Call Detail
Montana RTS
Entry Deadline: 7/7/17
Application Closed
Work Sample Requirements
Images | Minimum:Min. 1, Maximum:Max. 6
Audio | Minimum:Min. 0, Maximum:Max. 6
Video | Minimum:Min. 0, Maximum:Max. 6
Total Samples | Minimum:Min. 1, Maximum:Max. 6
Call Type: Public Art
Eligibility: National
State: Texas


The mission of Sun Metro is to provide a first-class public transportation service to all El Pasoans and visitors so they can experience safe, reliable, professional, courteous customer service and economic opportunity.  Sun Metro recognizes that serving the public is our reason for existing and will strive to do whatever possible to assure our public a pleasant experience. Sun Metro operates 167 Fixed Route Vehicles, 62 LIFT vehicles and serves more than 16 million passengers a year. Sun Metro also operates a large natural gas fueled fleet, which at one time was the world’s largest operating mass transit fleets.

Sun Metro RTS, with branding logo Brio (Spanish for excitement, verve, and energy), is a high-quality transit service that offers similar benefits to light rail transit, such as improved speed and reliability, but at a much lower implementation cost. RTS uses rubber-tire, high capacity vehicles, improved fare collection systems and controlled traffic signals to move riders more efficiently. Ultimately, Sun Metro passengers using the RTS will not only save money and reduce their carbon footprint, they will get to their destinations faster.

The Montana RTS corridor consists of 25 stations originating at the Five Points Transit Terminal, and continuing on to the Far East Transit Terminal with stops at the El Paso International Airport and the East Transfer Center.

Stations include the area surrounding the station canopy.  This station area extends from the station platform to the closest intersection, plus 250’ on the other side of the platform away from the intersection and 300’ from the intersection on all four legs of the intersection and provisions for communications to and from the stations and transfer centers. Each station will have high end amenities such as free WiFi, bike racks, shade screens, electronic real-time displays, ticket vending machines, and solar-powered compacting trash cans.

City of El Paso Public Art Program

The City of El Paso’s Public Art Ordinance was adopted by City Council April 4, 2006 to promote and encourage private and public programs to further the development and public awareness of, and interest in, the fine arts and cultural properties, to increase employment opportunities in the arts, to encourage the integration of art into the architecture of municipal structures for the City of El Paso and to provide for the citizens of the City high quality, publicly accessible works of art, which contribute to the urban landscape and symbolize the City’s sense of place.

The Public Art Program Goals are to:
  • Enhance the quality of life of residents through the thoughtful infusion of artists at a neighborhood level and in the design of publicly financed infrastructure;
     
  • Promote economic revitalization by adding value to municipal facilities, creating ongoing opportunities for artists and artisans to enhance the visitor experience; and define, enhance, and improve authentic images of El Paso as a unique place, community, and destination.

Project Description

The mission of Sun Metro is to provide a first-class public transportation service to all El Pasoans and visitors so they can experience safe, reliable, professional, courteous customer service and economic opportunity.  Sun Metro recognizes that serving the public is our reason for existing and will strive to do whatever possible to assure our public a pleasant experience.  Sun Metro operates 167 Fixed Route Vehicles, 62 LIFT vehicles and serves more than 16 million passengers a year. Sun Metro also operates a large natural gas fueled fleet, which at one time was the world’s largest operating mass transit fleets.


Sun Metro RTS, with branding logo Brio (Spanish for excitement, verve, and energy), is a high-quality transit service that offers similar benefits to light rail transit, such as improved speed and reliability, but at a much lower implementation cost. RTS uses rubber-tire, high capacity vehicles, improved fare collection systems and controlled traffic signals to move riders more efficiently. Ultimately, Sun Metro passengers using the RTS will not only save money and reduce their carbon footprint, they will get to their destinations faster.

The Montana RTS corridor consists of 25 stations originating at the Five Points Transit Terminal, and continuing on to the Far East Transit Terminal with stops at the El Paso International Airport and the East Transfer Center.

