The Equity Fountain Project

                                                                                                                                                  Helena, Montana

In the summer of 2017, the city of Helena removed a fountain located at Hill Park.  The Equity Fountain Project was borne from this event and is a small collective of residents seeking to refinish the existing fountain footprint with a new work of art – one that celebrates equity and equality, diversity and respect, generosity, compassion, tolerance, service, peace and justice.  These are not easy subjects and require a thoughtful approach by talented persons.

This is a privately funded and donated public art structure, placed within the former fountain’s footprint, a 20-foot square space.  The City of Helena has agreed to allow the new installation to utilize the pump and associated plumbing which provided water to the former fountain.  Attached are images and architectural drawings of the site.

Individuals interested in being considered for selection to design a work of art for this space should submit a letter of interest, CV including a description of the artist’s experience and training, contact information and a description of past projects through images.  The committee is requesting submission of qualifications by April 1, 2018. 

The committee plans on selecting at least three artists to then create a design by June 1, 2018. The three artists selected to develop a design will each be eligible for a $1000 stipend to compensate for their design work. The selected artists will be given until September 15, 2018 to submit a final design for consideration. 

There is a committee of approximately seven artists and architects who will vet both the qualifications and the designs submitted and work towards consensus recommendation with submittal ultimately to the head of the Equity Fountain Project for a final decision.  The selected design will become the property of the City of Helena and the artist shall execute all documents needed to support such transfer.  The artist may retain images of the work for their individual portfolios. 

The committee expects that the project will be installed during the 2019 construction season and any final design selected must accommodate this construction schedule. 

Once selected the artists should develop a design which should consider the following key elements.  These elements are not strict criteria imposing limitations upon the creative design but are suggestions from the committee to capture the committee’s sense of direction for the project. 

• Water.  Given the availability of water and its powerful capacity to imbue emotion, water must be incorporated into the design

• Setting. The natural setting of the fountain space is key to the park’s usage and feel.

• Sound.  Consideration of the type of noise that the water will create and its effects upon those within the fountain space.

• Color.  Additional color beyond that of natural materials should be sympathetic to the surroundings.

• Climate. The presence of snow and low temperatures will mean that moving water will only be present during 5-6 months of the year. The design must be cohesive and function with and without water as a design component.

• Lighting. Alternative lighting should be pursued ( i.e., photovoltaics) if to be incorporated into the design so as to mitigate operating and maintenance costs.

• Materials. The existing fountain space has elements of granite and concrete – which may be incorporated or entirely removed.  Ultimately how people interact with the design materials and their tactility is very important.  Also note the lifespan of the design materials — such as metal weathering ( or perhaps being pre-weathered). 

   

If the design requires additional natural shade from trees and shrubs, this should be noted but not included — there is a possibility of involving other contributors to become involved in a planting design for the fountain.  The design also should be compatible with the views in the immediate area. 

Given the considerations of equity and equality, any design should be capable of full inclusiveness; for example, any inscriptions which are included in the design should be flexible enough to allow transcription into native languages, as well as English.  In keeping with the principles behind the project, the committee wishes to recognize the previous stewards of this land and incorporating language may be one way to achieve this fundamental goal.

There is a tentative minimum budget of $75,000.00. Artists whose design exceed this budget should include details of the costs to justify exceeding the minimum budget.

The submission of qualifications and indication of interest in developing a design for the project should be submitted to:

                                                                Equity Fountain Project

Application Requirements

Eligibility Criteria