Utah Arts & Museums Public Art Program
Requests Artists Qualifications
for the
Dixie Applied Technology College – St. George, Utah 
 
Request for qualifications from artists and/or artist teams interested in creating site specific artwork(s) for the inaugural building of the new campus of Dixie Applied Technology College in St. George, Utah. 
 
 DEADLINE FOR MATERIALS: April 4, 2016
 
 DIXIE APPLIED TECHNOLOGY COLLEGE 
The DXATC has been educating and certifying students in St. George / Washington County / Southern Utah since 2001 and is quickly becoming a leader in the Utah College of Applied Technology (UCAT) network. DXATC plays an important role in meeting the region’s demand for technically-trained employees and leaders. The Executive Staff, Board members, and faculty work closely with local industry partners to develop cutting-edge training programs and hands-on experiences for thousands of students annually. The College’s numerous and diverse programs are in constant demand and are experiencing a high level of growth. DXATC offers both traditional format classes and Open-enrollment classes, allowing for a customized educational experience and a unique college culture.
 
 
THE BUILDING AND SITE 
The 30-acre DXATC campus site is located at the old airport grounds on the mesa overlooking St. George. It boasts expansive views of the adjacent geology including the Pine Valley Mountains, the Sand Dune Mountains, Zion National Park, Snow Canyon, and the Virgin Mountains. The parcel is bordered to the east by a proposed park and the edge of the mesa, to the west by the edge of another mesa, and to the south by the existing hangers remaining from the airport. The existing runway and taxiway will remain as assets to the school and community.
 
The DXATC site is acknowledged as “one of the most beautiful sites in the world” offering magnificent views to and from the campus which must be thoughtfully considered. Envisioned as a HUB for technology, industry, and learning the future of the mesa is a blank canvas making long range vision key. Scale at every level has been studied including city, campus, pedestrian and building. Sustainability has been a key factor with green strategies strongly desired in the design. The project is to be two buildings that separate professional programs from industrial technology programs.
 
The main campus building will be the Professional Programs Classroom building located on the eastern portion of the site. The educational programs in this building will include Drafting and Design, Graphic Arts, IT, Medical Assisting programs, Pharmacy Tech, Culinary Arts, Floral and Landscape, and a multi-purpose space for industry training events. This building will also house the Student Services department, Administrative Offices, data network infrastructure, Cafe, and student common spaces.
 
The Industrial Technology Building located on the west portion of the site will be approximately 40,000 SF to 50,000 SF (final SF dependent on incorporate of Automotive and Welding add alternates). The educational programs in this building will include Diesel Technology, Apprenticeship (building trades), OpX (advanced manufacturing), Automotive (add alternate), and Welding (add alternate). There will also be a shared tool room, materials storage, and offices for instructors.
 
The new Dixie Applied Technology College campus and New Permanent Campus Building will be a community icon that is rooted in its unique and significant Heritage. The building, while modern and providing hi-tech education, will acknowledge this distinct and important history while leading its students and community into the future. It will be a harmonious blend of the old and new, moving forward together to build people …. build community.
 
The campus will set the tone and character for education as well as development on the mesa creating an inviting HUB for learning in the heart of St. George. It will be a powerful tool to attract new students both in and outside of Utah. Ultimately, it will be a shining example to the community both in its purpose and its architectural expression of glass, stone and light.
 
The building(s) and campus is designed in harmony with the local landscape colors of the red, green, black and brown desert climate. The campus and New Permanent Campus Building will provide a portal to unforgettable views of the city and landscapes beyond with additional opportunity to honor the elements; earth, wind, fire and water. A thoughtful connection to open green space with trails for walking and biking will further connect and ground the campus to its context.
 
The campus and New Permanent Campus Building will serve the community and build upon the “Dixie Spirit” which encompasses community and collaboration. It will be a place for community events including a rooftop terrace on the first building and a 500 person tiered auditorium (a must). It will foster existing relationships and maximize partnerships with local industry including providing an incubator space for startups – “The Launch Center”. The campus will include a “working lab” for live experience and community engagement and operate as a revenue producer.
 
For the Professional Programs building, DXATC desired a lively programmatic presence during both the day and night. This created the need for a main entry lobby and student commons space that activates and connects the different education programs.
 
