City of Port Moody – Call for Qualifications, Artist Designed Street Banners

Description

I. Introduction
The City of Port Moody is looking for an artist, or artist team, to create artwork suitable for a series of printed street banners. This Call for Qualifications is to solicit interest from artists experienced with public art, budgeting and art design.
This Call for Qualifications does not require a proposal.

II. Project Vision and Background
In 2002 the City added a StreetArts program to the Public Art program. StreetArts was developed to create a street-level “City of the Arts” ambiance that enriches the quality of life for residents and visitors, enhances economic development and builds an audience for the arts in the City of Port Moody.

The first stage of community involvement in the StreetArts banner program took place in 2003. The City invited elementary and middle school students to design and paint banners around a common theme. Since then, the banner program has grown to include community-designed, hand-painted banners and artist-designed printed banners.
The Arts and Culture Committee is responsible for guiding the artistic vision of the banner program. Each year the Committee chooses a banner theme for the hand-painted banners. A Call for Designs from the community is posted and an artwork jury is responsible for selecting designs to be painted at the annual Banner Painting Festival. Every other year, a Call for Qualifications is posted to solicit artists to design a printed banner. The Artwork Jury reviews the submitting artists’ qualifications and chooses an artist to design a banner for printing.

The chosen artist is required to work with the Artwork Jury to finalize a banner design that will be printed and displayed on the streets of Port Moody.

III. Project Concept

The City of Port Moody, City of the Arts, is developing public art through the Public Art program.
The project requires that the banners create a colourful and inviting streetscape.

IV. Project Goals and Objectives
The StreetArts banners are expected to introduce colour and a sense of excitement to neighbourhoods identified in the cultural strategic plan.

The goals of this project are to:

a. commission one design for a series of printed street banners
b. commission a design using the theme: Port Moody – Moving Ahead, Respecting Our Past
c. engage the viewer
d. provide an artistic amenity for the enjoyment of residents and visitors.
The objective of the art for this project is to meet the goals of the City of the Arts Cultural Strategic Plan, which is to “integrate the arts into everyday life.”
The public art objective for this project is that the artwork reflects the guiding statements:
a. Design Idea Prompts heritage, industry, famous people, sustainability, buildings, arts, technology, transportation, innovation, imagined future

V. Public Art Opportunity
The public art opportunity is limited to the creation of one design for a series of banners that will be fabricated and printed by a banner manufacturer. The design will fit a banner measuring 32 inches wide by 56 inches long.
The artist may be expected to work with the Artwork Jury, City staff and the banner manufacturer to create the final banner design.

VI. Project Budget

A budget of $800.00 is designated for this project. The budget is inclusive of all project costs including but not limited to artist fees, studio overhead, consultant fees, permit fees, business license fees, artwork fabrication, artwork materials and supplies, transportation, taxes and contingency.

VII. Submission of Credentials

Artists interested in this project must prepare and submit the following:

a. A Letter of Interest, no more than one page in length that explains the artist’s interest in this project and provides a general idea of his or her understanding of the design theme concept. Please do not submit design proposals or artwork at this time.
b. A current resume, or CV, including a portfolio of up to 15 photographs of the artist’s work. Each photograph must be numbered.
c. Artists applying as a team may submit up to 20 photographs of their work.
d. A numbered photograph list with the artist’s name and a brief description of each piece stating its title, date, medium, size, location and, if a commissioned project, the commission contract cost.
e. References: accepted references include commissioning agencies, artists, and design professionals (architect, landscape architect, engineer, graphic designer, etc.) who have an intimate knowledge of your work and working methods. Include complete address and telephone numbers for all references.
f. A self-addressed stamped envelope, if requesting return of submittal materials.

Submissions must be in hard copy printed format, or in one electronic PDF format file, of no more than 16 pages and 5MB. Please submit PDF materials by email. All hard-copy submissions will be retained by the City of Port Moody. Label all submission materials with the artist’s full name and the title Port Moody Artist Designed Banner – Display Year 2017 and 2018.

Submissions are due by 4pm on Thursday, June 2, 2016.

VIII. Selection and Commissioning Process

An Artwork Jury will review submitted materials. Three artists, or artist teams, may be shortlisted on the basis of, but not limited to, the following components:

a. Artistic excellence, innovation and creativity of approach as demonstrated in past work and shown in submitted materials.
b. Quality of recently completed projects, including demonstrated adherence to schedules, deadlines, budgets, project design and execution.
c. Ability to create artwork appropriate in concept, materials and scale for the identified opportunity.
d. Good communication skills and a desire and ability to work with other people.
e. Previous experience working efficiently, collegially and collaboratively with civic agencies.
f. Availability to attend design meetings with City staff and banner manufacturer.
g. Availability to prepare preliminary design concepts by September 1, 2016, and to complete final design artwork by September 30, 2016.
The City will invite the short-listed artists or artist teams to present design concept(s) during a meeting with the Artwork Jury and City staff. The artist or team will discuss up to three preliminary design concepts with the Artwork Jury. Artists are not expected to present finalized artwork at this meeting, but may include preliminary sketches or thumbnail designs to aid discussions and to sufficiently convey the scope of the artist’s design concepts. Artists, or artist teams will receive a $100 honorarium, following their attendance at the design concept presentation.
Following the design concept presentations, the Artwork Jury may chose an artist or artist team to design the final banner. The selected artist or artist team enters into a contract agreement with the City of Port Moody to develop the final banner design for a fee of $800.00.
The City of Port Moody and the Artwork Jury reserve the right not to award this commission at the time of the preliminary design concept presentations.

IX. Project Schedule

May 2, 2016
Post Request for Qualifications.

June 2, 2016
Qualification submissions due.

June 2016
Artwork Jury reviews qualification submissions and shortlists up to three artists or artist teams.

Shortlisted artists notified and invited to present their design concepts to jury in September 2016.

September 7, 2016
Shortlisted artists present design concepts to Artwork Jury.

September 2016
City may commission one artist, or team, to develop a final banner design.

September 2016
The artist, or team, creates the final banner design while consulting and communicating with the Artwork Jury and banner manufacturing company, to ensure banner design integrity.

October 2016 City accepts a final banner design and end of contract.

All submissions must be delivered to the address below by June 2, 2016:

Kristin Tracey
Public Art Coordinator, Cultural Services
City of Port Moody
100 Newport Road
Port Moody, B.C. V3H 5C3
ktracey@portmoody.ca

All questions regarding this call should be directed to:

Kristin Tracey
Public Art Coordinator, Cultural Services
604-469-4605
ktracey@portmoody.ca

For a complete copy of the Call for Qualifications document, go to http://www.portmoody.ca/index.aspx?page=125