On the other side is the announcement just in from the city of Dallas's Public Art Coordinator Kendall Ferguson, who's looking for someone with public-art experience to craft a "White Rock Lake Centennial Commemorative Sculpture." Budget's plenty big: $272,000, which would buy a ton of Dallas Farmers Market peaches (not to mention herb). I asked Kay Kallos, Public Art Program Manager in the city's Office of Cultural Affairs, why the call for all comers -- did this have anything to do, say, with the head-scratching and hand-wringing over those Ross Avenue underpass offerings turned in by the outta-towners.
"We're just trying to get the word out to everyone," she says. "We want everyone on the local scene to know about it. Our communications mechanisms are evolving; we just established a Facebook presence. And when people had concerns about not being able to find [the] Ross Avenue [request for proposals], we wanted to make sure everyone saw this one. Public art's always adventurous, and people have different viewpoints, but it's everywhere in every city you visit."
Submissions are due by 5 p.m. on September 7, and there are several criteria that must be met -- among 'em, it has to be tall enough to be visible from Garland Road, and "The White Rock Lake Centennial Commemorative Sculpture must become an icon for the lake," per the RFP. Says Kallos, "It's going to commemorate the 100 years of the lake, so that'll be incorporated into the design, and a lot of people from the neighborhood have already submitted their own suggestions. This one will be special."
I guess this won't do, then? Jump for the details.
CALL TO PUBLIC ARTISTS: WHITE ROCK LAKE CENTENNIAL COMMEMORATIVE SCULPTURE
Project Budget $272,000
SUBMISSION DEADLINE September 7, 2011
Dallas - White Rock Lake, a historic destination park in the Dallas Park System, was completed in 1911. The 1,015 acre city lake is located at 8300 East Lawther Drive serves as a recreational lake for the city of Dallas. This urban lake is enjoyed by over 2 million visitors each year.
Cultural, sports and others events are held at the lake throughout the year around the lake and at the Bath House Cultural Center. This City of Dallas Cultural Center is a welcoming venue for visual and performing artists. The historic Art Deco-style Bath House houses a 116-seat black box theater, three gallery spaces, the White Rock Lake Museum, and several multipurpose spaces. The Center is dedicated to fostering the growth, development, and quality of multicultural arts in Dallas by emphasizing innovative visual and performing arts and other multidisciplinary arts events.
Goals for the White Rock Lake Centennial Commemorative Sculpture
* The 100 year history of White Rock Lake must be a part of the design.
* The theme of water conservation and the natural environment near the installation site must be reflected in the design.
* The desired vertical configuration must be tall enough to be highly visible from the adjacent roadway, Garland Road.
* The character of White Rock Lake including the architecture on White Rock Lake Spillway Promenade that runs along Garland Road must be a part of the design.
* The materials for the sculpture must be consistent with the materials found at the lake including the White Rock Lake Spillway Promenade.
* Lighting to ensure good visibility at night must be planned as a part of the design.
* The White Rock Lake Centennial Commemorative Sculpture must become an icon for the lake.Eligibility:
All professional artists are eligible to apply except for artists currently under contract with the City of Dallas Public Art Program. Employees of the City of Dallas, their spouses, members of the Public Art Committee, or any consultants under contract for any phase of these projects are ineligible. The City of Dallas Cultural Policy does not accept qualifications from undergraduate students for Public Art projects.
Specific qualifications for this project include:
* Demonstrated successful completion of a public art project of similar size and scope,
* Demostrated ability to work with a design team to meet the goals for the White Rock Lake Centennial Commemorative Sculpture,
* Commitment to complete the design, fabrication and installation of the project at the selected location within the budget specified.
Submission of Application:
Interested artists and artist teams should submit the following items to be received no later than 5:00 p.m. on Wednesday, September 7, 2011.
Submission Materials:
1. Portfolio of six (6) images of recent work including recent public art commissions.
2. An image list identifying title, dimensions, materials, date of work, location, project budget, and commissioning entity.
3. Letter of application outlining your interest in the project and your qualifications forsuccessful completion of the work.
4. Professional resume/curriculum vitae: artist teams may submit a resume for each
member. Please include a professional website if available.
5. Three references - names, address, email and telephone number
Submission Format:
By mail: Send the materials listed above on a CD to:
Kendall Ferguson, Public Art Coordinator
1925 Elm Street, Suite 400
Dallas, Texas 75201
Email Submission: Send materials listed above to [email protected]
File size not to exceed 2MB
Questions:
Please direct all submission-related inquiries to:
Kendall Ferguson, Public Art Coordinator
214-670-3284
or go to www.dallasculture.org/opportunities
