Summary

The City of Bend in partnership with Art in Public Places (AiPP) invites professional Artists to apply for a public art commission in connection with the construction of the Public Works Campus in Bend, Oregon.

The commission is for a large-scale Sculptural Screen Wall located at the south boundary of the Public Works campus and a smaller-scale Campus Entry Sculpture located at the main entrance of campus.  Both works of art should be related to one another and be a continuous idea, sharing materials and inspiration. See attached graphics package for location and size of both works of art and the general inspiration for the two sculptural elements. The project timeline is 2024-2025 and the project budget is $300,000. 

The City of Bend and AIPP are dedicated to nurturing, promoting, and preserving a culture of diversity and inclusion. We actively encourage individuals from Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC) communities, persons with disabilities, women, and LGBTQIA+ artists to apply. Furthermore, we value and support the participation of local artists in this initiative.

Bend, Oregon Overview

Bend, Oregon is a mountain town surrounded by public lands. Residents and visitors are drawn to Bend for its high desert climate and varied year-round recreation. Bend has grown and flourished, truly a community with diverse backgrounds and a shared love for the place and lifestyle. Bend is home to nationally recognized breweries, Mt. Bachelor Ski Area, The High Desert Museum, Central Oregon Community College and the Oregon State University-Cascades Campus. Today, Bend is the largest Oregon city east of the Cascades Mountains with a population of just over 100,000.

Site & Project Context

The new Public Works Campus for the City of Bend will be home to five public works departments: Utilities, Transportation Mobility, Fleet Maintenance, Facilities, and Engineering & Infrastructure Planning. The 35.5-acre site will include offices, meeting spaces, storage facilities, specialized workshop areas and the City’s water lab.

The campus design is inspired by the Central Oregon context of high desert landscape, volcanic geology, and prominent mountain peaks and will blend in with the surrounding landscape while providing efficient, healthy, and durable workspaces for the public works departments. Each building embodies simplicity and timelessness in both form and material. Clad in weathering steel that will change to a deep rust color over time, the buildings complement the rich desert earth tones, volcanic rock outcroppings, and the Juniper-forested site.

The large-scale Sculptural Screen Wall will be located along the southern boundary of the site, at NE Cooley Boulevard. This work of art is intended to first be a sculptural element that runs along the public street edge of campus where vehicular and pedestrian traffic will view and experience something that may speak to what the public works campus is about or the role that the public works departments have within the city of Bend. Secondly, the sculptural screen wall will serve as a visual screen of the internal public works storage yards from public street view.  While the sculptural screen wall does not need to be completely solid, it should shield the public from views into the south storage area, meeting the City’s Land Use code for that function, while sharing abstract hints to those experiencing it about public works, the local natural topography, or the history of this place through the art itself.

The smaller-scale Campus Entry Sculpture will be located near the northern boundary of the site, at NE Talus Place, near the main entrance to the campus. This work of art could be a panel from the screen wall, or a sculptural element that is similar in style and material to the screen wall that would connect both the entrance and exit to the public works campus. Artists will have the flexibility to propose a sculptural element that relates back to the south wall that could be near or part of the monument sign. There is some flexibility regarding size and location and the final location will be determined by the selected artist and design team.

The large-scale sculptural screen wall and the campus entry sculpture should speak to one another and be of the same idea and inspiration. See attached graphics package for location and size of both works of art and the general inspiration for the two sculptural elements. The artist(s) will develop the works of art in collaboration with key players on the architecture and design team at Hennebery Eddy Architects as well as the City of Bend project staff and coordination with the construction team.

Inspiration for the Sculptural Screen Wall & Campus Entry Sculptural Elements

Centering equity in the creation of art, the artist(s) are encouraged to draw inspiration from the unique and enriching contributions of the Public Works departments to the City of Bend. The work of art should resonate with both those working on campus and the public passing by the campus, embodying meaning and relevance, yet can be abstract allowing passersby to engage and bring additional depth of meaning simply by experiencing it. The art will primarily be an experience while driving by and should be understandable from that perspective. It has the potential, but is not a requirement, to convey significance and/or celebrate any of the following:

•The work undertaken by Public Works departments, including the specific tools and materials used, the tasks performed or simply the inspiration of such.

