Pendleton Veterans Memorial Park Art Project

Call to Artists with Public Art Creation Experience

The city of Pendleton, Oregon invites you to submit your qualifications for the design and installation of a public art project designed to honor our veterans, as part of the Pendleton Veterans Memorial Park project.

The submission deadline for responding to the Request for Qualifications is December 16, 2019.

Goals:

1. Honor the courage and sacrifice of all veterans from the Pendleton area, past, present and future in all five armed services.
2. Create and install an artwork that will be recognized as a key attraction for locals and visitors in the city of Pendleton, one that is unique for its purpose and quality.

Budget:

The budget is $125,000, including creation, production, installation.  There will be additional donated labor to install and landscape the park and artwork.  Donated labor will come from veterans with skills in the donated crafts.

Eligibility:

This RFQ is open to professional artists residing in the United States and western Canada who meet these qualifications:

1. Successful completion of at least two public art installations valued at over $50,000.
2. Demonstration of quality and competence in creating art with a strong conceptual basis.
3. Experience in working as a partner with groups such as a city arts commission, city council, or similar groups
4. Ability to deliver and oversee installation of the work.
5. Demonstrated ability to deliver within a given time period.
6. Residing in the U.S. or western Canada.

Site:

The site is a pedestal raised above ground level four feet in a small park near a heavily trafficked intersection in Pendleton, Oregon. Here are photos of the site:

The site is near the intersection of a state highway and a busy city street.

The current surface of the pedestal.  The surface could change depending on the

artist’s concept for the central art piece.

Community Participation:

In addition to select members of the Pendleton Arts Commission and city officials, we will have two members of the VFW involved in the selection and oversight process for this project.  These include veterans, artists, art commission members and a couple of city officials or staff.

Selection Process:

The individuals described under community participation will meet as a committee to review the RFQ responses and select three finalists who will be invited to submit concepts. The finalists will have three months to complete the concepts.  The artists will be paid $1,500 for the concept, in addition to travel expenses to visit Pendleton and view the site and meet with the selection committee.  The artists would also be reimbursed for any expense to ship concept materials. The purpose of the meeting in Pendleton is to allow the artist to understand the hope the committee has for the final art piece and for the committee members to meet the artist.  The artist would also have the opportunity to visit the town and understand its character and inspect the site for  the artwork.  Members of the VFW would also meet the artist.

Selection criteria:

1. The concept that best captures the spirt of courage and sacrifice by veterans, while also exhibiting a unique approach that will capture the public’s attention for decades to come.
2. The ability of the work to withstand the ravages of weather and time.
3. The degree to which the artwork will require maintenance or not.
4. The ability of the artwork to be produced within the budget, given that the artist has researched the production method and determined its cost.
5. The response from the artist’s references.
6. The degree to which it appears that the artist will be able to work with the public process.

 Note that the concept is the number one priority but that other points will be considered.

Ownership of the work:

All sketches, plans, specifications, and reports, including maquettes, submitted as part of the conceptual design proposal, will become the property of the City of Pendleton, Oregon upon payment of the concept fee and travel expenses to the artist.

Schedule:

Application Requirements:

Please make sure you have submitted, correctly labeled, and mailed or emailed to the correct address, and correctly entered the email Subject if you email.  Incorrectly addressed or titled RFQ’s may be rejected by the process. You may also enter with an online application at www.upwithvets.com.

How to apply:

1. Provide background on the artist or artists if applying as a team.  Description of experience, including types of projects, who commissioned, where installed, how the process worked. Not more than three pages please.
2. Professional references. At least three.
3. Apply online here: wwwupwithvets.com
4. Work images: a typed list of your work that you are submitting as an indication of your capability and experience.  Include the title of the work, the dimensions, the budget, and where it was installed and for whom it was produced.  Images of at least three works. No more than ten.
5. Visit www.upwithvets.com to complete an online application  or mail to
   

Veterans Memorial,

Pendleton Arts Commission

City of Pendleton,

500 SW Dorion Ave.

Pendleton OR 97801

TO APPLY

Visit this website to apply and attach documents: www.upwithvets.com

Questions: Email charles.denight@ci.pendleton.or.us