Professional artist and artist teams are invited to submit letters of interest and qualifications for the creation of site-specific artwork(s) at Utah State University Gardner Learning and Leadership Building. Utah artists and artists of historically underrepresented populations are strongly encouraged to apply. This project is a partnership of the Utah Public Art Program of the Division of Arts and Museums, in association with the Division of Facilities Construction and Management (DFCM) and Utah State University (USU). This call is open to artists/artist teams residing in the Intermountain West to include: Utah, Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, and Wyoming. 

The Request for Qualifications with building renderings and site plans can be found here.

THE UTAH STATE UNIVERSITY JON M. HUNTSMAN SCHOOL OF BUSINESS
The purpose of the Jon M. Huntsman School of Business is to be an engine of growth for the community, the state, the nation, and the world, and to be a career accelerator for our students. Their mission is to develop leaders of distinction in commerce and public affairs. This is built on four strategic pillars: Analytical Rigor, Entrepreneurial Spirit, Ethical Leadership, and Global Vision. The School’s strategic objective is to become the premier, undergraduate business and economics program in the Intermountain West. 

KEM AND CAROLYN GARDNER LEARNING AND LEADERSHIP BUILDING
The Kem and Carolyn Gardner Learning and Leadership Building will fill a vital and honored place on the USU campus in Logan in connection with the Jon M. Huntsman Hall (primarily a classroom building) and the George S. Eccles Business Building (primarily an office building). The new building will house the co-curricular experiential learning and leadership activities of the Huntsman School of Business and will serve as a “Center of Centers.” In addition, the building will feature state-of-the-art internship and common spaces and will be designed to meet the beautiful and exacting standards of Huntsman Hall and the George S. Eccles Business Building.

Students tend to experience the greatest growth when they have mentors who take a personal interest in them and lead them through meaningful out-of-class experiences. We are working to ensure that these experiences are tailored to the skills and interests of each student. To this end, the new building will house 6 centers that provide students with a wide range of experiences across multiple business disciplines:

Center for Growth and Opportunity: Students learn all aspects of economic research, from data collection and statistical analysis to reading, writing, and public speaking.
Center for Entrepreneurship: Students learn how to start and grow a business. They also learn how to lift others out of poverty through the hands-on application of business principles.
Stephen R. Covey Leadership Center: Students learn to become principled leaders by studying and living the teachings of leading experts.
Analytics Solutions Center: Students apply rigorous data analytics techniques to solve real-world problems.
She’s Daring Mighty Things: In this new initiative, students will enjoy space that is dedicated to advancing the success of women in business.
Institute for Interdisciplinary Study: Students will be exposed to interdisciplinary research projects.

COMMITTEE STATEMENT
The Art Selection Committee has selected an interior wall for the integration of public artwork. This 29-foot-long wall is located on the 2nd floor above the learning stair, an important gathering space connecting the first floor to the second. This space is a focal point landing at the top of the heart of the building, a large wood timber learning stair. It can be seen from the Main Level seating area and along the learning stair, as it is the main focal point as you climb the stair to Level 2. The Committee is seeking an artwork that will highlight the space and guide the viewer’s eye up.

Please review the full RFQ in order to understand the space within the larger context of the building.

BUDGET
$85,000 is available for all related expenses of this Public Art commission including (but not limited to) artist fees, fabrication, support structures, insurance, shipping, travel, lighting, installation, documentation, etc.

DEADLINE
Complete application packages must be RECEIVED by February 16, 2024 by 11:59p.m. MT

SELECTION PROCESS AND SCHEDULE
The Selection Committee will review all properly submitted qualifications from which a short list of semi-finalists will be selected. Semi-finalists will be asked to present a full proposal to the committee in May 2024 to include concept, budget, and timeline. All semi-finalists will be awarded an honorarium to help defray the costs of the development of the proposal. The honorarium will be applied toward the commission amount for the artist(s) awarded the commission(s.) Utah Arts & Museums will not be responsible for applications delayed or lost. The USU Gardner Building Art Selection Committee reserves the right to withhold the award of a commission or re-release the call for entries.
Schedule:
February 16, 2024, 11:59pm MDT – Deadline for receipt of preliminary materials
February 27, 2024 – Committee Review and Finalist artist notification
May 7, 2024 – Finalists interviews and presentations
March 2025 – Artwork complete
April 2025 – Project substantial completion 

ARTIST SELECTION COMMITTEE
Frank Caliendo - Senior Associate Dean, Jon M. Huntsman School of Business, USU

Lucas Davis - Project Manager, Division of Facilities Construction & Management

Naarah Kristensen - Principal, MHTN Architects  

Dave Patel - Associate Dean for Student & External Affairs, Jon M. Huntsman School of Business, USU

Lianne Wappett - Huntsman Scholar Academic Director, Jon M. Huntsman School of Business, USU

Lorin Wilcox - Senior Project Coordinator, Facilities Planning, Design, and Construction, USU

If you have any questions about this or other projects information is available at: Publicart.utah.gov
Or contact: Hannah Barrett at hbarrett@utah.gov.

Application Requirements

Register at www.callforentry.org and follow the directions for registration and submitting material for this Public Art Request for Qualifications. The application process will prompt you for all necessary documents and information. This includes up to 10 images and/or up to 2 video files of previous work, a CV or resume, and a Statement of Interest explaining your interest in the project and how your work might relate to the project.

To request an accommodation for a disability, please complete an Accommodation Form at least two weeks in advance of the February 16 deadline. Accommodation forms can be found at artsandmuseums.utah.gov/accessibility

Eligibility Criteria

This project is open to artists/artist teams residing in the Intermountain West to include: Utah, Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, and Wyoming. Utah artists will be given additional weight in the selection process. Applicants must have a U.S. Tax ID Number (SSN, EIN, ITIN, or other). Art Selection Committee members and staff of Utah Arts & Museums and MHTN Architects are not eligible to apply for this commission. All Art Selection Committee members will declare any conflict of interest and recuse themselves from the vote when reviewing artist applications.