The City of Happy Valley has pledged to create a welcoming transition for returning veterans and their families. Advancing this commitment, the City seeks to acquire a permanent, larger-scale sculpture that depicts the theme of “A Soldier’s Journey”.

Selected artwork will be displayed at the Veterans Memorial Park located at Happy Valley City Hall (16000 SE Misty Drive, Happy Valley, OR 97086). Artwork placement will help to facilitate meaningful spaces to experience grief, healing, remembrance, and celebration.

Community Context

The City of Happy Valley is a thriving, multicultural community of 25,738 neighbors. Many residents identify as Asian (25%), of two or more races (7.8%), and/or Hispanic or Latino (4.3%). Moreover, our beautiful nature areas, safe neighborhoods, and strong business community contribute to making Happy Valley a wonderful place to call home.

Happy Valley is also home to a vibrant veteran community. Approximately 6.3% of adults in Happy Valley are veterans. Within our veteran population, 6.2% of veterans are women, 15.1% identify as a race/ethnicity other than white alone, 20.7% experience some form of disability, 55% are aged 55 or older. See more demographics here!

Location Description

Emphasizing the centrality of veterans in our community, Veterans Memorial Park is located at Happy Valley City Hall, approximately halfway between Willamette National Cemetery and Camp Withycombe, an active National Guard facility.

Dedicated in 2021, Veterans Memorial Park honors veterans of all armed service branches. The memorial space features a walking path flanked by benches, lit flagpoles, and branch flags to honor each service branch. The walking path leads visitors into a larger stone labyrinth, which symbolizes a “Walk with Veterans.”

Selected artwork will be installed in a greenspace east of the existing stone labyrinth. Artwork will be highly visible from within the labyrinth, as well as from City Hall, 162nd Ave, and a commercial center on the opposite side of 162nd Ave. In the future, the City plans to construct a second phase of the Veterans Memorial project which will include a new concrete sidewalk between the stone labyrinth and 162nd Ave, increasing pedestrian access to the memorial and allowing visitors to more closely interact with selected artwork.

Application Requirements

Artwork Theme/Guidance

Artwork should creatively interpret the theme, “A Soldier’s Journey.” Within this theme, please consider an element or component to represent the community’s role in, and responsibility to, support soldiers and veterans.

Secondary to the project theme, the sculpture selection panel is particularly interested in submissions that include the following elements:

1. Artwork that is “simple, symbolic, and solemn.”
2. Artwork that invites viewers to symbolically walk through or experience what our veterans have experienced.
3. Artwork that both honors veterans and inspires future generations to contemplate military service.
4. Artwork that contains interactive elements, such as artwork that can be touched, engages its larger environment, or tells a larger story when viewed in full relief.

The sculpture selection panel will consider both conceptual artwork (proposed designs) and existing artwork (ready for purchase). The panel may, at its discretion, request if an artist is willing to modify their design to incorporate additional feedback from the selection panel.

Technical and Installation Specifications

Artwork must be fabricated in durable, permanent, outdoor media. Artwork must require minimal maintenance and withstand the effects of weather, be as resistant as possible to vandalism, and be able to safely withstand pedestrian contact.

Selected artwork must be fitted, prior to delivery, with a ¼-inch (minimum) steel plate. This plate is the “artwork base” and will be used to weld the artwork to a City-provided display pad. Whereas steel is the preferred artwork base material, alternative materials and structures may be accommodated. Artists who wish to use an alternative base material/structure must contact Jaimie Lorenzini, 503-886-8428, jaimiel@happyvalleyor.gov prior to applying.

The City will design and construct the display pad according to the artist-provided dimensions of the artwork base. The selected artist will be required to work with a professional welder, provided by the City, to permanently place the sculpture on the display pad. 

How to Apply

Artists may submit up to three concepts for consideration. To submit your artwork, an online submission must be completed through the website CaFE. First time users of CaFE will be prompted to create an account. When developing your submission, please be prepared to provide:

1. Artist contact information
2. Artwork information, including artwork dimensions, base dimensions, total weight, and materials used. Artists may submit up to three artworks for consideration.
3. A short description about how each artwork interprets the theme of "A Soldier's Journey".
4. An image of each sculpture submitted. Images should accurately represent the sculpture in scale, media, and color. Photos/drawings/sketches/renderings must be in digital form.
5. If proposed artwork is conceptual, how long will it take to complete the sculpture, if a contract is awarded?
6. Price of each sculpture
7. Optional:
   • Demographic information.
   • Resume/CV detailing outdoor sculpture experience, including two references.
   • A one-page maximum typed letter of interest outlining your qualifications for and interest in the project, as well as the general idea for your approach.

A video tutorial is available to assist you in completing an application. In this tutorial, program staff completes a sample application and explains the submission process. The City may assist in language translation and accept non-digital applications by request.

Project Budget

The maximum total budget for sculpture acquisition is $50,000, including design, construction, any necessary engineering drawings, subcontractors, delivery, and travel. These costs should be reflected in the price of the sculpture.

The selected artist will receive half of the sculpture acquisition price upon execution of a contract with the City of Happy Valley. The artist will receive the outstanding balance of the sculpture acquisition price upon delivery of the completed artwork.

In addition to the artwork budget, the City will pay up to $6,300 to construct a sculpture display pad, provide professional art installation, and interpretative signage.

Timeline

Selection Process

Selection for this project will be made by a panel comprised of local veterans and stakeholders representing local parks and public art advisory committees. The selection panel will evaluate submissions based on artistic merit, the artist’s experience, and the artist’s ability to work in large scale. The panel may, at its discretion, request if an artist is willing to modify their design to incorporate additional feedback from the selection panel.

Artists will be notified of selection status the week of January 16, 2023. The selected artist will be offered a contract with the City of Happy Valley to commission or purchase the artwork. If the selection panel has requested an artist modify their concept, then the artist will be invited to present revised designs at the panel’s next meeting in mid-January.

Resource Toolbox 

We are invested in your success. Provided below are a series of resources that may assist in proposal development:

Watch Application Tutorial

Frequently Asked Questions

Google Map

Veterans Memorial Park Webpage

Veterans Memorial Park Design Plan

Local Veteran Demographics

Eligibility Criteria

This opportunity is open to all artists who reside in the United States or U.S. Territories. Artists identifying with a racial, ethnic, cultural, sexual, gender, economic, or ability minority are strongly encouraged to apply. The sculpture selection panel is particularly interested in receiving submissions from artists with a veteran background and/or who live in the Pacific Northwest.