Stations include the area surrounding the station canopy.  This station area extends from the station platform to the closest intersection, plus 250’ on the other side of the platform away from the intersection and 300’ from the intersection on all four legs of the intersection and provisions for communications to and from the stations and transfer centers. Each station will have high end amenities such as free WiFi, bike racks, shade screens, electronic real-time displays, ticket vending machines, and solar-powered compacting trash cans.

Public Art Opportunity

This public art project will commission a total of 1 or 2 artists or artist’s teams to design and develop original artistic designs and/or images to be placed on each RTS station across the length of the corridor.

Project Goals

·         Serve as an accent to each RTS station

·         Serve as beautification along the corridor

·         Celebrate the artistic culture of El Paso, possibly site or area specific

·         Be interpretive from both pedestrian and vehicular traffic

Budget

Total project budget is $350,000 to include design, fabrication, and installation for all 25 stations. The budget is all-inclusive and must cover design fees, travel expenses, all materials (including lighting) and fabrication costs, insurance costs, engineering expenses, shipping and transportation to the site, and installation.



Materials

Materials may range as long as they are durable and sustainable for the highly traveled urban location while taking weather into consideration. With this said, materials should require minimal maintenance and anti-graffiti solutions will need to be arranged. The selected artist or artist team will also need to submit a maintenance proposal upon completion of fabricated and installed artwork.

Artist’s Scope of Work

·         Contract with City of El Paso to fulfill the artist’s services

·         Collaborate with City and stakeholders to generate artwork proposal(s)

·         Conduct research, which includes examining the site, reviewing pertinent documents and plans, meeting with City staff, members of the community, etc.

·         Prepare verbal, written and visual presentations to show schematic and final artwork proposal(s) to stakeholders

·         Prepare final designs in appropriate format for fabrication

Artist Selection Method

·         Open competition

·    Applications to be submitted on the CAFÉ Website

·         All artists will be asked to provide:

·    Artist statement, previous work examples, resume and letter of interest.

·         Applications will be reviewed by an Artist Selection Panel (ASP).  The ASP will review all complete, eligible applications received by the deadline shown on the schedule.

·         The Artist Selection Panel (ASP) will select a finalist to proceed in the next phase of the project.

·         A finalist will then be selected and presented to the PAC for approval.

·         The approved finalist will be placed under contract to work closely with the master plan
          design consultant and to point out potential artwork integration possibilities.

·         The selected finalist will provide design proposals (concept design) for the project for
            review and approval prior to implementation.

·         Review of final design proposals performed by PAC, Sun Metro, stakeholders, and
           MCAD, prior to final approval.

Art Proposal Selection Method

·         The finalists selected will be placed under contract to provide design proposals for the
           project for review and approval prior to fabrication and installation.

·          Review of final design proposals performed by: PAC, Sun Metro, stakeholders, and
           MCAD, prior to final approval.

·         Criteria for the review of design proposals include, but not limited to:

·         Clarity and completeness of proposal

·          Aesthetic merit of past projects; appropriateness of artwork to the environment and
           community; medium and artistic concepts

·          Artist will then proceed to final designs of the artwork.

Anticipated Schedule

·        Request for Qualifications: June 2017

·        Submission Deadline: July 2017

·        Artist Selection Panel Review: July 2017

·        Notification to Selected Artists: August 2017

·        Request for Proposals: September 2017

·        Stakeholder Review: October 2017

·         Public Art Committee Review: October 2017

·         Design: 2017-2018

·         Fabrication: 2018

·         Installation: 2019

Coordination with other departments and stakeholders

·         The engineering department would be requested to provide construction oversight, assist  in contractor/fabricator selection, permitting procedures, and project management.

·           Potential stakeholders for this project include:

·            Sun Metro

·            Coordination efforts and review needs to occur with the following individuals:

·            Public Art Program, MCAD

·            PAC members


          Community outreach/Neighborhood input

·         Input from surrounding neighborhoods may be required

·         Meetings could also be held during the design review process to receive additional information and direction from community

Application Requirements

Eligibility Criteria