The Bernalillo County Arts Board solicits a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) for artists or artists’ teams for a site-specific public art project that will be located along the expansion of Sunport Boulevard in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The established budget for the project is $60,000. Artists working in a variety of media including sculpture, murals, and mosaics are invited to apply. The artwork may be installed in one or multiple locations along the expansion, which is roughly 0.5 miles in length from Interstate 25 to Broadway Boulevard. The design of the project should have a strong visual impact for both motorists and pedestrians traveling on Sunport Boulevard.

The artist or artist’s team selected for the project will work closely with the communities in the area to develop an artwork that serves to represent the history and cultures of the region. The winning artist or team will be responsible for all aspects of design, construction and installation. The call is open to New Mexico-based artists or artist teams.

Site Details:

The Sunport Boulevard Expansion Project serves to connect Broadway and Interstate 25 at the existing Sunport Boulevard Interchange. Sunport Boulevard is located near several longstanding communities including East San Jose, Kirtland Airforce Base, and South Broadway. The Albuquerque International Sunport is located just east of the project site. The Sunport is known for its distinct southwestern architecture and cultural décor and is New Mexico’s largest commercial airport, welcoming over 5 million passengers each year. To the west are active areas of railway that were first developed in the 1880s, which contribute to the unique culture and visual landscapes of Sunport Boulevard.

About Bernalillo County: Bernalillo County offers a broad range of public services from excellent parks to economic development to more than 642,000 people in New Mexico’s most populous county. Located in central New Mexico, Bernalillo County is home to Albuquerque and serves as a major economic and cultural crossroads in the American Southwest. The county consists of an area of nearly 1200 square miles. Bernalillo County offers outstanding Open Space properties, business incentives and historic cultural connections to serve its citizens and visitors from all over the world. https://www.newmexico.org

About the Bernalillo Country Arts Board:

The Arts Board is guided by the following mission:  Public art has the power to inspire curiosity, encourage contemplation, facilitate dialogue, foster community engagement, and create a sense of place. Located throughout the country, the Bernalillo County public art collection enhances quality of life through the acquisition of exceptional works of art by artists at various career stages.

Project Intent/Theme:

The artwork will be culturally relevant and represent the history, heritage, and landscapes of the communities along Sunport Boulevard. The goals of the project are to 1) create a landmark public artwork; 2) engage with the multigenerational communities along Sunport Boulevard to generate the theme and final design for the artwork; 3) explore the past, present and future identities of the communities in the Sunport area.

Media/Style/Size:

Durability and low maintenance of all materials is required. The artist must ensure that the artwork is protected against graffiti and ultraviolet rays. The artist may create the artwork using materials including but not limited to sculpture, murals, and mosaics. See the attached site plan for complete details.

Project Funds:

$60,000.00 is available to commission the artwork from 1% for the Arts, from voter approved general obligation bonds. This amount includes all fees and expenses associated with the project, e.g., materials, equipment, labor, permits, travel, installation, and written and professional photographic documentation of the completed project.

Timeframe (Subject to Change): The call is open for 30 days, at which point three finalists will be selected. The three finalists will receive a stipend to develop a final design to present to the Selection Committee and the community in Albuquerque, New Mexico.  The finalists may or may not choose to present their designs in person. A finalist will be selected by the Arts Board based on the presentations and designs submitted by the top three artists. 

·       RFQ announced: March 7 2022

·       RFQ closes: April 7 2022

·      Committee Jurying of Proposals: April – May 2022

·       Three finalists announced: May 2022

·       Artists selected: July 2022

·       Planning and design: September - October 2022

·       Project Implementation starts: November 2022

·       Completion by August 2023

Application Requirements

Submission Requirements

Please review and follow the printable image preparation guide on the CaFÉ website. Digital media on-line submissions must follow the CaFÉ image uploading requirements. 

Submit from two (2) to seven (7) images of previous work. Digital images should include the artist’s name, artwork title, dimension/size, media, date of creation, and cost, in addition to any in-kind consideration. Submit from one (1) to three (3) digital images of an initial conceptual design for the artwork. Optional: artists may submit a video of previous work (not required).

Images - Minimum: 3, Maximum: 10

Video - Minimum: 0, Maximum: 1

Artist name and address must be on every page of any documents that are submitted. All word and quantity limits must be followed for submission materials. 

• Artist Statement
• Artist Résumé
• Questionnaire
• A correspondingly numbered image key of each image must also be submitted including artist’s name, artwork title, dimension/size, media, and date of creation.
• References

This online process requires that all application images and materials be submitted in digital format. For digital image requirements please visit the “Image Prep” section at CaFÉ, (www.callforentry.org). 

Artists must demonstrate: • Cultural competency • An understanding of Bernalillo County and its history and population • Experience with community engagement. 

Eligibility Criteria

This is a local call open to New Mexico based artists.