The Utah Department of Alcoholic Beverages Services, in partnership with the Utah Division of Facilities Construction and Management and the Utah Division of Arts & Museums Public Art Program, requests qualifications from Utah artists and/or artist teams interested in creating site-specific artwork(s) for the upcoming Moab store location. The Request for Qualifications with building renderings can be found here.

COMMITTEE STATEMENT
It is the intention of the Art Committee to commission new artwork from a Utah-based artist for the Moab DABS store location. The Committee has identified interior wall sites for an artist’s contribution. The Committee has a strong interest in mural work for the project, but would be open to considering other media as proposed by artists. 
Proposed artworks should be reflective of the unique community found in Moab, celebrating its rich history and incredible natural beauty. Artworks may draw inspiration from or derive context from the Moab area and Grand County, the design depicted in architectural renderings at the end of the document, and / or the services offered by DABS. The artwork’s subject matter and content must be appropriate for public exhibition and not contain advertising, religious references, sexual or violent content, or convey political partisanship.

MOAB, UTAH
Situated south of the Colorado River, Moab is located in Grand County and is home to both Arches National Park and Canyonlands National Park. Moab has a rich cultural history, serving as the home for many people including the Ute, Paiute, Navajo, and Hopi communities who are the first inhabitants of this area. Throughout the early-to-mid 1800s, Moab served as the main crossing point across the Colorado River for European and American traders. The first permanent settler community was established in 1878, and was officially incorporated in 1902.

While Moab’s economy was initially heavily agricultural, following the establishment of the Denver and Rio Grande Western railroad line trade routes shifted significantly. Mining exploration in the early 1900s led to the discovery of significant quantities of natural resources such as uranium, potash, magnesium, and oil, among others. This new industry led to a population boom of nearly 500%, which declined again in the 1980s as most of the area’s uranium mines began to close. Now, Moab is primarily known for tourism and outdoor recreation, as well as being a frequent filming location. Moab also boasts a thriving local art scene and hosts numerous cultural events annually.

UTAH DEPARTMENT OF ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE SERVICES
The Department of Alcoholic Beverage Services (DABS) has been in existence since 1935. The Utah State Legislature created the department by statute and charged it with the responsibility of conducting, licensing, and regulating the sale of alcoholic beverages in a manner and at prices which reasonably satisfy the public demand and protect the public interest, including the rights of citizens who do not wish to be involved with alcoholic beverages. The legislature also mandated that the department be operated as a public business using sound management principles and practices.
Two years earlier, the ratification of the 21st Amendment not only ended national prohibition, it also gave individual states the right to choose their own system of controlling and distributing alcoholic beverages. The Utah legislature at that time believed that the state, rather than private enterprise, should control sales.
The purpose of DABS is to make liquor available to those adults who choose to drink responsibly–but not to promote the sale of liquor. By keeping liquor out of the private marketplace, no economic incentives are created to maximize sales, open more liquor stores, or sell to underage persons. Instead, all policy incentives to promote moderation and to enforce existing liquor laws are enhanced.

BUDGET
$46,484 is available for the project. This project budget is 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.

ELIGIBILITY
Professional artists and artist teams residing in Utah are eligible for this commission. Artists living in Grand or San Juan County will receive additional weight in the review 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 Jacoby 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.

SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS

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 1 movie file 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. Utah Arts & Museums will not be responsible for delayed applications or damaged electronic files. Faxed or emailed applications cannot be accepted.

To request an accommodation for a disability, please complete an Accommodation Form at least two weeks in advance of the October 18th deadline. Accommodation forms can be found at artsandmuseums.utah.gov/accessibility.

DEADLINE
Complete application packages must be RECEIVED by 
October 18th 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 on January 9th 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 DABS Art Selection Committee reserves the right to withhold the award of a commission or re-release the call for entries.

Schedule:
October 18, 2024, 11:59pm MDT | Deadline for receipt of preliminary materials
November 4th, 2024 | Committee Review and Finalist artist notification
January 9th, 2025 | Finalists interviews and presentations
December 2025 | Artwork completed
January 2026 | Project substantial completion

ARTIST SELECTION COMMITTEE
Rob Robinson | Project Manager, Division of Facilities Construction & Management
Sanae  Adams | Project Architect, Jacoby Architects
Tom Gibbs | Project and Portfolio Manager, DABS
Val Barnes | Division Director Retail Stores, DABS
Kelley McInerney | Arts and Special Events Director for Moab

Please do not contact committee members directly. If you have any questions about this or other projects information is available at: Publicart.utah.gov. Or contact: Hannah Nielsen at henielsen@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 1 movie file 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 October 18th deadline. Accommodation forms can be found at artsandmuseums.utah.gov/accessibility. 

Eligibility Criteria

Professional artists and artist teams residing in Utah are eligible for this commission. Artists living in Grand or San Juan County will receive additional weight in the review 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 Jacoby 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.