Rhode Island State Council on the Arts

Call for Artists (Request for Qualifications): Public Art commission for the new Female Youth Residential Facility, RI Department of Children, Youth, and Families, to be built in Exeter, Rhode Island

Budget for acquisition of artwork: $154,000

Application Deadline: June 25, 2024

Eligibility: This Call is open to all professional artists and artist teams nationally. Students are not eligible to apply.

 Artwork for the new Female Youth Residential Facility will be commissioned through Rhode Island’s Public Art Law, which mandates that 1% of all state capital construction and renovation funds be allocated to the purchase and maintenance of public art.  Through this program, the State recognizes that “public art creates a more humane environment: one of distinction, enjoyment, and pride for all citizens”.  The Rhode Island State Council on the Arts (“RISCA”) administers the selection process under the provisions of the law.

About the Rhode Island Department of Children, Youth and Families

The mission of the Rhode Island Department of Children, Youth & Families (“DCYF”) is to partner with families and communities to raise safe and healthy children and youth in a caring environment and to engage respectfully and effectively with people of all races, ethnicities, cultures, classes, genders, sexual orientations, and faiths in a manner that recognizes, affirms, and values the worth of all individuals, families, tribes, and communities, and protects and preserves the dignity of each.

About the Female Youth Residential Facility

A current and long-term matter is that a significant number of female adolescents in DCYF care are receiving short-term and long-term services out of state, due to the lack of an appropriate facility located within the State of Rhode Island. By these services currently being provided out of State, it makes visitation, treatment and reunification with family members challenging.

This project involves the construction of a new 32,000-square-foot Female Youth Residential Facility (“FYRF”) and land development of 11 acres, located at 160 Main St., Exeter, R.I. (on the LADD Campus). The new facility will provide 16 residential bedrooms, educational classrooms, clinical rooms, indoor and outdoor recreation areas, and support spaces for youth, staff, and families. The age of the female youth shall range from 13-18 years old. The length of time that a youth may reside in the facility shall vary from several months to several years, depending upon individual care plans. A major goal of the project is to create a safe facility that has an overall residential feel and atmosphere.

About the public art commission

The selection panel met in March of 2024 to discuss the project. The primary audience for this facility is the female youth residents. The facility is designed to have a homelike, residential feel and any artwork should support this aspect. It was agreed that first impressions are important and that the reception areas should be prioritized as a result. The gymnasium offers an excellent opportunity for a mural, while the circulation hallways are used by all. The family dining, visitation rooms and gardens are also appealing for the inclusion of artwork. The panel felt that the facility presents many excellent spaces and that they would like to see artwork throughout. Artwork that is diverse, culturally inclusive, and supports the residents feeling comfortable in the facility is desired. Safety and durability will also be key considerations.

Goals for the commission:

• The primary audience is the female residents.
• Artwork that creates a sense of home or comfort, reinforces private space, is positive, empowering, culturally inclusive, or reflects the diversity of our state is desired.
• The panel desires artwork throughout the facility as budget permits. Multiple artworks in series presenting a unified vision for the facility is desired.
• Artworks could be a series created by one artist or by a team of artists working collaboratively.
• Finalists will be asked to create a proposal for the facility that includes artwork, at minimum, for the following spaces:

1. Reception/waiting/intake areas.
2. Gymnasium and/or the circulation hallways.
3. Family dining and visitation areas.
4. Artworks for other areas are desired as budget permits.
5. While the interior spaces offer excellent opportunities, the exterior gardens and common spaces may be included as well, at the artist(s) discretion.

• Due to the nature of the facility, a collaborative process with its residents is not possible.

Intent of the Call and Scope of the Work: 

Please note: This Call for Artists is the first step in the RISCA public art selection process. It is not considered best practice for an agency to ask an artist to craft a proposal without financial compensation. Therefore, RISCA will conduct the Public Art application process online, with all materials submitted in digital format through the CaFÉ web site (www.callforentry.org). There is no charge to apply.  

At this preliminary selection stage, we request submissions from artists or artist teams consisting of 6-15 images representing work completed within the past ten 10 years, a brief, one-paragraph statement of interest, and a document describing the relevant experience of all team members.

