OlyCAP is seeking artists or artist teams to develop permanent artworks for the 7th Haven affordable housing project located at 1351 7th Street, Port Townsend, WA.  The Project is under construction and when open in early 2023 will provide 43 new rental apartments for low-income residents.

We are looking for emerging and established artists to create site-specific artworks to beautify and enliven the project and streetscape.  Selected artists will be asked to create highly visible artworks that can enhance resident and neighbor/visitor relations to the Project.

Olympic Community Action Programs, the developer of 7th Haven, is a local nonprofit organization dedicated to helping people build resilient communities by providing equitable access to opportunities in housing, adult, child and family services, healthcare, employment and job training.  Operating throughout Jefferson and Clallam Counties, OlyCAP values community problem solving through education, collaboration, engagement and partnerships with other organizations in the North Olympic Peninsula community.  7th Haven will provide much needed permanently affordable housing for a range of individuals and families, including many who are currently homeless or need supportive services.  The Project also includes two classrooms for childcare or OlyCAP programs, and a community room for resident and community meetings and activities.  More information about OlyCAP and its programs is available at www.olycap.org.                

Scope of Work

Working with OlyCAP and its Community Arts Planning Group, up to three selected artists will design and develop small-scale artworks to be installed on building facades on the SE elevation and on 7th and Hendricks Streets. The artworks should not require structural modification to the building but should be attached permanently and secured in a way that prevents theft and vandalism.  Eventual artwork proposals from selected artists will also need to consider safety and visibility.   

Artists will be notified of their selection in May 2022. Up to three artists will be chosen for each location to develop specific concept proposals.  Design guidance may be provided by OlyCAP and the Arts Group, who will select a finalist for each location to refine their concept and create a final proposal for approval before proceeding with fabrication and installation of the artwork. Installation will be coordinated in early 2023 upon completion of the Project. 

Artwork Locations (See attached elevations)

1.     SE building corner walls (Community Room/Trash Room) and small plaza at Community Room entry from the shopping center parking lot.

2.     Apartment and Childcare Public Entries on 7th and Hendricks Streets.  At this location OlyCAP has a preference for a work that includes local and/or resident children in creating arts elements (tiles, for example) to be made part of the final installation. 

Options for materials and approaches for the artworks should be appropriate for the location and existing infrastructure and not interfere with normal functioning. The artwork must be designed so that it can be easily installed by the artist with assistance from the general contractor.  The artworks cannot cause permanent damage to the property and must not obscure Project or city signage.

Artworks attached to concrete walls must be add no more than 20 psf of façade weight, extending no more than 6” away from the exterior face of the building.  

Anchors into the existing wall should embedded no more than 5” into the concrete walls.  No anchors are permitted at the PT slab edges or ceiling. 

TIMELINE

Artist statement of interest application:  May 9, 2022 (5 p.m. PST)

Artist selection and notification:  May 17, 2022

Artist concept proposals:  June 20, 2022

Artist Final Selection:  July 5, 2022

Final Proposals:  September 1, 2022

Approval:  October 1, 2022

Artwork Development and Fabrication: January 1, 2023

Installation:  February 2023

Each artist selected to develop a concept proposal will receive $1,500 as a stipend for this phase of the work.

Budget

The artwork budget for the arts locations are as follows.  The budget includes everything necessary to complete art to “ready to hang” condition, including all supplies and materials, fees, Washington State Sales Tax (9.1%), and supervision of installation.  The costs for the general contractor or other labor to install are in addition to the artwork budget.

1.     SE Corner Walls/Plaza Budget:  $25,000 - $30,000

2.     Main Entries Budget: $25,000 - $30,000

Artists will receive 50% of the total commission upon acceptance of the final artwork proposal and 50% after installation of the artwork, photo documentation, maintenance plan, and a brief project summary have been delivered.

Application Requirements

Your letter of interest and biographical statement may be submitted either in written form or in a video/audio statement that includes the information below. Please note that this should not be a highly produced or edited video, a short recording that speaks directly to your interest in this project will suffice. The intent of this option is to provide an opportunity for individuals who feel they can represent themselves better verbally versus in writing through the letter of interest. Please upload video/audio files in the Work Samples section of the application.

Please note we are not asking for artwork proposals for this project during the artist selection.

Letter of interest (not to exceed 300 words or 90 seconds). Please describe your interest in this unique opportunity, addressing your aesthetic and how you would bring in your previous art experiences to execute this project.

Biographical statement (not to exceed 200 words or 60 seconds). The biographical statement replaces a resume and is a space where you can summarize your experiences as a creative individual.

Three references. Please include the name, a brief statement about your working relationship, and contact information (email and/or phone number) for each of your references.

Up to eight (8) work sample images. We suggest not submitting more than two images of the same work. Composite images are not recommended. Image identification information including title, year created, and commission amount is included as part of the image upload.

Eligibility Criteria

This call is open to professional artists who are residents of Washington State. Students are not eligible to apply. BIPOC artists are encouraged to apply.