Background/Overview

The City of Brentwood has formed an Arts Commission to encourage, stimulate, promote and foster programs for the cultural enrichment of the City and its inhabitants.  The City accepts the responsibility for expanding the experience with visual art.  Through the Public Art program, the City seeks to enable people in all societies to better understand their communities and individual lives.  Brentwood is located near the Delta in East Contra Costa County, 55 miles east of San Francisco Bay Area at the foot of Mount Diablo.  Brentwood, incorporated in 1948, has a long and rich agricultural history. The City’s Public Art Guidelines are attached for your reference.

The Project

The City of Brentwood Arts Commission seeks to commission an artist to create outdoor public art along an island median on Sand Creek Road across from “The Streets of Brentwood”. This is the first of four major “Gateways” into the City of Brentwood.  This is also a heavily used thoroughfare located between two shopping centers.

The application deadline is 5:00 p.m. on August 31, 2017.

Project Intent

The vision for this project is to add a signature permanent installation of public art bringing the past to the future with a prospective of heritage and historical vision of the community.  The piece should enhance the space and be as visually interesting at night, as well as during the day, by incorporating light and the City of Brentwood logo.  The space where the art is to be placed is a span of 180 feet long and 25 to 30 feet wide and can be used in part or in total.  The Arts Commission is seeking an original artistic vision for this gateway that:

• • Enhances the experience of vehicles coming into Brentwood
  • Create a sense of place and pride by establishing a distinctive landmark as one of the gateways into the City
  • Is compatible within the space in terms of scale, material, form, content, and safety considerations
  • Requires minimum conservation and maintenance
  • Complies with the City’s light ordnance

Criteria (please review carefully).

The Arts Commission will evaluate all submissions based on the following criteria: 

1. Professional qualifications
2. Proven artistic merit of prior relevant work
3. Experience fabricating and installing permanent artwork suitable for the outdoor environment
4. Project management experience.
5. Experience working with local governmental (i.e. municipal) agencies.

Eligibility

This opportunity is open to established professional artists living in the United States.  Applicants should have experience creating, fabricating and installing public art.  Only professional artists with reviewable portfolios are eligible to submit qualifications.  Applicants who wish to be considered for this project should have experience creating durable outdoor public art pieces, working within the public process, proven ability to fabricate their own work or to work with fabricators and installers.

Artwork Budget

Up to $175,000 will be awarded to the selected artist or artist team.  The budget includes artwork design, fabrication, delivery and installation of the art work, as well as the artist fee, travel, up to three meetings and other direct costs.

Selection Process

Once a list of qualified artists is identified, the City will solicit proposals for the Project.  Arts Commissioners and City staff will review the proposals and narrow the finalists down to between two and four artists with a recommendation returning to City Council to approve the finalists.  Upon City Council approval, a stipend of $2,000 will be authorized for each finalist to create the maquette for consideration by the Arts Commission for the Project.  Arts Commission will recommend the final artist to City Council for approval and to enter into an agreement for a final proposal, including budget and timeline for completion and installation. 

Submission Requirements

Artists may apply individually or as a team.  Artists interested in this project must prepare and submit a single PDF and include the following:

1. Letter of Interest:  A letter not to exceed two pages outlining your interest in this project, experience working on comparable projects and a statement of conceptual approach including lighting.  Letter must include address, email, and web site of artist.

2. Professional Resume:  A resume not to exceed two pages.  Include artist training, professional experience, and design and experience in environmental design.  If submitting as a team, submit a resume for each team member.

3. Images:  A maximum of ten (10) images of a variety of prior projects.  Ten images per application, not per team member.  At least four of these images must be of relevant outdoor public art pieces.  Each image must be numbered and include the title, date of completion/installation, media, dimensions (height x width x depth, in feet), location, final project cost and a brief description of the work.  Include the artist name.

4. Professional Reference:  A list of three (3) prior permanent public art project references with contact information (name, title, organization, mailing address, phone number, and email address), the name and location of the art work, and a brief description of the relationship.

Note:  As stated above, the entire submission must be a single PDF.  Submissions must be submitted electronically as an email attachment and received by 5:00 p.m. on Thursday, August 31, 2017.

Email the submission to: pscherff@brentwoodca.gov

Additional Information:  If you have any questions or need any additional information, please call Poldina Scherff at (925) 516-5364 or email at pscherff@brentwoodca.gov

Application Requirements

Eligibility Criteria