LEXINGTON DETENTION CENTER                           PUBLIC ART PROJECT

PROJECT OVERVIEW

The Lexington-Fayette Urban Co. Government’s Public Arts Commission invites professional and practicing artists and artist/design teams, residing in Kentucky, Indiana, or Ohio, to submit qualifications to propose a permanent, site-specific artwork for the green space area located at the Old Frankfort Pike entrance to the Lexington Detention Center grounds.

PROJECT BUDGET

The budget for artwork is up to $200,000 all-inclusive of artist fees, other consultants’ and subcontractors’ fees, insurance, engineering, materials, fabrication, transportation, installation (including any site modification), and lighting.

An additional 10% of the project budget will be designated to support future conservation and maintenance of the project.

ELIGIBILITY

Artists and design teams must be professional and practicing artists with experience working with medium to large-scale public art installations.  Artists must be legally able to work in the United States and be at least 18 years of age.

We are committed to a policy of providing opportunities to people regardless of economic or social status and will not discriminate on the basis of race, color, ethnic origin, national origin, creed, religion, political belief, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, age, veteran status, or physical or mental disability.

SELECTION PROCESS

A selection committee composed of Public Arts Commission members and other community stakeholders will review the credentials of professional, practicing artists who reside in Kentucky, Indiana, or Ohio and who can demonstrate experience successfully executing large-scale public sculpture projects.  Entries not meeting requirements will not be considered.

PROJECT BACKGROUND

Lexington-Fayette Urban Co. Government’s Percent for Art program provides 1% of the total budgeted cost for capital improvement projects to be dedicated to the purpose of funding the purchase, commissioning, installation and maintenance of art on property owned or operated by the Urban County Government.  

Because of a capital improvement project for the Lexington Detention Center, the Public Art Commission has dedicated up to $200,000 toward commissioning a new work of public art, and up to $20,000 (10% of the budget) for a maintenance and conservation fund.

PROJECT SITE

The Lexington Detention Center, 600 Old Frankfort Circle, Lexington, Kentucky, is a direct supervision correctional facility that can house up to 1266 adult inmates.  Over 200 Community Corrections Officers work within the Lexington Detention Center facility. 

The design and location of the Lexington Detention Center, which opened in 1987, is juxtaposed with the more rural area of picturesque horse farms.  The part of the facility that is viewable above ground was designed to resemble the grand Thoroughbred horse barns familiar to the area.  It is located on several acres of land, off Old Frankfort Pike, with green fields and horse farm fences in front of the facility.

In 2021, Old Frankfort Pike was designated as a National Scenic Byway.  As described on the National Scenic Byway Foundation website, this 15-mile drive through the Bluegrass Region “passes through six National Register Historic Districts along its relatively short length and by numerous individually significant historic properties. In all, thousands of historic buildings, structures, sites, and landscapes encompassing over 20,000 acres are contained within these distinctive historic areas and this National Scenic Byway links them all.”

The route includes historic dry-laid limestone fences, rural churches and cemeteries, and long farmland vistas to historic homes, barns, stables, and fields of Thoroughbred horses. 

A potential site of 40 ft. x 40 ft., within a .37 acre (133 ft. x 122. ft.) area has been designated for the public artwork.  Artists and design teams may elect to use all or part of this area for the design.

The site is located at the entrance to the expansive grounds of the Lexington Detention Center and is centered along a heavily traveled two-mile stretch of the National Scenic Byway, nearest Lexington.  This section links the growing and popular Distillery District; the McConnell Springs Visitor Center and Nature Sanctuary that was the site of the original 1775 encampment where Lexington originated; and the larger-than-life-size sculpture of Secretariat, the Triple Crown-winning racehorse, before then heading out into the historic countryside.

Electricity is on-site and will be accessed for the project.

