Call Summary: 
The Vista Cultural District and One Columbia for Arts and Culture are placing an open competition for a public art lighting project in the Lincoln Street Tunnel in The Vista, Columbia, SC. The project is to be located inside the 100-year-old railroad tunnel that begins at the intersection of Lady Street and Lincoln Street. The proposed lighting artwork must extend the length of the 400 ft. tunnel. The design for the artwork may include but is not limited to highlighting The Vista as the creative and cultural district of the City of Columbia and/or the function of the Vista Greenway tunnel as a pedestrian crossing between The Vista and the newly renovated Finley Park. Three artists will be shortlisted for the project and each artist will be compensated $500 for conceptual designs. The materials used for the artwork must withstand an extremely high traffic, public and university environment, and be capable of withstanding adverse weather conditions common to the state of South Carolina (high UV exposure, high humidity, high temperatures, etc.)

Artwork Goals:

The goal of the project is to create a meaningful work of Public Art lighting that engages residents and visitors as they enjoy The Vista and the Vista Greenway while adding additional security to the tunnel. The artwork should be unique, engaging, and support objective of The Vista to be a vibrant, walkable neighborhood that welcomes a diversity of people, businesses, and entertainment venues.

About the Commissioning Organizations:

The Vista was home to artisans and makers long before the maker movement reached the area. Spanning 48 blocks, the area is protected as an architectural conservation district by the City of Columbia. Bounded by the Congaree River to the west and Assembly Street to the east, this district features a mixture of historically significant buildings with architecturally sympathetic re-development and infill projects. Historically, this area was dominated by industries and warehouses dating from the 1840s through the 1930s, including many 1- and 2-story brick buildings arrayed along a network of railroad sidings, The economic downturn of the 1970s left many of the buildings unused, providing an opportunity for revitalization. Artists helped lead the way in the area’s resurgence starting in the 1980s, and today the spirit of the arts remains evident in this district filled with restaurants, local businesses, and homes. In October 2015, the South Carolina Arts Commission designated the Vista an official South Carolina Cultural District, due to its concentration of cultural facilities, activities, and assets.

One Columbia’s mission is to advise, amplify, and advocate for the unified arts and culture community. We work to promote collaboration through shared celebrations of the City of Columbia’s arts and historic treasures with the goal of raising the quality of life for our citizens, attracting tourist dollars to our city, and further enhancing our vibrant downtown.

Location Description: 

The project is to be located inside the Lincoln Street pedestrian tunnel, a 100-year-old railroad tunnel, that begins at the intersection of Lady Street and Lincoln Street, Columbia, SC. The proposed Public Art lighting must extend the length of the 400 ft tunnel. Lighting fixtures and any additional artwork must bridge the tunnel ceiling decking or be connected to the concrete cap of the tunnel wall (attachments). All attachments must be epoxy anchors.  No spread anchors are allowed. Existing conduits may be reused, or new conduit and wiring may be installed. All electrical work must be done by a certified electrician. There are currently 16 (sixteen) lighting units in the tunnel each at 33,500 lumens.  Lighting can be removed/replaced, but the total number of lumens in the tunnel must stay the same.

Budget:

The artist selected will receive $135,000 to cover materials, equipment, labor, installation, insurance, travel, engineered drawings, and any other costs associated with the artwork. The fee will be paid in thirds on invoice as a deposit after contract execution, 1/3 at installation, and 1/3 on invoice after satisfactory completion including certificates of completion, record drawings, and reproducible copies.

Timeline:

Response of Interest Deadline: November 21, 2024

Notice of Award of Shortlist Selection: November 29, 2024

Conceptual Design Report Due: December 13, 2024

Presentation of Conceptual Designs (over video call): December 16 – December 20, 2024

Anticipated Notification of Selection: December 20, 2024

Work must be installed by: August 29, 2025

Shortlist Selection Process:

The selection panel of members of The Congaree Vista Guild, The Vista Public Art Committee, and local artists will review all qualified and complete applications. Three artists will be shortlisted for the project and each artist will be compensated $500 for conceptual designs.  The shortlisted artists will present their Conceptual Design reports to the selection committee via a virtual meeting platform. The selection committee will score each Conceptual Design report on a rubric against the requirements and selection criteria.  One artist will be selected for the project. The selected artist must contract with One Columbia for Art and Culture for this project. Accepting a proposal from an artist does not constitute any form of contract or agreement with respect to the project.

Finalists Conceptual Design Requirements:

• Brief introduction about the artist
• Visual concept
• Artist statement about the work
• Detailed budget and materials list
• Maintenance plan with an estimated cost to maintain the work
• Anything else you need to convey your ideas effectively

Finalist’s Selection Criteria:

• Aesthetic quality of conceptual design
• Concept’s suitability for the location
• Durability and longevity of materials used
• Ease of maintenance

Contact Information:

Pamela Zeljak

pamela@onecolumbiasc.com

One Columbia for Art and Culture

803-254-5008

Application Requirements

All applications must be submitted through callforentry.org. The following materials are required:

At least five images of your artworks. You may also include up to two videos.

Artwork information for each image, uploaded as a pdf (title, date, dimensions, medium, commissioning agency, location, brief description for each image)

Artist’s statement

Artists resume/CV

Letter of Interest

Current contact information

Eligibility Criteria

You are eligible for this commission if:

You are a professional visual artist or an artist team. (Teams of up to five artists may apply. Team members cannot apply as individual artists. Portfolios should include works created by the team and not those of the individuals on the team.)

You are a US citizen or can be authorized to work in the United States.

You create public art or artwork well suited for public spaces.

You are not a student enrolled in an undergraduate or graduate course of study in the visual arts at the time you apply.