The GOVERNOR Mario M. Cuomo Bridge
Public Sculpture Commission
Request for Artist Qualifications
OPPORTUNITY OVERVIEW
ArtsWestchester, in partnership with the New York State Thruway Authority (Authority) and the Arts Council of Rockland, seeks qualifications from professional New York State artists or artist collectives interested in creating permanent site-responsive works of public sculpture for the Rockland County and Westchester County landings of the Governor Mario M. Cuomo Bridge bicycle and walking path (“the path”). Sculptures may include remnant steel, sourced from the decommissioned Tappan Zee Bridge, which will be provided by the Authority.
The request for artist qualifications is the first of a two-stage competitive process to identify artists for two available sculpture commissions:
- A commission for the Rockland Terminus of the path
- A commission for the Westchester Terminus of the path.
From this RFQ, the Selection Committee will identify up to four artists per opportunity to be invited and awarded a stipend to submit artwork proposals. Artists will be asked to present their proposals in-person to the Selection Committee.
Artists will be notified if they are invited to submit full proposals on or around January 18, 2018.
Commissions must be completed by July 31, 2019, in preparation for installation on site by August 15, 2019.
Please review all details in this document before making your submission.
RFQ DEADLINE: Qualifications must be submitted online via the link provided by December 14, 2018, 11:59PM, E.S.T.
Eligibility: Artist must reside, work, or maintain a studio in New York State to be eligible for consideration.
PROJECT BUDGET: The $45,000 commissions will cover all services from final design through fabrication, including artist fee, fabrication, and insurance. Transportation of the remnant steel to the artist, transportation of the sculptures to the site, and installation of the sculptures at the sites will be the responsibility of the Authority (some restrictions apply). The artist may alternatively elect to arrange for transport of the sculpture to its designated location at the artist’s expense. Transportation by the Authority is dependent on the Artist’s location and the final dimensions of the completed sculpture.
Artists invited to prepare full proposals will receive a stipend of up to $750 to prepare required materials. Finalists will receive an additional honorarium, amount TBD.
PROJECT WEBSITE: artsw.org/mariocuomobridge
APPLICATION PORTAL: [link]
SITE VISIT: Artists interested in submitting to this RFQ, are invited to attend a site visit on November x, 2018, at 2:00PM. RSVP is required by October XX. Please email [email protected] to reserve your spot. Sign-up is first-come, first-serve and space is limited. If required, an alternative date and time may be offered.
Artists invited to complete full proposals will have a second opportunity to visit the site in February 2019.
OPPORTUNITY DETAILS
BACKGROUND:
The Authority has replaced the Tappan Zee Bridge with a new 3.1-mile state-of-the-art, twin-span structure across the Hudson River between Rockland and Westchester counties, 20 miles north of New York City.
The $3.98 billion Governor Mario M. Cuomo Bridge is one of the largest single design-build contracts for a transportation project in the United States.
The westbound span of the bridge will feature a shared-use bike and pedestrian path, which will include six overlooks – resting points that will reflect the culture and history of the Lower Hudson Valley. The path will provide a new connection for non-motorized transport in the region and offer an exciting recreational opportunity that currently doesn’t exist in Rockland or Westchester.
The sites
The 3.6-mile path terminates at landings in South Nyack and Tarrytown. Each landing includes restrooms, parking, and other amenities. Locations at each landing have been designated for the placement of a significant work of public sculpture.
Artists selected to develop a proposal will be contacted by an ArtsWestchester program staff person with further details about the site.
HOW TO APPLY:
All submissions must be made electronically, via our online application portal, accessible through the following link: [submittable link]
No submissions via email, mail, or in-person shall be accepted. All qualifications must be submitted by the deadline of December 14, 2018, 11:59PM. Late submissions will not be reviewed.
Artists interested in being considered for this opportunity must submit the following:
- A current resume/CV, particularly highlighting relevant experience (required)
- Artist statement (required)
- Minimum of 5, up to 10 images of original completed artworks (Work Samples) (required)
- Work Samples Checklist (required)
- Letter of interest (required)
- Up to 3 professional references (not required)
Artists will be asked to identify to which opportunity they are applying (Rockland Terminus or Westchester Terminus.) Artists may be considered for both opportunities, but must submit a distinct letter of interest for each opportunity.