DXATC has been designed to allow maximum daylight and views into all appropriate spaces, with few exceptions (the auditorium, mechanical rooms, storage rooms, etc.) The building orientation, siting and strategy leverages access to views and natural light. The relatively narrow footprint maximizes opportunities for view and natural light to every classroom and program, and nearly every office space. Large windows are utilized at the main lobby, conference rooms, the board room, and student gathering areas to take full advantage of views and site connectivity. The building is designed to have a sense of internal illumination, and expressive of the lively activity taking place inside both day and night and year round.
 
Building program and interior design: The stair in the student commons will be a combination of cast in place concrete walls supporting precast treads and risers.  The design of interior spaces is comfortable learning environments that are bright, inviting, and conducive to good health. Interior finishes and materials are durable enough to withstand the specialty functions at the industrial technology shops, floral and landscape classroom, culinary arts kitchen and lab, and building supports spaces. General classrooms, offices, and human occupied support spaces will be have carpet or sealed concrete, suspended ceiling system, paint, and plam casework. Higher grade finishes are applied to the student common spaces, board room, conference room, and waiting areas.
 
Exterior organization and materials:
The proposed Professional Programs Classroom building will be three levels with a max allowed overall height of 75’ (62’ proposed). The structural system is a steel wide flange system with brace frames supporting concrete on metal deck. Roof framing includes open web steel joists and wide flange beams supporting a steel roof deck.
 
Exterior materials will include aluminum metal panel, masonry veneer, composite cement panels, curtain wall system glazing, and perforated metal panel.
 
The design of the landscape in which all of these activities exist greatly contributes to the success of these spaces, and the campus character in general. The design of the landscape addresses the surrounding architecture and streetscape, and perhaps most importantly, the pedestrian spaces.  All diverse activities are tied together with landscapes that is purposeful, safe, vibrant, and attractive open space that invite and foster human interaction and connection.
 
ST. GEORGE AND WASHINGTON COUNTY 
Washington County is known for warm winter weather, snowbirds, and beautiful red rock scenery. It has been known as Utah's Dixie since pioneers settled here in the 1850's. Championship golf, tennis, walking paths, biking trails, hiking, warm, snow-free winters and year –long low humidity all make life attractive here.  The County of approximately 140,000 residents is home to the Snow Canyon State Park and the magnificent Zion National Park.
 
St. George is the hub of Southern Utah, and surrounded by a tapestry of brilliant red cliffs, manicured green golf courses, and cobalt blue skies. The city bustles with many specialty shops, the Dixie Center’s convention facilities, a new state-of-the-art medical campus, Dixie State College, St. George Municipal Airport, as well as many fine dining establishments and a wide variety of accommodations.

Recently, Inc Magazine ranked St. George as one of the hottest cities for business.  AARP named St. George as one of America’s top ten dream towns.  Forbes Magazine ranked St. George as one of the top ten best places to do business.
 
COMMITTEE STATEMENT
When the first group of pioneer settlers arrived in this valley they came to call Dixie, the heavens opened and they were literally greeted with water.  Perhaps indicative of the importance of that life-sustaining element, the rains fell for some forty days.  Those early settlers came with skills and grit and went to work on two fronts that were imperative to their survival then and remain imperative to our success today:  They built dams and a canal system to capture and manage water, and they established school, even in the midst of the torrential rains that welcomed them.  Some 150 years later, water remains the number one concern for growth, development and sustainability in Washington County.  A close second remains education and skill development to meet the needs of industry. 
 
The Committee is asking artists interested in this public art project to use this concept of water and its importance as conceptual inspiration.   Water may not necessarily be interpreted literally but the site(s) considered may be interior, exterior, through or all.  The Committee is interested in working with an artist(s) that can take these ideas and develop them into an integrated public artwork that is incredible, timeless, and meaningful all at the same time.  The Committee will be open to artist suggested sites for this public art project. 
 
BUDGET 
$203,000 is available for all related expenses of this Public Art commission(s) including (but not limited to) artist fees, fabrication, insurance, shipping, travel, installation, documentation, etc.
  
ELIGIBILITY 
Resident American or legal resident artists / artist teams are encouraged to apply. Utah artists, particularly Southern Utah artists, are encouraged to submit their qualifications.  Art Selection Committee members, staff of Utah Arts & Museums, Method Studio and Layton Construction 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 related to the specific conflict.
 
