Call Detail
City of Seattle: Westlake Park Temporary Art - DEADLINE EXTENDED TO MARCH 25
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Contact Email: kelly.pajek@seattle.gov

Entry Deadline: 3/25/14
Application Closed
Work Sample Requirements Images:16

Call Type: Unspecified
Eligibility: Unspecified
State: Unspecified

INTRODUCTION The Seattle Office of Arts & Cultural Affairs, in collaboration with Seattle Parks and Recreation (Parks), seeks two artists or artist teams to each create concept ideas for two temporary, site-specific public art projects for Westlake Park, located at 401 Pine St. in Seattle. The selected artists will create temporary installations to activate the park during the summer, while accommodating the other activities that will occur at the site. The call is open to artists who are Washington state residents living within 90 miles of Seattle. The application deadline is 11 p.m., Monday, March 25 (Pacific Daylight Time). BACKGROUND Westlake Park is a 0.1-acre public plaza in downtown Seattle that extends from Fourth Avenue to Westlake Avenue between Pike and Pine streets. The park is an active hub of Seattle due to its position in the retail and transportation corridor. The park lies in the heart of the downtown shopping district and is filled with locals, tourists passing through the park, and downtown workers on their lunch break having lunch in the daytime and during the summer. Seattle Parks and Recreation (Parks) schedules programming in Westlake Park with a range of activities, from music performances to dance lessons, that enliven the park. The park is a popular location for both political rallies and promotional events. In March 2013 the Westlake Play Space for families with small children will open along the east edge of the middle of the park, across from See’s Candies. Westlake Park creates a strong pedestrian link between the adjacent thoroughfares of Pike and Pine streets, making the park a unique and vital place in the city. One of the major physical features and historic elements of Westlake Park is the artwork Westlake Star Axis/Seven Hills by Robert Maki, created in 1988. The artist worked collaboratively with the architectural firm Hanna/Olin on the overall design of the park, including the pavement design, water wall, entryway, landscaping, amenities and sculptural elements at the south end of the park. Downtown Seattle, which encompasses Westlake Park, is the focus of the city’s City Center Initiative to improve the downtown experience for the public during day and evening hours. Temporary public artworks at Westlake Park will help to support a number of the city’s goals of this initiative, which include sustaining a vibrant and inviting public realm, providing an attractive public space downtown, and creating an environment where people feel safe and welcome. SCOPE OF WORK The selected artists or artist teams will work with staff from Parks and the Seattle Office of Arts & Cultural Affairs to develop temporary, site-specific public art projects at Westlake Park. Two artists/artist teams and their concept ideas will be selected to create installations during summer 2013. The projects will run sequentially. The projects will contribute to the city’s City Center Initiative and support Westlake Park as a safe, enjoyable hub of the city. The primary audience for the artwork will be the public using the plaza day or night, from pedestrians walking through the park or waiting for busses, to people watching performances at the site, to families using the new play area. The artwork should:

  • activate the space and engage pedestrians at the site.

  • address the space as a whole and encourage pedestrian flow through the site.

  • work with the summer programming of the site by Parks and other entities that occurs primarily at the north end of the park in the plaza area near the fountain, with the play space installed at the east edge of the site, and with Robert Maki’s permanent art installation at the south end.


The artwork can (but is not limited to):

  • operate or interact with Parks planned activities at the site.

  • be two- or three-dimensional, allowing for movement through the space.

  • offer participatory or interactive experiences for visitors to the site.

  • allow for a short- or long-term experience.

  • be projection, light or sound.

  • include performance components.


