Call Description

HUTCHINSON ARENA RENOVATION PROJECT OVERVIEW
 
The Hutchinson Arena Renovation Project involves the construction and renovation of the Hutchinson Sports Arena, a multi‐use, city-owned indoor basketball arena. The 6,500 seat arena was designed and built in the 1950’s as a basketball arena, home of the men’s and women’s Blue Dragons basketball teams of Hutchinson Community College.  The arena also hosts the annual National Junior College Athletic Association’s men’s basketball tournament, each year drawing thousands of visitors from around the country.  The facility is also regularly used by the community for the Dillon Lecture Series, area high school graduations, banquets and other types of sporting activities and community gatherings.  The Hutchinson Blue Dragons will remain the primary tenant of the Hutchinson Arena.
 
In 2013, Schaefer, Johnson, Cox & Frey Architects, a Wichita-based firm renowned for designing state-of-the-art public facilities, was hired as the lead architect.  SJCF has teamed with Denver-based architects, Sink, Combs & Dethlefs, also renowned for their creative designs of sports and entertainment venues.
 
Following an in-depth study that involved stakeholder input, the architectural team developed a conceptual design to renovate existing spaces and construct building additions that will expand use of the facility throughout the year with air conditioned comfort.  The project will be built in phases that will take about two years for completion, while the building will remain in use throughout the basketball season.  The estimated $29 million improvements include:
 
·        community gyms & running track
·        weight training & sports medicine room
·        locker and team areas
·        drop-off plaza and new entrances
·        lobby & ticketing
·        concessions & food service areas
·        restrooms & elevators
·        offices, club areas and conference rooms
·        landscaped parking facilities 
 
In April of 2015, a citizen-led campaign resulted in overwhelming support by local voters to provide sales tax revenues to pay for the project over ten years.  A Building Committee was appointed by the City Council to oversee the entire project, along with the consultants and staff of both the City and Hutchinson Community College.
 
Recently joining the design team is JE Dunn Construction, a national construction firm which specializes in building sporting facilities.  JE Dunn is working as the Construction Manager at Risk on the project, and is the lead builder.
 
Now the project calls for artists to join the design team to bring public art into the facility that is certain to provide a dramatic effect and add to a memorable experience for athletes, spectators, and other users of the facility, while encouraging people to gather, sit, connect and engage one another. Public art at the Hutchinson Arena is meant to change the way the public experiences the facility and surrounding environment. The commissioned artworks should engage and challenge the public, be distinctive, and inspire curiosity and discussion. It is the intention of the project to commission new works of art made specifically for the site.
 
It is recommended that multiple artworks be commissioned throughout the Hutchinson Arena site to activate each side of the building and to support and reflect the function of the building as a site for sporting events, and community and cultural activities.
 
The artwork at the Hutchinson Arena should:

• Reinforce the connection of the building to its surroundings.
• Reflect the character of the local population.
• Support the relationship between the City and Hutchinson Community College.
• Strengthen the user and spectator experience of the building.
• Be located in areas open to the general public.
• Highlight the building’s function as a site for sporting, community and cultural events.

 ARTIST SELECTION PROCESS
 
Artists will be selected for the Hutchinson Arena public art project through an Open Call to artists. They will be evaluated by the 11 member Public Art Design Council and decisions will be based upon the overall quality and merit of the artists’ past works. The Design Council will screen the artists’ applications and select 2 or more artists for the project site.
 
Selected finalists will then be asked to submit conceptual design proposals, which will be evaluated by the Design Council. If selected as a finalist, artists will be invited to visit the project site and meet with the Design Team (SJCF, SCD & JE Dunn) so that they can better understand the scope of the project. Final budgets will also be discussed at that time. Once all final proposals are received, the Design Council will submit recommendations to the Building Committee who will select the project artists.
 
The Hutchinson City Council must approve contracts for any amount over $10,000. Once a proposal has been reviewed and approved by the Building Committee, it will be presented to the City Council for review and approval.
  
PUBLIC ART LOCATIONS
 
The sites for public art are:

• Outdoor Drop-off Plaza & Entrance (south side), Lobbies, Circulation Corridors, & Hall of Fame Areas

 DROP-OFF PLAZA, ENTRANCE, LOBBIES, CIRCULATION CORRIDORS, HALLS OF FAME
 
# of artists:                        1 or more artists
 
Approximate budget:       $230,000
 
Artist selection: Open Competition.
 
Project Description: The main entrance to the building will be located on the south side, leading to the ticketing, lobby, restroom, concessions and elevator areas.  This entrance features a glass and metal frame building façade which spans the height of the building and an outdoor plaza leading to the doors of the building. This entrance provides a protected drop-off zone for passenger vehicles and gathering space for visitors.  This project area will include the outdoor plaza terrace, sidewalks, bollards, and streetscape furniture located within the drop-off zone and main entrance. 
 