PREPARING YOUR SUBMISSION
- Resume/CV
Format: Word Doc or PDF.
Chronological resume demonstrating a minimum of five (5) years of professional art experience (exhibitions, sales, commissions etc.). If submitting as a team, a current resume should be submitted for each team member. A biography will not be accepted in place of a resume. (Total resume may be up to 5 pages. If your resume exceeds 5 pages, or does not contain your education history and experience with dates, your submission will not be considered).
- Artist’s Statement:
Format: Word Doc or PDF.
A written description of the artist’s body of work to give the viewer understanding or insight. It should inform, connect with an art context, and present the basis for your work. It can be descriptive or reflective in nature (1-page maximum).
- Work Samples:
Format: JPEG, TIFF, PDF
- Submit a minimum of five (5) and up to ten (10) DIGITAL images of original completed artwork, not proposals, which demonstrate the artist’s qualifications for the project. Teams may submit a total of ten (10) images with at least one image from every team member.
- Slide file names should use the following convention: artist last name_artwork title_date.
- Slides, emailed, or hardcopy mailed submissions will NOT be accepted. All images must be submitted electronically through the online application portal at LINK, which will remain open until XX, 2018.
- Work Sample Checklist:
Format: Word Doc, PDF
A listing of work samples submitted for consideration which should include the corresponding image file name, title, date, materials, artwork location, and if applicable, commissioning entity.
- Letter of Interest:
Format: Word Doc or PDF.
Brief statement summarizing the artist’s methods of working, interest in this project and particular site, and availability to participate in the design and implementation of the project. (1-page maximum. If applying for both opportunities, artists must submit a letter for each opportunity.)
- References (optional):
Format: form
A list of up to three professional references who have an intimate knowledge of the artist’s work and working methods. Include complete addresses, email, and telephone numbers. References will be contacted for artists invited to develop a proposal for the commission.
Applicants are encouraged to apply early to reduce risk of technical difficulties. Incomplete, late, hand-delivered, mailed or emailed submissions will NOT be accepted for any reason.
SELECTION PROCESS & CRITERIA:
A selection committee will review all eligible artist submissions. The committee will include representatives from the Westchester and Rockland arts communities, New York State, and the Authority.
Submissions will be evaluated by the following criteria:
- Artistic excellence and originality as evidenced by representations of past work images and other supporting materials.
- Appropriateness of artist’s medium, style, and previous experience as they relate to the project goals and setting.
- Experience with projects of a similar scale and scope.
- Ability to participate in the design and implementation of the project as required.
Up to four (4) artists for each site will be identified as semi-finalists and invited to prepare full proposals. Each semi-finalist will be furnished with an honorarium of up to $750 to prepare their proposals, and able to attend a second site visit. Semi-finalists will be invited to present their proposals to the Selection Committee in January, 2019. The Selection Committee will identity two (2) finalists per opportunity. Finalists will be furnished with an additional honorarium. In addition to the honoraria, travel stipends will be available for all semi-finalists and finalists.
The Selection Committee will name one (1) winner for each site. Winners will be approved by the Authority and will contract with ArtsWestchester.
Design parameters:
A wide variety of materials will be considered, including cast iron, stainless steel, aluminum, bronze, ceramic, glass, and more. Sculptures may include remnant steel, sourced from the decommissioned Tappan Zee Bridge, which will be provided by the Authority. Artists are strongly encouraged to consider the use of the remnant steel in their proposals. However, proposals that incorporate the remnant steel into their materials will not be favored over those that do not. All proposed work must be designed to withstand an outdoor, four-season environment.
Sculptures should pay homage to the region’s enduring cultural significance while celebrating a new era in the transportation across the state. Design elements may include (but are not limited to) integrated or accessory lighting or other elements that will further accentuate the sculpture.
All proposals will be judged based on their artistic merit and on the criteria established by the Selection Committee.
Final sculptures for each location must conform to the footprints for each site shown in the attached plans. The Authority will transport completed sculptures to the installation site, subject to size restrictions noted below. Artists may elect to find alternate transportation arrangements, at the artist(s)’ expense, for final sculptures that conform to the footprint but exceed these size restrictions.
