Introduction

Recognizing the cultural benefit that art in public locations brings to a community, the Town of Bluffton (“Town”) created a Public Art Committee in 2022.  The Committee works with Town staff and makes recommendations to the Town of Bluffton Town Council for approval.  In October, 2022, Town Council approved a Public Art Policy for the Town of Bluffton and approved the development of a Public Art Master Plan.

The Town is seeking sculptors and other 3D artists to create an original, durable, outdoor piece for historic Oyster Factory Park.  The Oyster Factory itself is the last hand-shucking facility in South Carolina, and the commission should educate visitors to the importance of fishing, shrimping, oystering to our local economy and the environmental gem that is the May River. It is the heart of our town.  Explore these links for some historic perspective of these activities in Bluffton, but also nearby Daufuskie Island and Hilton Head Island: 

History of the Bluffton Oyster Company

South Carolina Oyster Industry: A History – many photos and a good history including Bluffton                       

South Carolina Lowcountry - Gullah History    

Lowcountry Gullah - First Families                       

Theme and Media:   The winning commission will be human scale and reflective of the historic activities and people of Bluffton. It may be in a classic sculpture style or more contemporary with a subdued pallet.  Media can include, but are not limited to: bronze, stone, wood, metal, ceramic, concrete, mosaic or other materials suitable for exterior display.  The resulting piece should be safe and durable if people will be touching it and photographing themselves with it.   Proposals will be evaluated against the criteria defined in the  Bluffton Public Art Policy.         

Site:  The intended permanent location is in the Open Green Space located in the eastern portion of the park, midway between the river/existing Bluffton Oyster Factory and the parking area of Bridge street as shown on the Witmer Jones Keefer, Ltd. Plan attached at this DropBox link: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/h40xnk5m3jiubv2onh1pa/OFP-Site-Location-and-Pictures.pdf?rlkey=sxsvjpcb4i3zhsuts1gutyvth&st=kc1p1rik&dl=0

Photos are included with the plan. 

Timeframe:

·         Posted to Cafe November 21, 2024 - January 10, 2025

·         Jury evaluations January 11 – January 28.  Depending on the number and quality of the submissions, the Public Art Committee may make a determination to choose their top five for further consideration.

·         If down-selecting the five most highly ranked submissions, the Town will contact those artists on January 29 with feedback to refine their submissions for a $750 stipend.

·         Refined submissions will be due no later than February 12, and artists will make a 5-10 minute presentation on their concept to the Public Arts Commission at the Feb 25 public meeting.

·         At the February 25th meeting, the Public Arts Commission will make a final recommendation to be provided to Bluffton Town Council.

·         Bluffton Town Council meets April 8

Application Requirements

Applicants will be required to submit:

·         4-10 images of their initial design;

·         A PDF document with:

o   artist’s statement explaining their inspiration for their original piece;

o   information about the materials and durability;

o   schedule from contract award to installation;

o   on-going maintenance requirements;

o   professional resume/CV;

o   past project images and references;

o   estimated budget not to exceed $65,000 including artist’s commission, materials and manufacturing costs, transportation and installation costs. 

Eligibility Criteria

Artists eligible for this open call should be established artists or artist-led teams who work in 3D media and have completed projects for private clients, public agencies and/or grassroots or community projects.