Artist Call for Creative Stormwater Education Project

Project Summary

• A creative installation that educates residents about the benefits of green stormwater infrastructure.
• $25,000 budget to design and fabricate.
• Up to three semi-finalists will be selected to interview and paid a $100 honorarium.
• Deadline to apply: July 30
• Submit online

Eligibility

1. Applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States and have unexpired documents that establish employment eligibility. 
2. Applicants must be at least 18 years of age. 
3. Applicants must have at least a three-year history of professional practice.
4. Applicants must have demonstrated experience in design through the creation of high-quality work.
5. Lead applicant cannot be enrolled in an undergraduate course of study in the visual arts as of January 1, 2024.

Budget

$25,000 budget inclusive of design, artwork fabrication, community presentations, installation, site work, engineering, taxes, travel, and fees. (The typical artist/design fee for public art projects ranges from 10 to 20% of the project budget, with the remainder of the funds used towards fabrication, installation and engineering.)

Project Overview

Potential opportunities for the creative display include sculptural elements, creative benches, or installations that catch the attention of residents and tell an engaging story of stormwater.

Raleigh Stormwater recently completed a public survey to learn about how residents use Lions Park and what they would like to see in the upcoming project. Signage and public art were the top two ranked enjoyable/helpful educational features. View the Lions Park Survey results.

Project Website

About the Green Stormwater Infrastructure Elements

Raleigh Stormwater will identify, design, and oversee the construction of green stormwater infrastructure (GSI) elements at Lions Park. GSI aims to slow down, spread out, and infiltrate stormwater into the ground by using specialized soil, native plants, and stone. Once constructed, the Lions Park GSI installations will help treat stormwater runoff from impervious areas in the park (such as parking lots, sidewalks and roofs), increase wildlife habitat through the use of native plant species, and reduce the amount of pollution that reaches Bridges Branch. 

The overall goal of the project is to incorporate two GSI retrofits in suitable locations throughout Lions Park to help treat stormwater runoff from impervious areas. Additional goals of this and other ARPA-funded Stormwater projects are: 

• To help mitigate stormwater impacts in disproportionately impacted and vulnerable communities. 
• To focus on project that benefit public health and safety and the environment through green and natural applications. 
• To collaborate within Stormwater and with other City Departments and initiatives to multiply overall benefits. 
• To deliver the projects within ARPA funding deadlines.

Selection Criteria and Process

Applications submitted in response to this RFQ will be reviewed by the City of Raleigh Public Art Director, who will then forward all complete and eligible applications received by the deadline to the Artist Selection Panel. The Panel may include a member of the City of Raleigh Arts Commission, Raleigh Stormwater staff, community artists, arts professionals, design professionals, and other stakeholders.

The Artist Selection Panel will evaluate the qualifications of artists based on four criteria: artistic merit; appropriateness for the project; community engagement; and social/cultural relevance of work.

How to Apply

Apply online. 

Those wishing to be considered must submit the following materials:

1. Statement of Interest

A statement, outlining your interest in this project and your experience working on design, public art projects, or relevant art experience. Include how your work and experience will complement this project.

You can submit this as:

• A written statement of 500 words or less
• Or a two minute or less audio or video clip. Due to time limitations, the panel will only review the first two minutes.

2. Biography

A biography of no more than one page that includes information regarding your practice, experience, and education. If applying as a team, submit a single file containing separate biographies for each team member.

3. Three Professional References

Contact information for three references should be submitted, including name, title and affiliation, phone number and email address. References should be able to speak to your ability to provide services for a public art project or artwork of a similar scope.

4. Previous Work, Digital Images

Eight digital images of recent previous work (created within the past ten years) Each image should include: image number, artist’s name, title, year, media, location, project budget, dimensions, commissioning agency, and collaborators or design professionals (if applicable).
 

Submission and Deadline

All RFQ materials must be received no later than July 30, 2024, at 11:59 p.m. Incomplete or late submittals will not be considered.

Non Discrimination Policy

The policy of the City of Raleigh is, and shall be, to oppose any discrimination based on actual or perceived age, mental or physical disability, sex, religion, race, color, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, familial or marital status, economic status, veteran status or national origin in any aspect of modern life. The City of Raleigh Arts Commission strives for a diverse representation of voices, life experiences, views, and interests to reflect the collaborative community we have and wish to serve.

Additional Information

For questions, contact Jenn Hales, Public Art Coordinator for Raleigh Arts, jenn.hales@raleighnc.gov.  

For relevant information regarding the project, visit the Raleigh Arts website.