NAME:                                             60th Anniversary Public Art Project – City of Coral Springs

LOCATION:                                     Coral Springs Museum of History

DUE DATE OF APPLICATION:       December 15, 2022

TOTAL BUDGET:                            Total Purchase Budget of $150,000.00.

DESCRIPTION:                               The City of Coral Springs Public Art Committee is requesting concept proposals for a distinct location within the City of Coral Springs. The budget amount of $150,000.00 is intended to purchase artwork for the proposed location: Coral Springs Museum of History. Proposals by both single artist and/or teams of artists will be accepted. The artwork proposed must celebrate the City of Coral Springs’ 60th Anniversary, which also coincides with the Public Art Program’s 20th Anniversary to be celebrated in 2023.

The City of Coral Springs is looking to commission an art piece that celebrates our community’s history in honor of our 60th Anniversary in 2023. The Coral Springs Public Art Committee will also be celebrating its 20th Anniversary.  This Call to Artists is emphasizing the City of Coral Springs’ desire to commission and purchase artwork that visually represents and/or inspires thoughts of early Coral Springs.

The land that became Coral Springs was once green bean and cattle fields, and now sits on the edge of the Florida Everglades. The city was master planned and built by a primary developer, Coral Ridge Properties. Early life in the City of Coral Springs was designed around the motto “A City in the Country.” Family life encompassed outdoor activities such as fishing, horseback riding, swimming, recreational sports, community barbeques, and parades. Other aesthetic inclusions that also demonstrate our rich history are red brick colonial styles and the Coral Springs Historic Covered Bridge. Coral Springs continues to be a young, family-oriented community and depicts the city’s mission as the premier city to live, work, and raise a family.

This 60th Anniversary piece provides another opportunity to promote the dedication to preserving and enhancing the city's aesthetics through art. This piece would ideally be located in Mullins Park, near the Museum of Coral Springs History, and serve as an interactive spot where history could be discussed and become a photo opportunity for guests and groups of all ages.

Project Background Information

Coral Springs, Florida is located in Broward County in Southeast Florida, approximately 20 miles northwest of Ft. Lauderdale and 10 miles southwest of Boca Raton. Coral Springs was founded in 1963 as “the city in the country.” Today, approximately 132,822 people live in this city. The community can be generally described as young, family-oriented residents with emphasis on education. For more information see: https://www.coralsprings.gov/Residents/Our-Community/Coral-Springs-History.

The Public Art Program was established in 2003 and is funded by impact fees from private developers.   The Public Art Committee, a committee comprised of residents appointed by the City Commission, oversees the public art fund and approves of the artists/artworks selected for the City’s program.  City staff implements the program on behalf of the Public Art Committee.  Currently, the City has purchased 33 pieces of artwork which are displayed throughout the community.  For more information on the City’s Public Art collection, please visit http://www.coralsprings.gov/publicart

City staff will manage all aspects of the project including circulating the Request for Proposals, fielding questions on the project, convening the Coral Springs Public Art Committee for the selection process, and announcing the awarded commissions. The Coral Springs Public Art Committee will finalize the selection, negotiate price, issue contracts, and purchase art to be commissioned. The City Commission will have final approval.

Location

The commissioned sculpture is an outdoor piece and the proposed location will be in front of the City of Coral Springs Museum of History (see map below).  The building is located approximately 200 feet from the main road (NW 29th Street) and approximately 50 feet from internal drive aisles so the artwork should be substantial enough to be viewed by vehicles passing through the area and by other modes of transportation (bicyclists and pedestrians). The commissioned artwork will be displayed in front of the building. Interactive artwork/sculptures are encouraged.

Qualities of Artwork

The artwork should be durable and require minimal ongoing maintenance. South Florida has a sub-tropical climate and is hot and humid with an intense sun and seasonal heavy rain. Problems with rust and fading should be avoided. Resistance to high-speed winds is required per the Florida Building Code. The artwork must be self-supporting on an open landscape or hardscape.