Westlake Park is in an urban and busy location and the selected artists should embrace these elements as a backdrop for the artworks. The temporary projects will be on view for a limited duration. The selected artists will develop a design proposal for a project to be installed in summer 2013, with fabrication starting in late spring 2013. During the design phase, the artists will work with the Office of Arts & Cultural Affairs and Parks to determine an appropriate artwork schedule based on the nature of the artwork and other site considerations including planned activities at Westlake Park. The artwork may be on view for a minimum of three weeks to a maximum of three months, based on the artwork media and concept. The artists will participate in public presentations and community outreach relating to the artwork and may need to present their proposals in collaboration with the Office of Arts & Cultural Affairs to Parks and other stakeholders during project development. BUDGET The total budget is $10,000 per project, all-inclusive of travel expenses, taxes, proposal fees, and all project costs for design, fabrication/production, installation and removal of artwork. Two artists or artist teams will be commissioned. The project is funded by Seattle Parks & Recreation 1% for Art funds. ELIGIBILITY The call is open to artists who are Washington state residents living within 90 miles of Seattle. Artists may apply as a team, but the application should clearly describe the contribution of each collaborator. Artists do not need to have a background in public art but should be aware of the challenges of creating work for an urban and unprotected site like Westlake Park. The Office of Arts & Cultural Affairs encourages diversity in its collection. Artists whose work is well represented in the city’s collection are eligible to apply, but the artist selection panel will consider artistic diversity as one factor in the selection process. Students are not eligible to apply. APPLICATION DEADLINE 11 p.m., Monday, March 25 (Pacific Daylight Time). APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS A note on work samples:Applicants may submit still images or both still and moving images, or audio samples on a CD-R/DVD-R. In CaFÉ, applicants will be asked to indicate if still or moving images are the primary work sample. The media (still image or CD-R/DVD-R) that you select as your primary work sample will be shown to the selection panel. The Office of Arts & Cultural Affairs reserves the right not to show secondary work samples during the selection process. Submit online using CaFÉ by 11 p.m., Monday, March 25 (Pacific Daylight Time):

  • Letter of interest (not to exceed 2,000 characters)

  • Concept idea (not to exceed 2,000 characters). Describe roughly what you plan to install and the type of location where it could be located. Describe the potential methods and materials used in the installation.

  • Sixteen (16) images of past artworks. Concept proposal images are not necessary at this time. CaFÉTM image format instructions can be found at image prep.

  • Work Sample Identification List. List should include information about all work samples, including both still images and samples submitted on CD-R/DVD-R.

  • Résumé

  • Three professional references


Submit via mail or hand-deliver by 5 p.m., Monday, March 25 (Pacific Daylight Time): Video work samples totaling three minutes submitted on CD-R/DVD-R (Optional) The selection panel will review a total of three minutes maximum from each applicant. The three-minute sample may include clips from multiple works. The CD-R/DVD-R should be formatted so your work samples are arranged in the order you want them seen. The samples can be played using either Windows Media Player or Quicktime. Work samples must be delivered to our office by 5 p.m., Monday, March 25, 2013 (Pacific Daylight Time). This is not a postmark deadline. Late samples will not be reviewed. Please submit the following information on/with your CD-R/DVD-R:

  • Artist’s name

  • Artist’s address, phone and email

  • Title of artwork(s) and running time of each clip. Titles must match the information submitted online in the work sample identification list.


Self-Addressed Stamped Envelope: Applicants who want their work samples returned by mail must include a self-addressed envelope with adequate postage. Applicants may also pick up work samples at the Office of Arts & Cultural Affairs after receiving notification of results. Work samples without postage will be discarded 60 days after the notice is sent. Every effort is made to ensure safe handling of work samples, but the city of Seattle cannot assume responsibility for loss or damage. Mail to: Office of Arts & Cultural Affairs City of Seattle PO Box 94748 Seattle, WA 98124-4748 FedEx, UPS or hand-deliver to: Address FedEx, UPS, other delivery to: Office of Arts & Cultural Affairs City of Seattle 700 Fifth Ave., Ste 1766 Seattle, WA 98104 SELECTION CRITERIA The artist or artist team will be selected on the basis of the following criteria: strength and artistic merit of past works, quality and ideas expressed in the concept proposal, ideas expressed in the letter of interest, visual and technical sophistication, creativity of approach, ability to complete a project on time and within budget and references. The Office of Arts & Cultural Affairs is committed to reflecting the diversity and cultural richness of our city in the selection of artists and artworks. References provided as part of this application will be contacted prior to artist interviews. SELECTION PROCESS The selection process will occur in one phase: a selection panel will review all applications and select two artist or artist teams for the project site. Two alternate artist or artist teams will be selected in the event the selected artists are not able to accept the commission or execute the project. NOTIFICATION OF RESULTS The Office of Arts & Cultural Affairs will notify the selected artists/artist teams at the conclusion of panel deliberations. Please do not call the office. Applicants will receive notification of the panel’s decision by e-mail. The Office of Arts & Cultural Affairs reserves the right not to select any of the applicants. WE’RE HERE TO HELP Please contact Kelly Pajek at (206) 684-7311 or Kelly.Pajek . For assistance with the CaFE online application process, contact CaFE tech support at (888) 562-7232 or cafe@westaf.org, Monday-Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Pacific Standard Time.

Application Requirements

Eligibility Criteria