•The Native history of the location, the specific site, and its evolution over time.

•The natural environment, topography, climate, and distinctive features of Central Oregon.

By emphasizing equity in this artistic endeavor, we aim to create a piece that reflects the diverse perspectives and experiences related to the Public Works departments and the broader community.

The work of art shall be integrated into the overall design of the Public Works campus through:

•Materials, scale, language

The sculpture elements can be abstract, integrative, can change based on where it is viewed from, be discoverable, can teach or tell a story. While the project team has envisioned that the screen wall could be made from corten or rusted steel sheets or panels, pipes, or slats—similar to the material on the exterior facade of the buildings throughout the campus, the Artist has the liberty to propose other solutions they find that could work best for the screen wall.

Placement and Materials

The public will be able to enjoy the works of art at the edges of the Public Works campus during the day or evening, from both public streets at the north and south edges of campus.

The works of art for the Sculptural Screen Wall will sit on a concrete foundation that runs along the edge of campus at NE Cooley Boulevard, from the west boundary approximately 250’ feet to the east. The sculpture shall sit above grade at a maximum 15’ tall, but no less than 10’ tall and can vary in height and width as it runs the length. 

A smaller Campus Entry Sculpture that relates to the larger Screen Wall will be incorporated at the north edge of campus, near the main entry of campus from NE Talus Place. Final placement and dimensions will be determined with the artist and design team.

The materials used for the Sculptural Screen Wall and Campus Entry Sculpture must be durable to weather and UV conditions in Oregon and may be made of Corten steel to align with the overall campus material palette. The works of art should be one continuous idea that continues from the south campus edge to the north campus entry.

Each Finalist will discuss proposed materials and protective finishes with our Conservator in advance of the Zoom meeting presenting their design renderings. Our Conservator will submit a preliminary report to the selection committee on the proposed materials. The Artist selected for the commission will work with our Conservator, the City of Bend and the architectural design team on any revisions to ensure the work of art is durable for an outdoor setting and materials selected are low maintenance.

Project Budgets

The maximum project budget for this commission is $300,000, including stamped engineering drawings, permitting, fabrication, subcontractors, installation, delivery, insurance and travel expenses (not including initial site visit to Bend during selection process). The footings will be designed with the Artist, and basic parameters for the footings will be provided to all Finalists for the Sculptural Screen Wall and Campus Entry Sculpture. Only Finalists will submit an itemized budget for the proposed project.

The City of Bend dedicates one percent (1%) of the total eligible costs of certain improvement projects to the selection, fabrication, installation, ongoing maintenance, community education, and documentation of public art. This project is a portion of the 1% dedicated to this Campus.

Project Timeline 

·         Call to Artists announced: March 26, 2024

·         Application Due: May 1, 2024 (11pm PST)

·         Notification of Finalists: Mid-to-Late May 2024

·         Design Time and Site Visit to Bend: June to mid-July 2024

·         Designer or Artist Presentation of Design Renderings via Zoom: Mid-to-Late July 2024

·         Public Input Display: August 2024

·         Commission Selection: Late August

·         Design Team Meetings with Artist via Zoom: Fall 2024

·         Installation: Summer 2025

Selection Process

Phase 1: The Selection Committee consisting of representatives from Art in Public Places, City of Bend and a local architecture firm will select two Finalists. The stipend for travel and design time is $1,750. Finalists will use the stipend for a Site Visit to Bend early in the design phase to see the site and meet key players from the AiPP Committee and a separate meeting with City of Bend and Hennebery Eddy Architects.

Phase 2: Each of the two Finalists will present their design renderings to the Selection Committee via a 20- minute Zoom meeting. The overall proposal will include design renderings and a 3–4-minute PowerPoint or video presentation. Finalists will submit their design renderings in advance of the meeting. The Selection Committee will make their decision based on eligibility and the criteria described below. The Selection Committee may require additional drawings or information for their review including the conservation assessment. The design rendering will go on view in Bend for community public input, which will be reviewed during the final selection process.