SUBMISSION OPTIONS, INSTRUCTIONS AND REQUIRED MATERIALS
Interested artists may submit applications via CaFE.org or by compact disc/DVD.  The deadline is the same for both methods and is not a postmark deadline.  Please do not include supplemental materials beyond the requirements listed below. All applications must include the following:

ON-LINE METHOD:
Register at www.callforentry.org and follow the directions for registration and submitting material for this Public Art Request for Qualifications.  The online application process will prompt you for all required information.

If the artist’s work cannot be documented well with still image you may submit movie files via the “Compact Disc or DVD Method” listed below.  Movie files cannot be submitted via the online method.
 
COMPACT DISC METHOD:
A PC compatible CD labeled with applicant's name, and contact information containing:

* A letter of interest of not more than two typewritten pages in pdf format. This letter should include the artist’s reasons for interest in this project in particular.  In doing so, the artist should also describe how his/her work and/or experience relates to the project. 

* Up to six (6) images maximum of previous site-specific public work. All images must be in JPEG format, 1920 pixels maximum on the longest side, 72 dpi, with compression settings resulting in the best image quality under 2MB file size. The image files should be named so that the list sorts in the order of the image listing.

*A pdf document indentifying each image to include title, year, medium, dimensions.

* A professional resume in pdf format

If the work cannot be documented well with still images a DVD (of no more than 3 minutes) may be submitted as documentation of artist’s projects.  Please note only one media, movie file or images, can be presented to the committee per artist in this preliminary phase.

If the artist wishes the material returned, an addressed and stamped envelope of ample size and postage for return of the CD or DVD should be included. Material that is not accompanied by a stamped envelope cannot be returned.

Utah Arts & Museums will not be responsible for applications delayed or lost in transit.  While all reasonable care will be taken in the handling of materials, neither the Utah Division of Arts & Museums nor the Dixie Applied Technology College Art Selection Committee will be liable for late, lost or damaged materials or electronic files.  Faxed or e-mailed applications cannot be accepted.

Dixie Applied Technology College Art Selection Committee reserves the right to withhold the award of a commission or re-release the call for entries.  

DEADLINE 
Complete application packages must be RECEIVED on or before April 4 2016 by 5 p.m. (THIS IS NOT A POSTMARK DEADLINE.) and online applications will close at 11:59 pm MST. 
 
Please send, deliver or courier applications to:
Jim Glenn, Utah Public Art Program
Attention: Dixie ATC
Utah Arts & Museums
300 S Rio Grande
Salt Lake City, UT 84101
 
SELECTION PROCESS AND SCHEDULE 
The Selection Committee will review all material properly submitted.  Finalists will be selected from the first phase of applicants submitting qualifications.  These finalists will be requested to attend a pre-proposal meeting for an interview and tour of the site and environs with the Selection Committee. 
 
These finalists will then be asked to develop a proposal to be presented remotely or in person to the Selection Committee.   The Selection Committee will work to provide as much information and access as possible to assist in the artist’s research while developing their proposal.
 
An honorarium of $2000 will be offered to the finalists to assist with the costs associated with travel and the development of a proposal. This honorarium will be applied toward the commission amount for the artist(s) awarded the commission.

Schedule:
March 2016 - Release RFQ
April  4, 2016 - Deadline for receipt of preliminary materials
April  20, 2016 – Full Committee review and selection of finalists.
May 13, 2016 - Artist interviews / site tours
June 17, 2016 – Finalist presentations (remote or in person)
 
ARTIST SELECTION COMMITTEE 
Clint Bunnell - Utah Division of Facilities Construction & Management
Kathy Cieslewiscz - Artist - ‎Curator/Director/Adjunct Art Instructor
Jennifer Forbes - DXATC, Director of Marketing
Joshua Greene - Method Studio Architecture
Becky Hawkins - Method Studio Architecture
Vic Hockett - DXATC, Executive Vice President
Kelle Stephens - DXATC, President
 
If you have any questions about this or other projects information is available at: publicart.utah.gov
Or contact:  Jim Glenn at 801-245-7271 or e-mail at: jglenn@utah.gov
Felicia Baca at 801-245-7272 or  fbaca@utah.gov
 

Application Requirements

Eligibility Criteria

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