The Shawn Lang Task Force (“Task Force”) is named after Shawn Lang, a longtime CT advocate who spent her life fighting injustices. The CT AIDS Memorial will serve as a reminder of Shawn Lang’s brand of soul force, the force of love, the force “of resistance.” At rallies at the State Capitol, she would often point to the building and state, “This is your house!” and as crowds left, she’d challenge them to “Go out and change the world.” This public art should serve as motivation for the justice work ahead. It will be a piece that encourages our souls to be stirred as we step into the arena, and into the complex work of confronting the racial/social/political inequities in CT. It is public art for justice.

The CT AIDS Memorial will be an “evergreen” three-dimensional art installation that may include seating features and other interactive elements. The free public Memorial is meant to be an historic marker to those who have died of AIDS and those who continue to live with and work to eliminate HIV.

The Memorial will be engaging, intentional, empowering, hopeful and an opportunity for meaningful conversation. The Memorial be an interesting and engaging visual object that creates an inviting and meaningful experience for viewers and visitors. This art project will be empowering – reminding viewers that the Capitol (within viewing distance from the site) is “their” house, and they are welcome and have a right to be there.

PROJECT SITE DETAILS: 

The CT AIDS Memorial will be created and installed on The Columbus Green in Hartford, CT (see attached photo). This greenspace is on a gateway to the City of Hartford, from the south. It is in walking distance from the grounds of the Connecticut Legislative Office Building (LOB) and the Capitol, where Shawn’s passion and successfully focused actions were on full display. It will be viewable by foot, car, and public transportation. It can be lighted at night. It can be enjoyed by people strolling from Hartford’s historic Bushnell Park. It may be utilized by people advocating in the halls of justice/inside the LOB or Capitol. This standing monument may serve as a gathering point for rallies and/or as a touchstone for advocates and citizens coming and going into the LOB. The Connecticut AIDS Memorial will add to Connecticut’s I-Quilt cultural district and will work in harmony with the goal of blending art, advocacy, and connecting the ‘exceptional assets of downtown Hartford, museums, performance spaces, historic landmarks, modern architecture, and public art.

PROJECT FUNDING: 

The project is funded by a state bond authorization, funds from the Greater Hartford Arts Council, and private donations for the Memorial. The project will be administered by the Task Force via Advancing CT Together, through the funding requirements of the CT DECD as outlined and the Assistance Agreement between the CT DECD and the City of Hartford and any other requirements mandated by the State of CT, DECD or the City of Hartford. This do-not-exceed amount of $260,000 must include all design fees, materials, transportation, installation, storage, insurance, and any other costs associated with the project. Total expenses must not exceed this amount.

SCOPE OF SERVICES: 

The selected firm will work design, create, and install the CT AIDS Memorial in compliance with any planning and zoning or other requirements of Advancing CT Together the City of Hartford and/or the State of Connecticut.

INQUIRIES/QUESTIONS: 

All inquiries or questions about this request for qualifications/proposals must be submitted to: CAM@act-ct.org. Inquiries and questions must be submitted no later than 10/28/2024. Answers will be posted no later than the close of business one week after the deadline for submission of inquiries/questions, 11/4/2024.

To ensure a fair process, Respondents must limit their communication about this proposal to the email address above. Communication with other respondents, members of the Task Force, Advancing CT Together the City of Hartford or the State of Connecticut will result in in disqualification of the artist from this project. Respondents may communicate with the Greater Hartford Arts Council solely for the purpose of addressing technical challenges with the submission portal (described below) for submissions. Any communication with the Greater Hartford Arts Council related to the elements of this Request for Qualifications/Proposal will result in disqualification of the Respondent from this project.  

Application Requirements

TIMELINE: 

1.     RFQ Issue Date: 10/17/2024

2.     Final Date to Submit Questions: 10/28/2024

3.     Answers to Questions Posted:  11/4/2024 

4.     Proposal Deadline: 11/18/2024 by 5:00 pm

5.     Selection of up to five Respondents for additional submission of CT AIDS Memorial Design Concept and fee proposal: 11/25/2024

6.     MANDATORY Site-walk: 12/9/2024

7.     INITIAL INTERVIEWS OF UP TO FIVE RESPONDENTS:  THREE WEEKS AFTER INITIAL PROPOSAL DEADLINE 12/9/2024

8.     FINAL Submission of Design and Fee Proposals by Up to three selected respondents: 12/23/2024

9.     Proposed Interviews date of up to three selected Respondents: 1/6/2025 

10.  Final Selection of Artist for the CT AIDs Memorial:  1/13/2025

INITIAL SUBMISSION: 

Respondents must submit the following in 12-point font, in a single PDF document:

• Contact information, including a valid email address, for the lead artist and, if applicable, all project team members.
• Resumes of all project team members.
• Contact information for not less than three professional references.
• One-page letter describing interest in the project and approach to design and public art projects.
• Work Samples: Up to 8 digital images of recent and relevant projects. Include images of 3 previously installed and successfully completed installations. Individuals and teams are limited to 8 images maximum. Save all images as standard JPEG and label each with applicant’s name and number corresponding with list of work samples.
• One-page list of previous applicable work samples including title, budget, location, materials.

