPP) program of the Cultural Arts Division, Economic Development Department seeks to commission a permanent exterior public artwork that reflects the iconic aspect of the adjoining Deep Eddy Pool and Eilers Park, is mindful of the historic values of the site, and establishes a threshold area between the parking lot and park facilities. The City of Austin requests qualifications from professional visual artists who live and work in Williamson, Travis, Bastrop, Caldwell, Hays, Burnet and Blanco counties. Artists who currently have one active contract with the Art in Public Places program or who have more than two permanent works in the AIPP Collection are ineligible to apply. The total budget available for this project is $56,400.00. An Artist Information Meeting will be held on February 17, 2015, 5:30 pm at the Cultural Arts Division offices at 201 E. Second St., Austin, TX The application deadline is 5:00 pm, March 11, 2015 |
| Budget Description The AIPP 2% for this project is generated from pooling the remaining funds from the Deep Eddy Pool Shell Repair (2006 Bond); the Eilers Neighborhood Park Improvements and the Veterans Pocket Park Master Plan (2012 Bond). The total award for an artist contract is $56,400, inclusive of design, fabrication and installation, including engineering and permitting fees, travel and shipping expenses, insurance and other project-related costs. |
| Project Description EILERS PARK IMPROVEMENT PROJECT As part of the 2012 bond, an Eilers Park Improvement project was approved and is being managed by the City of Austin Parks Department. It will include the design and construction of a nature-based play structure and additional play features, ADA-compliant walkways and ramps, integrated site features such as retaining walls, seat walls and landscaped beds, and new park signage. The City has hired Design Workshop as the consultant and they are just beginning schematic design. Completion of construction documents is anticipated in August 2015 with construction beginning in February 2016. |
| Artwork Goals The Art in Public Places program seeks to commission works of art of redeeming quality that advance public understanding of visual art and enhance the aesthetic quality of public places through the selection of a qualified artist or artist team who can innovatively and thoughtfully design within the context of this project. The goal of the Deep Eddy/Eilers AIPP Project is to select an artist/artist team who will design artwork that: • reflects the iconic aspect of Eilers Park which includes Deep Eddy Pool; • conceptualizes a strong overall artwork design approach that Integrates with the site and coordinates with the required signage for the project; • establishes a threshold area between the parking lot and Eilers Park where visitors can transit west towards the pool, east towards the Eilers Park playground area; or south towards the Roy and Ann Butler Hike and Bike Trail; • is consistent with and mindful of the historic values of the site; • is easily maintained and vandal resistant in an exterior environment; and • contributes to the depth/breadth of the City of Austin’s public art collection. |
| Artwork Location Description The site has numerous restrictions in respect to the historic designation of the pool and bathhouse. In addition, it is important that the AIPP artwork be accessible to citizens without paying the fee to enter the pool area. After numerous discussions with the Friends of Deep Eddy and the Austin Parks Department, it was determined that the site could benefit from an exterior artwork that integrates with the site, enhances the visibility of Deep Eddy Pool and Eilers Park; and coordinates with the proposed Eilers Park design and signage. The artwork will be located in the area between the parking lot and Eilers Park as noted in the attached photographs and plan drawing. There are limited locations where an exterior artwork can be sited between the parking lot and Eilers Park. Available locations are designated on the attached plan drawing, taking into consideration the critical root zone of trees and egress issues. A range of materials and conceptual approaches are welcome for this commission as long as the parameters of the project are met. The commissioned artist or artist team will be expected to coordinate with Design Workshop, the project team, and City staff in the design and installation of the artwork. |