Applications by teams are encouraged. If an artist wants to apply as an individual as well as part of a team, two separate CaFÉ profiles and two separate CaFÉ applications must be completed (i.e., one application submission for you and one application submission for your team). No slides or hard copy materials will be accepted for this call. First time CaFÉ applicants must allow enough time to prepare their CaFÉ formatted digital images and electronic submission prior to the deadline.

Three finalists will be selected from the pool of applicants. Finalists will be invited to craft a detailed proposal including an itemized budget, scale models and/or renderings, and an in-depth project description. For this they will each be paid an honorarium of $3,000. This stipend includes all travel expenses including but not limited to hotel, transportation, mileage, etc., for both the site visit and the subsequent presentation meeting. Finalists will not be reimbursed separately for any travel costs. 

Finalist’s site-specific proposals should convey artist’s ideas and plans through designs, renderings and/or scale models with a statement that describes the project's intent, proposed materials, fabrication and installation methods, and an itemized budget including 10% contingency fee. Finalists will also be asked to explain how their artwork will be sourced and fabricated.  The finalists will be supplied with plans, photographs, and specific information about the building and the campus. A site visit and review of architectural plans will be scheduled for finalists. The proposals will remain the property of the artist; however RISCA reserves the right to retain proposals for up to one year for display purposes and the right to reproduce final proposals for documentation and public information.

The budget is all-inclusive, including but not limited to all materials, fabrication, engineer fees, artists fees, travel, insurance, permits, installation, lighting, wiring, support, bases, etc. 

The Public Art Selection Panel reserves the right to determine which proposal will be funded and the extent of funding. The panel also reserves the right not to accept any proposal submitted. If the recommendations of the Public Art Selection Panel are approved by the Rhode Island State Council on the Arts RISCA and DCYF, the selected artist/s will enter into a contract with the Rhode Island State Council on the Arts RISCA and DCYF for the commission. The commissioned artwork will be owned by the State of Rhode Island. 

ESTIMATED TIMELINE:

April 16, 2024: Application opens.

June 25, 2024 at 11:59 p.m. (M.S.T.): Deadline for submissions (extended)

July 2024: panel meeting for review and selection of semifinalists.

Late Summer 2024:  Finalist site visits.

Fall 2024 (TBD): Finalist presentations to selection panel; work selected.

December 2024: Final approval by RISCA’s Council and DCYF.

TBD with artist: Contract signed. Work fabricated, installed, and completed.

Selection Criteria:

The panel will select the artist/s based on the following criteria:

1. Appropriateness of artwork for this facility.
2. Artistic vibrancy.
3. Safety, durability, and value of the materials and work for this public facility. It is the artist’s responsibility to ensure that artwork meets safety standards, adheres to building codes, ADA requirements and other state regulations. Artworks must require minimal maintenance.
4. Collaborative spirit. Willingness of the artist(s) to consult with facility staff, design team, and RISCA staff to assure smooth integration of the artwork into the site.
5. Artist and/or Artist Team’s demonstrated ability to manage and complete commission.

If you have questions about this opportunity, email Molly Dickinson, molly.dickinson.ctr@arts.ri.gov.  Applicants are encouraged to make an appointment to discuss the opportunity prior to applying. If you require technical support for CAFÉ, please email cafe@westaf.org.

Application Requirements

At this preliminary selection stage, we request submissions from artists or artist teams consisting of 6-15 images representing work completed within the past ten 10 years, a brief, one-paragraph statement of interest, and a document describing the relevant experience of all team members.

Eligibility Criteria

This call for qualifications is open to professional artists within the United States. Students are not eligible. Black, Indigenous, People of Color, women, gender nonconforming persons, LGBTQIA+ community members and people with differing physical abilities are highly encouraged to apply. Artists living across throughout Rhode Island are highly encouraged to apply. The panel will not discriminate against any applicant artist based on age, race, sex, sexual orientation, religion, national origin, or physical challenges. Excluded from participation are RISCA Council members, staff, and their family members as well as Public Art Selection Panel members and their families.