PROJECT  DESCRIPTION

Though set just outside of the center of Lexington, the Lexington Detention Center is deeply connected to the City of Lexington as well as to the many surrounding towns and counties that are home to incarcerated individuals as well as Detention Center employees.   A progressive facility, the Lexington Detention Center has just implemented a Second Chance Academy to aid inmates with essential job training and job placement and to facilitate inmates’ successful reintegration into society.  Programs such as this exemplify the Detention Center’s recognition that “What we do here, matters everywhere.”

The content for the artwork must be suitable for public consumption and should be sensitive to and respond to the primary site of the Lexington Detention Center.   Artists may reflect upon and recognize the human worth, dignity, and value of individuals incarcerated there, of public servants who work there, and of family members impacted by both those incarcerated as well as by those serving the facility.   The artwork should inspire reflection and hope and serve as a positive beacon of rehabilitation and renewal. 

Lighting of the work (interior and exterior) is highly desirable and necessary for the site. 

ARTWORK SPECIFICATIONS

Artwork must be made of durable and low- maintenance materials that are suitable for an outdoor installation in Lexington, Kentucky.  With safety in mind, the design should mitigate any potential hazards such as sharp or protruding edges or elements, structural damage from wind or rain, or hazards or damage created by human interaction.

The artwork should allow for open site lines and a good visual connection between the streets and the artwork.  The height of the artwork should be visible from multiple angles and locations to the general public as well as those visiting or attending the facility.

Electricity is available on-site and the design should incorporate lighting, interior and/or exterior, to illuminate the artwork and the immediate site. 

Submissions are to include:

• A professional resume / CV:  Not to exceed three pages.
•  An Artist Statement:  Please outline your relevant art background and areas of focus. Detail your experience with and approach to public art and your role in other projects of similar scope.
• A letter of Interest:  Describe your interest in this specific project, what you bring to this project as an artist, sources of inspiration presented by the project, and any other comments that might help differentiate you as a candidate.
• Images of past works:  3 Minimum  -  10 Maximum.  Each image must include a brief description of each project including the title, size, location, budget, and detail of the applicant’s role in the project.  Design team applicants must detail each member’s role in past projects.
• Professional References:  At least three professional references from past projects with contact information.

SELECTION PROCESS

After a review of all qualified RFQs, three finalists will be invited to submit a commissioned proposal for the design of a site-specific public artwork for the Lexington Detention Center.  Proposals will be expected to represent a unique commission in ample detail.  This detail shall be in the form of complete scaled construction drawings incorporating all structural and electrical elements.

Each invited finalist will be awarded $2,000 upon receipt of qualifying submissions. In addition, there will be a travel allowance of up to $200 per finalist to visit the proposed site and research the area.  Submitted materials will become the property of the City of Lexington; copyright of these materials will be owned by the artist.

 ANTICIPATED SELECTION TIMELINE

• Deadline for RFQ:   November 08, 2023
• Notification of finalists with invitation to submit a proposal:    November 29, 2023
• Deadline for Finalist Proposals:  January 17, 2024
• Proposed Artist Selection Date:  February 1, 2024
• Project Completion anticipated by:  January, 2025

Application Requirements

Submissions are to include:

o   A professional resume / CV:  Not to exceed three pages.

o   An Artist Statement:  Please outline your relevant art background and areas of focus. Detail your experience with and approach to public art and your role in other projects of similar scope.

o   A letter of Interest:  Describe your interest in this specific project, what you bring to this project as an artist, sources of inspiration presented by the project, and any other comments that might help differentiate you as a candidate.

o   Images of past works:  3 Minimum  -  8 Maximum.  Each image must include a brief description of each project including the title, size, location, budget, and detail of the applicant’s role in the project.  Design team applicants must detail each member’s role in past projects.

o   Professional References:  At least three professional references from past projects with contact information.

Eligibility Criteria

ELIGIBILITY

Artists and design teams must be professional and practicing artists with experience working with medium to large-scale public art installations.  Artists must be legally able to work in the United States and be at least 18 years of age.

We are committed to a policy of providing opportunities to people regardless of economic or social status and will not discriminate on the basis of race, color, ethnic origin, national origin, creed, religion, political belief, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, age, veteran status, or physical or mental disability.