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PROJECT SUMMARY: Local histories with national significance.

May 2024 represents the 70th anniversary of the landmark Brown v. Board of Education case. The City of Topeka is gearing up for a summer-long civil rights commemoration for 2024 and is committed to making the arts an integral component of that effort.

Through the creation of collaborative and meaningful artwork centered on critical discussion of both the historic and contemporary heritage of the landmark Brown v. Board of Education decision, this project will be the centerpiece of a summer filled with community exploration—a creative, multi-disciplinary, multi-site experience that seeks to create a meaningful conversation about equity and justice.

The project will be facilitated by local arts agency ArtsConnect, Topeka’s premier arts engagement organization, in collaboration with the City of Topeka, Visit Topeka, Inc. and other local partners. The artist selection process will be facilitated by Group Creative Services, a public art consultancy that connects organizations, governments and businesses with proven artists to create projects of distinction and advance civic goals.

Application Requirements

ARTIST SELECTION PROCESS

With the Request for Qualifications (RFQ), we are seeking expressions of interest and examples of work, due by December 5, 2022. Three (3) artists/artist collectives will be selected by a jury of project stakeholders to develop full project proposals, which will be due in January of 2023.

BUDGET

It is expected that the budget for this project will range from $200,000-$350,000. ArtsConnect has applied for funding from the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) Our Town grant program and continues to identify other sources for funding. While a full proposal is not required at this stage, it is important to keep in mind that, if selected to present a full proposal, the project proposed should be scalable and flexible.

RFQ APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS

All artists/art collectives applying must post the following:

• Six (6) to Ten (10) Images for review with all pertinent information (artist name, artwork title, medium, dimensions, price/value, year completed and commissioning agency if applicable). Inclusion of up to four (4) videos no longer than three (3) minutes is optional.
• Artist(s) Resume(s), placing emphasis on public art projects or other related art experiences. Please include total budgets for each project and indicate each artist’s role, if the project is a design collaboration.
• Letter of Interest no longer than two (2) pages describing why the applicant is excited about this project and how they would fulfill and commit to the project’s scope and goals. Art collectives will post a collective statement about their team’s work. Specific proposals are not requested at this stage in the process.
• Professional References for up to three (3) past installations, exhibitions or public commissions. Include phone numbers and email addresses.

The Letter of Interest should address how this work could engage the following locations/sites, audiences, and project goals:

Possible Venues and Partnerships include, but are not limited to:

• Brown v. Board National Historic Site
• City of Topeka
• Constitution Hall
• Kansas Children’s Discovery Center
• Mulvane Art Museum
• NAACP
• The Ritchie House
• Topeka & Shawnee County Public Library
• Topeka Performing Arts Center
• Topeka Public Schools
• Washburn University

Audiences:

• Residents within Topeka and Shawnee County, Kansas
• Families, particularly with children
• People of all ages
• People in the region within driving distance (within a 60-mile  radius)
• People with varying levels of familiarity and experiences with art, specifically public art

Additional Project Goals to consider:

• Involve local artists
• Implement art activations that range from informational to experiential
• Develop ticketed and non-ticketed events
• Ensure documentation that includes the project’s full scope, both for promotional purposes and for future uses beyond 2024
• Include opportunities for audience social media activations and onsite engagement
• Integrate with a 2024 spring advertising campaign
• Consider potential for the work to travel, including possible activation at other locations along the U.S. Civil Rights Trail

TIMELINE (subject to change)

December 5, 2022
Responses to RFQ DUE

December 2022
Three (3) artists/art collectives selected to develop proposals

January 2023
Three (3) selected proposals presented and artist/art collective chosen

Spring-Fall 2023
Artist/art collective / community collaboration

Fall 2023
Promotion begins

Winter 2023
Creative production begins

Jan-April 2024
Installation, advertising and promotion

May- August 2024
Programming

Fall 2024
De-installation

PROPOSAL DELIVERY AND PRESENTATION

Three artists/art collectives will be chosen by a jury of project stakeholders to submit full proposals. Proposals will be delivered as a series of documents for review as well as a virtual presentation from the artists/art collectives to the stakeholders.

Final presentations will be made in real-time via Zoom or provided as pre-recorded videos.

PROPOSAL REQUIREMENTS

Chosen artists/art collectives must provide a proposal including fully-developed concepts and clarification of the programming process, communicated with appropriate visualization, an estimated budget, and estimated timeline.

Proposals must include:

• Artist statement of intent
• Overall concept and approach
• Description of works proposed
• Proposed timelines
• Proposed budget
• Site plan or analysis
• Appropriate visualization and planning documents such as renderings, mockups, or models
• Animations or videos to clarify as needed

Proposals must also include information about:

• A keystone experience or activation
• Ideas for multi-site, arts-related programming throughout the summer
• Process for engaging local artists
• Proposals for family and children-oriented activations
• 2024 programming timeline

PROPOSAL COMPENSATION

Chosen artists/art collectives will be paid $2,500 for proposal development in two payments:

• $1,250 upon return of the signed agreement
• $1,250 upon delivery of a complete proposal containing all the items listed in the Proposal Requirements section of this document

Eligibility Criteria

Open to all artists and/or artist collaboratives based in the US who are (or have been) engaged in the creation of socially-engaged original cross-disciplinary works of public art at a scale and material suitable for outdoor display. Artists based in the Midwest are encouraged to apply. Previous years of experience in outdoor installation of public work is preferred but not necessary.