The project also includes indoor circulation corridors on the perimeter of the bowl and Halls of Fame located on both the east and west sides of the building along the corridors. The project also includes all lobbies, located 1) at the main south entrance, 2) at entrances on the east and west sides of the building, 3) at an entrance on the northwest side of the building nearest the community gyms, and 4) near the elevators on the second floor on the south side of the building. 
 
PUBLIC ART REQUIREMENTS
 
Appropriations for Percent for Art Program projects may be spent for:
 
1.    The Artwork itself, including but not limited to:

•  Artist's design fees.
• Additional labor and materials required for production and installation of Artwork.
• Artist's operating costs.
• Travel related to the Project.
• Transportation of the Artwork to the site and installation.
• Any required permit or certificate fees.

 
2.    Identification plaques and labels.
 
3.    Frames, mats, mountings, anchorages, containments, pedestals, or materials necessary for the installation, location or security of the Artwork.
 
4.    Photographs of completed Artworks.
 
5.    Communication and other indirect costs including insurance.
 
6.    Expenses for special advisors or consultants.
 
7.    Historical artifacts displaced by construction.
 
Appropriations for Percent for Art Program projects may not be spent for:
 
1.    Reproduction, by mechanical or other means, of original Artworks, except in cases of film, video, photography, printmaking or other media arts.
 
2.    Decorative, ornamental, or functional elements which are designed by the Architect or consultants engaged by the Architect, as opposed to an Artist commissioned for this purpose.
 
3.    Those elements generally considered to be components of a landscape architectural design or landscape gardening.
 
4.    "Art Objects" which are mass produced of standard design, such as playground sculpture.
 
5.    Directional or other functional elements, such as supergraphics, signs, color coding, maps, etc., except where a recognized Artist is employed.
 
6.    Those items which are required to fulfill the basic purpose of a Department/Division. Examples would be Artworks fulfilling an interpretive or educational role in a City facility or park.
  
TIMELINE
 
Applications due: ……………………………………. Friday, September 4, 2015
Finalists selected………………………………………. September 2015
Finalist proposal development………………….. September, October 2015
Proposals due …………………………………………..  October 30, 2015
Building construction begins……………………..  December 2015
Artwork fabrication and installation …………  December 2015 ‐ March 2017
Building construction complete ………………..  November 2017
Building occupancy……………………………………  November 2017
  
ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS
 
Professional artists or artist teams residing in the United States of America are eligible to apply.  Artists must have completed a project with a similar budget, scale and scope within the last five (5) years.
  
ARTIST SELECTION CRITERIA
 
We are looking for artists who are willing to work with the Building Committee, City Staff, and the Design Team to create works of art that are sensitive to the sites and to the community they serve. The selected artists will work with these team members throughout the process. Artists will be selected based on the following criteria:
 

• Innovation, creativity and quality of craftsmanship in previous projects.
• Ability to and interest in creating artwork that is unique to the site.
• Appropriateness of artwork media and scale relative to the site.
• Demonstrated proficiency and technical knowledge of the materials and techniques in the artist’s chosen medium.
• Experience and success in creating art in collaboration or cooperation with architectural design teams and under the auspices of a public agency.
• Assessed ability to design, fabricate and install artwork within the project timeline and budget.

 
Selected finalists will be paid a $3,000 design fee. Design proposals will be juried based on the following criteria:
 

• Proposal reflects a firm understanding of context/theme and exhibits original ideas.
• Proposal relates to site architecture, location, material, scale.
• Proposal has engaging and/or other enduring qualities, timelessness.
• Proposal has a realistic budget. Is the artist design fee 15%? Does the budget include installation and material costs? Does the budget include a 10% contingency?
• Artist has demonstrated ability and experience to complete the project based on past project success.
• Are the materials durable? Review artwork proximity to moisture, exposure to weather, sun or other elements that could damage the artwork. How often will artwork need to be cleaned?
• Is it accessible? What is the method of cleaning? What is the propensity of materials to develop mold, rust or other damage over time?

 APPLICATION PROCEDURES
 
All applications must be submitted via the CAFÉ website at www.callforentry.org. Follow the directions on the application form for submittal. Questions may be addressed to meryld@hutchgov.com.  No applications will be accepted by other methods of delivery.  To be considered, applicants must submit the following information:
 

1. A current resume. (Four pages maximum.) Artist teams may submit a resume for each artist on the team. Each artist may submit up to four pages maximum.
    
2. References. A list of at least three (3) professional references that include names, mailing addresses, email addresses, phone numbers. At least one (1) reference must be from a public art installation. Include professional connection for all references.
    
3. A letter of interest. This is a statement that describes your general approach to making art and the issues and concerns of public art in particular.
    
4. A minimum of ten (10) images of past work. All images must be in JPEG format (.jpg).  Please include a title, media, dimensions, and year completed for each image.

 
APPLICATION DEADLINE AND SUBMISSION - Friday, September 4, 2015.  
 
CONTACT INFORMATION - Meryl Dye, Assistant City Manager, meryld@hutchgov.com

Application Requirements

Eligibility Criteria

Print this Page    View Rules & Terms to Apply