Project Background and Overview  

The City of Tampa is constructing a government services facility on the vacant property at 2515 East Hanna Avenue. The City Center at Hanna Avenue will be a state of the art, LEED Silver building. It will house employees from seven City departments – Development and Growth Management, Logistics and Asset Management, Neighborhood and Community Affairs, Planning, Purchasing, Technology and Innovation, and the Plan Review Division of the Tampa Water Department.

The 161,000 sq. ft. development will make possible an improved customer experience for citizens and businesses, offer a community gathering space, provide much need greenspace for surrounding neighborhoods, and eliminates the need to lease space for City departments at a cost savings.  In addition to the City Center, a parking garage and fleet maintenance enclosure will be erected on the 11-acre site.

The goal of the project is to enhance the community experience with the city services.  The site includes four major structures including the main building and a parking garage facing Hanna Avenue. The program of the main building is distributed across three floors and organized around a central space, the ‘Agora’. The entry is a gradual sequence of this path going through the entry plaza, the forest of columns of the portico then through the building. Around this central path, a multitude of activities take place activating the path inside and outside.

The entry plaza contains a multipurpose lawn, paved area, and stepped terraces for different events and activities. A solar canopy provides cover while producing energy. The multipurpose lawn and paved area are framed on both sides by rain gardens to filter stormwater runoffs naturally. Additionally, the spaces of the main building facing the entry plaza include a community room and a café. The sculpture on the paved area is intended to anchor the public plaza and give a sense of identity to the community of East Tampa. The plaza and building become the center of social, cultural, and economical life of East Tampa, the ‘Agora’.   

More information, including images, can be found at:  https://www.tampa.gov/community-partnerships/city-center   

The Artwork

The selection committee has expressed an interest in a large, signature sculpture to function as a welcome and identifier for a significant city facility.

Commissioned Artists Scope
The Artist or Artist Team commissioned for each site is expected to:
·        Work with city staff and design team

·        Some level of community engagement will be required

·        Participate in design proposal reviews, respond to feedback

·        Implement the approved design proposal

·        Create a maintenance manual for the work of art

·        Provide content for interpretative signage about the artwork

Anticipated Project Schedule
November 18, 2022 / All materials received

December 2022 / Notification of artist/s

1Q 2023 / Artist/s Design Development                       

2Q – 4Q 2023 / Artist's Artwork Implementation               

2023-2024 / Artwork installation completed      

Selection Process
 After an initial blind review, up to three artists will be selected to create high level concepts.  The  Selection Committee is comprised of art professionals, architects and individuals associated with the project.
 

Application Requirements

Application Requirements:

1. Contact Information, including website

2. Work Samples – up to fifteen images or video work samples depicting works of art relevant to the opportunities outlined in this RFQ.

3. Work Sample Descriptions – You may upload a document describing the work submitted samples or complete the fields in the work sample uploads. Please state your name on any documents that are uploaded, and label file LastName_FirstName For each work sample, provide information from the list below that is relevant to your work sample.
  - Title
  - Date Completed
  - Materials
  - Name of Collaborators / Team Members
  - Location of Artwork
  - Description of Artwork
  - Commissioning Agency
  - Cost
  - Website to learn more about commissioned Artwork
  - Vimeo or YouTube link, if relevant

4. Resume - a current professional resume (limit to three pages), emphasizing professional Public Art experience and/or experience in working with public agencies.  Please label file, i.e., LastName_FirstName_Resume 

5. Letter of Interest – in the letter, describe why these opportunities are appealing to you and relevant to your work. Include your experience with public art, your experience working with or creating art in diverse communities and placemaking. Letter should not exceed 3,000 characters

Artist teams may submit up to fifteen work samples total for the team, resumes for each member, and a joint letter that details the information requested in (4) above. The letter must also state previous experience of members of the artist teams collaborating with each other.

Do not submit a proposal for a concept with your application. Artist who submit proposals will be disqualified and their submission will not be reviewed. Proposals are defined as a physical description of an artwork for the site and/or a visual illustration of an artwork for the site.

Questions pertaining to application process may be emailed to: arts@tampagov.net 
 

Eligibility Criteria

These opportunities are open to professional artists with experience executing their ideas from concept to completion, meeting a specified budget and timeframe, working in the public real with public agencies.