NOTE: Do not submit a proposal for artworks at this time. Submitted documents will not be returned.

DESIGN CONCEPT / FEE PROPOSAL:

Artists/Teams selected to submit a design concept and fee proposal shall submit the following information:

• Graphic sketches of the proposed design concept
• A fee proposal. This proposal shall be inclusive of all costs for the proposed work, including personnel costs (anticipated hours and associated travel costs), materials, and any other overhead or necessary requirements. Negotiations may be undertaken to modify the proposal as appropriate.
• A project schedule based on the critical path of the work with a time frame for each task.
• Any additional information that will assist in evaluating the applicant’s qualifications.
• INSURANCE 
  The project’s Assistance Agreement between the DECD and the Grantee should be followed for insurance requirements. b. Contractor's Certificate of Insurance shall be required. The grantee is responsible for insuring that the levels are adequate. c. State of Connecticut shall be listed as additionally insured under the following coverages: 13 1. Commercial General Liability - $1M per occurrence 2. General Aggregate - $2M 3. Umbrella Liability – If it is provided to the grantee. d. Builder’s Risk Insurance, when applicable, should be obtained either through the general contractor or construction manager. A copy of the Builder’s Risk Certificate should be provided to DECD with the State of Connecticut listed as A.T.I.M.A. e. The “Hold Harmless” Indemnification endorsement of the insurance shall include the interest of the municipality and the State of Connecticut. The Contractor and Subcontractors and other interests shall be so named.

Eligibility Criteria

SELECTION PROCESS: 

Initial proposals will be evaluated on a combination of qualifications and experience by a Selection Committee comprised of artists, community members and Task Force members. The Selection Committee will review the proposal, short list, and interview up to five Respondents. The proposals will be evaluated based on the following criteria:

1.     Applicants must be experienced sculpture/public art artists or artist-led teams with preference given to artists residing in the state of Connecticut. (25 points)

2.     Applicant or Applicant Team must demonstrate ability and experience in executing a public art project of this scale and budget. (25 points)

3.     Applicant or Team must demonstrate an understanding of the intention to honor Shawn Lang’s style of public policy activism. (25 points)

4.     Applicants will articulate in writing their passion for this process, recognizing that it is a call for art and a call for consciousness. (25 points)

The Selection Committee will select the top five artists/teams from the evaluation of proposals for an initial interview regarding this initial submission. The top five artists/teams will participate in a Zoom or in-person interview and respond to questions from the Selection Committee about the initial proposals.

The Selection Committee will then select up to three artists/teams to present a design concept and fee proposal. The Task Force will also offer these selected artists/teams a mandatory site-walk within two weeks of the date of their selection.

Each of the three artists/teams will be paid a $500 stipend to prepare and present their design concept and fee proposal prior to the interview date. Upon submission of the design concept and fee proposal, the Selection Committee will hold Zoom or in-person interviews with the up to three artists/teams to respond to questions from the Selection Committee about their design concept and fee proposals.

The design concept and fee proposals will be evaluated using the following criteria:

1.     Adheres to Design Concept/Fee Proposal Submission requirements. (10 points)

2.     Design Concept for the Memorial is engaging and evokes curiosity of passers-by either through color, material, innovation, or other considerations. (12 points)

3.     The Memorial as structured considers the specificity of location. (12 points)

4.     The Memorial as structured considers all seasons in Connecticut and are safe and low maintenance. (12 points)

5.     The Memorial as structured is high impact and conveys artistic excellence. (12 points)

6.     The Memorial as structured is welcoming, accessible, and appropriate to the site. (12 points)

7.     Appropriateness of fee proposal. (15 points)

8.     Concept is feasible within timeline and budget. (15 points)

The Selection Committee will select one artist/team that will result in the right to negotiate a contract with via Advancing CT Together as the agent for the Task Force to design and create the Memorial. The right to negotiate a contract does not guarantee that a contract will be executed.