The Authority cannot guarantee that it will provide transportation for sculptures that exceed the following dimensions:
- 40’ total length
- 10’ total width
- 12’ total height
- 110,000 lbs total weight
Further, the Authority can only guarantee transportation of final sculptures – that conform to the size restrictions above – for artists located within a 150-mile radius of the Authority’s Maintenance Facility in West Nyack, NY.
SCOPE OF WORK:
Artists invited to submit full proposals will be given complete details about requirements, but should expect to provide the following:
- 2D renderings of the proposed sculptures
- 2D renderings of the proposed sculpture in situ, which shows the physical volume of the space and allows for multiple perspectives of the artwork within the space
- A scaled model/maquette of the proposed sculptures
- Material list, including a detailed description and quantity of all proposed materials to be used in the sculpture.
- Material samples
- Installation requirements
- A project statement
- A project budget, not to exceed $45,000, with quotes from proposed subcontractors for the design and fabrication.
Additional materials may be requested at the time artists are invited to submit proposals. All proposal documents, including the maquette and renderings, will become property of the Authority and will be used for educational and/or promotional purposes of the project. Each semi-finalist’s proposals and maquette may be exhibited for committee and community consideration.
The proposed sculpture must be able to stand independently without supports on the Authority-provided foundation, but may be mounted. Finalists will be asked to provide a maintenance plan and the review and approval of the proposed sculpture design and the completed sculpture by a New York State licensed Professional Engineer (PE). These reviews shall certify the structural stability and safety of the proposed design (“PE-Reviewed Design”) and the completed sculpture. Additional details to be provided. Finalists will also be asked to provide a PE-reviewed loading and installation/mounting plan for the sculpture.
Artists who are awarded the commissions will be contracted by ArtsWestchester to produce the artwork, in keeping with the final designs accepted by the Selection Committee and approved by the Authority. The Authority will assume ownership of the sculptures upon completion by the artists, which shall require a Certification of Conformance by a New York State licensed Professional Engineer.
The Authority will transport the Bridge Steel to a location designated by the selected artists. Restrictions apply.
Additional responsibilities of the selected Artists include, but are not limited to:
- The Artist shall be available with reasonable advance notice for a reasonable number of meetings required to coordinate design and project implementation, ceremonies, press conferences and photo opportunities and the like, as necessary.
- The Artist shall perform all services and furnish all supplies, material and/or work equipment as necessary for the design and fabrication of the Artwork, with the exception of remnant steel provided by the Authority.
- The Artist shall provide required insurance in amounts and limits specified in the final contract between ArtsWestchester, the Artist, and the Authority.
- The Artist shall secure any and all required licenses, engineering approvals, and similar authorizations at the Artist’s expense as may be necessary for the installation of the Artwork at the Site.
- The Artist shall provide a maintenance manual with a description of all materials, processes and products utilized in the Artwork and the required care and upkeep involved, as well as recommended procedures in the event of necessary conservation.
- The Artist shall guarantee the work to be free from faults of materials and worksmanship for one year after completion.
Timeline & Project Schedule
Site Visit 1 Oct/Nov DATE, 2018, 5:00PM
Qualification due December 14, 2018, 11:59PM EST
Selection Committee meeting January 2019
Notifications On or around January 18, 2018
Site Visit 2 February 2019
Proposal Development January 18 – February 2019
Proposal Presentation March 2019
Finalist Notification March 2019
Notice of Selection April 2019
Contracting April 2019
Fabrication April – July 31, 2019
Installation August 15, 2019
Project Contacts:
All questions about this opportunity should be directed to ArtsWestchester.
Logan Hanley
Exhibitions Manager, ArtsWestchester
914.428.4220 ext 331
Kathleen Reckling
Director of Exhibitions, ArtsWestchester
914.428.4220 ext 306
ABOUT THE PARTNERS
ArtsWestchester
New York State Thruway Authority
The New York State Thruway Authority is responsible for the New York State Thruway, which includes the Governor Mario M. Cuomo Bridge. Built in the early 1950s, the Thruway is one of the largest tolled highway systems in the United States and is a critical component in the national interstate network. The 570-mile superhighway serves travelers with a variety of needs and purposes, including commuters, business travelers, recreational travelers, and commercial vehicle traffic and provides the major route of access for visitors to the State’s tourist destinations including Niagara Falls, the State Canal system, the Finger Lakes, the Adirondacks, the Catskills and New York City.
Rockland Council for the Arts