Application Requirements

Submission Requirements

Research indicates members of marginalized groups tend to underestimate their qualifications and apply only if they are a 100% match. If you are passionate about public art and sharing your unique artistic vision, even if you don’t check all the boxes, please apply. We’d appreciate the opportunity to consider your application.

•Six (6) digital images of completed past works of art or public art. Work examples must be from the last 15 years showcasing sculptures and installations. Artists are encouraged to include images of large-scale works of art that may include wall elements, screens, building wrap elements or other examples the artists deem relevant to this project. All images shall be completed works the Artist has fabricated for other projects. Artist Teams shall submit one application and all six images must be of your collaborative work on completed works of art.

•Two Page Upload Document (Letter of Interest and Image Identification)

1. A statement that indicates your interest in the project and how you would approach the commission and a brief description of your artistic practice and the relationship of this opportunity with your past work over the last 15 years. Include contact information at the top of the page. (As a PDF file named with “last name. first name.pdf” (serra.richard.pdf). Artist Teams shall submit one application and letter of intent, images and object identification must be of your collaborative work on completed works of art.

2. On the second page include detailed image information on the six (6) images uploaded on CAFE. For each image, include:

Title/Project Name, Medium, Dimensions.

Year completed, Budget/Design Fee.

Commissioning body/Client, Contact information and the Location (city/state).

Each image must have complete information as noted above. The commissioning body and contact information on the images will be reviewed as your professional references.

Artist Submission Requirements

AiPP and the City of Bend reserve the right to accept or reject any submittals and to alter or extend the selection process as needed. The two-page upload is a key document in the application process and must include a one-page letter of interest with the second page for the image identification with contact reference information. This format must be followed and titled as noted or your application will be incomplete. Incomplete applications will be disqualified. The deadline is May 1 by 11pm PST.

Finalists Selected Based on the Following:

• Appropriateness of the artist’s medium, style or experience in relation to the project setting.

• Artistic Merit as evidenced by representation of relevant past work in images.

• Two-Page Document Upload (Letter of Interest and Image Identification)

Our selection criteria will require the artists to demonstrate experience with public art/commercial projects, designing for materials suitable for public settings, site-specific design, and collaborating with other designers, artists, architects, engineers, fabricators and City government administrative staff.

Commission Award Based on the Following:

·         Consideration of public input

·         Design relevance

·         Interview

·         Skillset to coordinate for this type and scale of project

The selection committee will evaluate all submissions based on artistic excellence, innovation, interactivity, originality, and the overall design proposed to enliven this public space. The potential to create an impactful design for the Screen Wall and Campus Entry Sculpture will score highly on our evaluation criteria.

Award of Contract

Only the Artist that receives the Commission (if out-of-state and/or using a business name) will need to secure a Registered Agent (an official address in Oregon) and then register with the State of Oregon as a domestic or foreign entity (anyone outside Oregon) and provide a certificate of good standing from the State that you reside in. Oregon Artists must be registered in this state. This is standard practice for public entities and will be a necessary step and expense as we finalize the Commission Contract. The Finalists must also submit proof of $2 million in general liability insurance and other insurances as outlined in the contract.

Questions

Questions about the project may be directed to Marcelene Trujillo, AiPP Project Coordinator via email at artinpublicplacesbend@gmail.com. Assistance in using the CAFE system is available via email at helpcafe@westaf.org or by calling 303-629-1166. CAFE support is available Monday-Friday from 8:30am - 5pm MDT.

Accommodation Information for People with Disabilities

To obtain this information in an alternate format such as Braille, large print, electronic formats, etc., please get in touch with City of Bend: Andres Portela at aportela@bendoregon.gov  or Cassandra Kehoe at ckehoe@bendoregon.gov [541-693-2141] . Relay Users Dial 7-1-1.

Eligibility Criteria

This is a national Call to Artists and Artists may reside anywhere in the United States.

The City of Bend and AIPP are dedicated to nurturing, promoting, and preserving a culture of diversity and inclusion. We actively encourage individuals from Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC) communities, persons with disabilities, women, and LGBTQIA+ artists to apply. Consideration is given to diverse artist identities, backgrounds and original perspective. Furthermore, we value and support the participation of local artists in this initiative.