Project Description: 

One Columbia for Arts and Culture and Benton Crossing Limited Partnership are placing an open regional call for a outdoor permanent wall installation. The project consists of seven total side by side permanent installations on the exterior of a parking garage located on the lower level of a residential apartment building. The size of each of the areas to be covered are - five 7’8”H x 7’4”W - and - two 7’8”H x 5’4”. The artwork must be installed over the entire area set aside for the installation.  Artists who have experience with polytab (parachute cloth,) aluminum composite panels, glass panels, mosaic on board attached to substrate, mural on board attached to substrate or screening are encouraged to apply. Creative installations and materials are encouraged. Artwork cannot be created on or painted on the building surface. The artwork must be separate and permanently installed by the artist or the artist’s agent to the MDO (medium-density overlay) substrate. 

The materials used for the artwork need to withstand a high traffic, public environment and be capable of withstanding adverse weather conditions common to South Carolina (high UV exposure, high humidity, high temperatures, etc.)  The artist is responsible for properly preparing the substrate for attachment and/or maximum adhesion.  The artwork must be UV and graffiti resistant, able to withstand cleaning, and handle routine maintenance.

Three artists will be shortlisted for the project and each artist will be compensated $250 for conceptual designs. 

About the Commissioning Organizations:

Benton Crossing Limited Partnership: Benton Crossing will be a high-quality affordable housing development consisting of 56 apartment units in the Elmwood Park neighborhood. We work to provide a safe, modern, and well-maintained place to live for residents of the neighborhood and of Columbia, and we strive to become a valued member of the community. We hope to support the local economy and serve a wide-range of households where access to safe and stable affordable housing can improve educational success of children, support the local workforce, and allow residents to save on rent and prioritize spending on other living expenses such as healthcare, food, and entertainment.

One Columbia for Arts and Culture: One Columbia's mission is to advise, amplify, and advocate for the unified arts and culture community. We work to promote collaboration through shared celebrations of Columbia’s arts and historic treasures with the goal of raising the quality of life for our citizens, attracting tourist dollars to our city, and further enhancing our vibrant downtown.

Artwork Goals:

The building will be located at the intersection of the Cottontown, Elmwood Park, and Earlewood Neighborhoods in Columbia, SC. The selected artist will be expected to visit the location after selection.

The artwork should be meaningful to residents, engaging to visitors and create a sense of place. The artwork should be unique, and reflective of the spirit of the three local neighborhoods. It is a specific goal of the commissioning bodies that the design will keep the local aesthetic of the historic neighborhoods' architecture and tree lined streets.

Location Description:  
The project location is 2615 River Drive, Columbia South Carolina 29201. Building elevations and images of the neighborhoods will be provided to you.

Budget: 
The artist selected will receive $15,000 to cover design, transportation, lodging, materials, equipment labor, installation, insurance, and any other costs associated with the artwork.  The fee will be paid half on invoice as a deposit after contract execution and half on invoice after satisfactory completion. Discounted local lodging is available.

Timeline: 
Response of Interest Deadline: July 13, 2023, 5:00 p.m. EST
Notice of Award of Shortlist Selection: By July 28, 2023
Conceptual Design Report Due:  August 18, 2023
Presentation of Conceptual Designs (over video call): August 21 – September 1, 2023
Anticipated Notification of Selection:  By September 8, 2023
UPDATE - Installation Anticipation Dates: Spring 2024

Selection Process:
The selection panel is comprised of members of the Cottontown Neighborhood, Elmwood Park Neighborhood, and Earlwood Neighborhood, local artists, local arts administrators, and members of Benton Crossing Limited Partnership. The selection committee will review all qualifying RFQ applications. Three artists will be shortlisted for the project and each artist will be compensated $250 for conceptual designs.  The shortlisted artists will present their Conceptual Design reports to the selection committee via a virtual meeting platform. The selection committee will score each Conceptual Design report on a rubric against the requirements and selection criteria.  One artist will be selected for the project. The selected artist must contract with One Columbia for Art and Culture for this project. Accepting a proposal from an artist does not constitute any form of contract or agreement with respect to the project. Applicants not meeting minimum qualifications will be withdrawn from consideration. Artists who have more than three permanent artworks represented in the City of Columbia's/One Columbia's public art collection are not eligible to apply.

Portfolio Review Considerations

• Technical quality and aesthetic appeal of past work
• Relevant and applicable experience
• Authenticity, creativity and innovation of work as presented
• Communication of ideas and intentions

Shortlisted Artist’s Conceptual Design Report Requirements:

• Artist statement about the work
• Visual concept
• Brief introduction about the artist
• Detailed budget and materials list
• Maintenance plan with an estimated cost to maintain the work
• Anything else you need to convey your ideas effectively

Additional Resources:
Site Image

Contact Information:
Pamela Zeljak
One Columbia for Art and Culture pamela@onecolumbiasc.com
803-254-5008

Application Requirements

Application Requirements:

• Artists should carefully consider and review their materials before application.
• The following materials are required:
• At least five images of your artworks. You may also include up to two videos.

Artwork information for each image listed through the separate question even if it is listed on your image. (title, date, dimensions, medium, commissioning agency, location, brief description for each image)

• Artist’s statement
• Letter of Interest
• Current contact information
• Three references

Eligibility Criteria

This project is open to artist who live in or work in the Southeastern United States, defined as Alabama, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Maryland, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia. Preference will be given to artists that live or work in South Carolina.

You are eligible to apply if:

• You are a professional visual artist or an artist team. (Teams of up to five artists may apply. Team members cannot apply as individual artists. Portfolios should include works created by the team and not those of the individuals on the team.)
• You are a US citizen or can be authorized to work in the United States.
• You (your team) have experience creating public art or artwork well suited for public spaces.