| Site History Located just south of Lake Austin Boulevard on Deep Eddy Avenue, Deep Eddy is a historic man-made swimming pool along the Colorado River (Lady Bird Lake) with a bathhouse built during the Depression-era by the WPA. Eilers Park is comprised of 8 acres surrounding the pool and includes a play area and picnic tables. This land was purchased by the City in 1935 from Mr. A.J. Eilers and has a long history which is available at https://friendsofeilerspark.wordpress.com/history/ The Deep Eddy bathhouse was restored in 2007 according to a preservation plan completed for the City by Limbacher Godfrey Architects. The pool and bathhouse are listed on the National Register of Historic Places and are City of Austin historic landmarks. The Deep Eddy pool shell was refurbished in 2011. A portion of the AIPP 2% allocation was used to commission the Deep Eddy Mural Project which was completed in 2011. Led by Austin artists Wanda Montemayor and Lisa Orr, this was done as a collaborative, community project, engaging individuals, nonprofits, and schools. It resulted in a tile and glass mural that portrays much of the colorful history of the site. The Friends of Deep Eddy sponsored fund-raising efforts that supplemented the AIPP-allocated funds. |
| Eligibility Professional visual artists, or artist teams, at least 18 years of age who live and work in Williamson, Travis, Bastrop, Caldwell, Hays, Burnet and Blanco counties are eligible to apply. Full-time, permanent City of Austin employees including employees of the Austin Parks and Recreation Department and the Economic Development Department, and project consultants and their employees and sub-consultants are ineligible to apply. Artists who currently have one active contract with the Art in Public Places program or who have more than two permanent works in the AIPP Collection are ineligible to apply. |
| Application Requirements |
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Resume: 3 page(s) maximum Work examples: 10 Letter of Interest: 600 word maximum In your letter of interest, please describe what excites you about this project; any relevant creative experience which makes you a successful candidate; and your preliminary thoughts (not a proposal) on how you might approach this opportunity within the stated parameters, budget, and goals. If you are applying as an artist team, please name all members in your introductory paragraph. References: 3 |
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Artists are allowed to apply in teams.
Artists applying as a team must split the allotted number of work examples between themselves. |
| Selection Information |
| Selection Process The City of Austin Art in Public Places Panel will convene a selection panel to evaluate the submissions. The selection panel and advisors shall review qualifications and select three finalists for interviews unless there is consensus on the selection of recommending one applicant and one alternate. The selection panel and advisors shall convene for interviews and select one artist/artist team and one alternate. This recommendation will be presented to the Art in Public Places Panel and Arts Commission for approval. The approved artist(s) will be put under a design + commission contract to coordinate with the City and project team to develop a final design, which is subject to approval by the AIPP Panel and the Austin Arts Commission prior to fabrication and installation. |
| Selection Criteria The selection of an artist, or artist team, shall be based on whose qualifications best meet the requirements contained in this Project Outline. 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 Selection Panel will review and consider the following evaluation criteria: » artistic merit and technical expertise; » demonstrated successful, innovative and effective approach to public art projects of a similar scope; » ability to successfully execute a public art project; and » expressed interest in creating artwork within this community setting. |
| Timeline February 2, 2015 Request for Qualifications (RFQ) released February 17, 2015, 5:30 pm Artist Information Meeting, Cultural Arts Division 201 E. 2nd Street (corner of Brazos and E. 2nd St.) March 11, 2015,5:00 pm Deadline for submission of qualifications March 23, 2015 Selection Committee review of submissions and selection of finalists for interviews April 2, 2015 Artist interviews (if required) April 6 + 20, 2015 Approval of Artist and Alternate by AIPP Panel + Austin Arts Commission Artist(s) put under contract July or July 2015 Mid-Design presentation to AIPP Panel August, 2015 Construction Documents Scheduled for Completion October 2015 Final Design approval by AIPP Panel and Arts Commission November 2015 Fabrication begins February 2016 CIP Construction Begins TBD 2016 Artwork installed as required |
| Additional Resources |
| www.austincreates.com |
| Deep Eddy - Eilers Park RFQ (PDF) |
| Plan View Public Art Opportunity (PDF) |
| Artist Q & A Session (PDF) |
| Contact Information |
| Susan Lambe AIPP Program Administrator Austin TX United States susan.lambe@austintexas.gov 512.974.7852 |
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