Criteria for Selecting Proposals 

All artists must meet the guidelines of the program.

1. Artistic merit of concept.

2. Style and Appropriateness: Artwork should demonstrate that it is compatible in relationship to the landscape and Coral Springs community.

3. Technical Considerations and Feasibility including the artist’s artistic history and experience in completing public art projects within the timeline and budget, as well as the sustainability of the project.

4. Safety and Maintenance: Artwork should be durable, meet the requirements of insurance policies and be resistant to theft and or vandalism. Materials should require minimal periodic maintenance and be readily available if conservation or restoration is necessary.

5. Diversity: Reflects the overall project goal to strive for diversity in style, scale, media and artists working in traditional and contemporary art forms.

Application Requirements

Proposal Requirements

Artists are invited to submit one or more concept proposals. Each project concept proposal must have a separate and complete proposal packet. Deadline for submission is December 15, 2022. Artists interested in this project must prepare and submit the following materials in digital format, each page labeled with the artist’s name and contact information:

1. Letter of intent. The letter should be no more than one page in length, include the artist’s contact information, experience with similar projects, and explanation of the proposed project.

2. Artist’s resume. A current professional resume must be submitted for each artist or member of a proposal team.

3. Proposed concept sketch. Sketches must include a scaled plan of the proposed location, and a plan and dimensioned elevations of the concept. Sketches must also include perspectives of the concept, and all sketches shall be no larger than 11” x 17”.  The drawings should include information regarding materials, weights, colors and any other relevant details.  Optionally, a 3D computer model and digital renderings would be desirable permitting a full understanding of the concept.

4. Budget. An itemized project budget worksheet (provided) MUST accompany all proposals.

5. No more than ten (10) digital color images of the artist’s representative work. File names should include the title of the artwork and artist or team. Artists applying as a team may submit 10 digital images of each artist’s work. Slide images will not be accepted.

6. Annotated image list. The image list must include a brief description of each image stating the title, date, medium, size, location, and commission budget, if the piece was commissioned.

Project Timeline

            Call to Artist Posted:            November 1, 2022

            Artist Applications Due:      December 15, 2022

            Artist Selection:                    January 16, 2023

            Commission Approval:        February 2023

            Artwork Installation:            No later than November 30, 2023

Questions                   

Contact: Tina Jou

Phone: (954) 344-1157

Email: tjou@coralsprings.gov

Website for Public Art Program: www.coralsprings.gov/publicart  

Website for City of Coral Springs: www.coralsprings.gov

Other Selection Issues

1. Florida “Sunshine Laws”: All meetings of the Committee are open to the public, are publicly advertised and are documented through written minutes.

2. Conflict of Interests: Artists with immediate family or business partners on the selection committee are not eligible to apply. A selection committee member may choose to withdraw from discussion and voting for any apparent conflict of interest.

3. Public Art Committee Contacts: Artist applicants should not contact Public Art Committee members between the release of the Call to Artists and the completion of the selection process. Contact the City of Coral Springs for all questions and information.

Artist Requirements Once Selected:

• Transportation and off-truck loading of the artwork to the specific site in Coral Springs;

• Recommendations of the design of the permanent site;

• Assistance with installation of the artwork;

• One public lecture in Coral Springs;

• Artist must supply power if required for installation;

• Meetings with the Public Art Committee to discuss aspects of artwork: either via phone or in person.

Eligibility Criteria

ARTIST ELIGIBILITY

The project is open to any professional visual artist with experience implementing their ideas and work in the public realm. Artist or Professional Artist means a practitioner in the visual arts, generally recognized by critics and peers as a professional of serious intent and ability. Indications of a person’s status as a professional artist include, but are not limited to, income realized through the sole commission of artwork, frequent or consistent art exhibitions, placement of artwork in public institutions or museums, receipt of honors and awards, and training in the arts.

Artists are NOT eligible who are immediate family or business partners of members of the Public Art Committee or program staff.