UTAH SCHOOL FOR THE DEAF AND BLIND CLIENT AND SERVICES

The new facility is currently envisioned to be a hub for the USDB in Utah County. The building will function with a full-time preschool, elementary and junior high school, and will host school performances and elementary aged life skills programs. To facilitate this multi-functional usage, the program illustrates the requirements for a highly flexible arrangement of spaces that offer a diverse set of resources for both the academic, educational, and community functionality. 

USDB has the responsibility as a state education agency to provide educational services to students with hearing and vision loss. Unlike traditional public schools, USDB’s age range mandate is birth through age 22.

Services for infants and toddlers (0-3) are currently provided primarily in the home, in conjunction with the Department of Health Baby Watch with the exception of bi-monthly toddler and parent group meetings and consultations.  Preschool children (3-5) are served in USDB facilities or in hosted classrooms in local school districts. Current spaces provided in hosted classrooms do not have the specialized accommodations needed by children who are deaf, blind, or deafblind.

The Utah Schools for the Deaf and the Blind had the critical need to construct permanent, appropriate classroom space to address the growing demands of our student population in the southern Utah Valley service area. Young children who are blind or visually impaired and children who are deaf or hard of hearing are routinely dislocated from the classrooms. As a result of shifting (and growing) demographic trends in the area, some of the remaining occupied classroom space currently donated by local districts for USDB programs in the area are becoming unavailable.

The 31,500 square foot facility near 900 S and 1200 W in Springville will be home to a diverse list of functions: A multipurpose room / mini gymnasium with indoor/outdoor performing arts capability; Indoor clubhouses containing physical therapy training, conference room, library, multi-functional kitchen for life skills training, therapy rooms, and sensory/light room; Early childhood classrooms customized for sensory disabilities; Enclosed courtyards for preschool and elementary ages with children’s play areas and sensory / exploration gardens; Video conferencing / training rooms; Audiology suite to test hearing; Storage; two potential Sensory nooks for student interaction/play in the north and south lobbies (the south nook measuring 25 feet long and 3 to 9 feet wide) equipped with power outlets, and a study area / open floor space.

Providing navigational points of reference and clear way-finding, in and out of the building is a necessary design concept when the architect were designing the form and selecting materials. An overall canvas of light colored mass is highlighted with high contrast accents of bright illuminated Yellow features to create landmarks throughout. The building will be a bright, fun, playful place for the full range of occupants including children, parents, faculty, staff, administration, and clinicians alike. Site features for the project include sensory gardens, tactile playgrounds, parking areas, van drop off areas, elementary and preschool playground equipment, hardscape play areas, and pedestrian pathways meandering throughout the site over and around bioswales used for site drainage.

HISTORY OF UTAH’S SCHOOL FOR THE DEAF AND BLIND

The Utah Schools for the Deaf and the Blind (USDB) has been serving students with sensory impairments throughout Utah for over 100 years! The schools began in 1884 by the Territorial Legislature after a message from Governor Eli Murray which emphasized the need for a school for the deaf.  Twelve years later in 1896, as Utah attained statehood, the members of the Constitutional Convention created the school for the blind. Recognizing the appropriateness of services for both visually and hearing impaired individuals, Utah's first lawmakers established the "Utah Schools for the Deaf and the Blind." USDB was given their first home at Ogden's old Territorial Reform School.

The courageous spirit that provided a national model for deaf and blind education in 1884 is still forging the way in teaching the deaf and the blind to be self-reliant and contributing citizens of their communities. Outreach and mainstreaming efforts offer students an educational programs whereby each individual can progress toward his or her highest potential.

 Over the years, services provided by the USDB have continued to meet the changing needs of students and families through modern technology and teaching strategies. The commitment of the schools to high quality services for deaf and blind children is as great as it ever was.

Today, the Schools for the Deaf and the Blind stand as a proud symbol of Utah's Educational heritage and enthusiastically contemplate the challenges and rewards that lie ahead in their second century!

 COMMITTEE STATEMENT

This new facility has been carefully and deliberately designed to serve the needs of Deaf, Blind, and Deaf-Blind students in a variety of activities, ranging from preschool learning to eighth grade fine arts and recreational activities.  The building will serve the students, their families and staff members, and may also host elementary aged life skills programs and school performances.

The Architect has created space / nooks for an artist’s possible contribution for sensory / tactile / interactive / kinetic / play experiences for students. This area has been identified as a potential site for public art commission and indicated in the attached visuals. The selection committee is also open to consider other sites and media as envisioned by artists.

BUDGET

$71,400 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

American or legal resident artists / artist teams are encouraged to apply.  Deaf and/or blind artists are encouraged to apply. Art Selection Committee members, staff and Board of Utah Arts & Museums and Jacoby Architects 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.

 SUBMISSION OPTIONS, INSTRUCTIONS AND REQUIRED MATERIALS

Interested artists may submit applications EITHER online 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:

ON-LINE METHOD:

• Register at www.callforentry.org and follow the directions for registration and submitting material for this Public Art Request for Qualifications   
  

This online application process will prompt you for all necessary documents.   If your work cannot be documented well with still image you may submit movie files via the “Thumb-drive method” listed below.  Movie files cannot be submitted via the online method.

THUMB-DRIVE METHOD:

·         A thumb-drive labeled with applicant's name 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 thumb-drive (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 thumb-drive 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 Utah School for the Deaf and Blind Art Selection Committee will be liable for late, lost or damaged materials or electronic files.  Faxed or e-mailed applications cannot be accepted.

The Utah School for the Deaf and Blind 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 June 8, 2018 by 5 p.m. (THIS IS NOT A POSTMARK DEADLINE.) All supporting materials must accompany application.

Please send, deliver or courier thumb drive method applications to:

Lisa Greenhalgh, Utah Public Art Program

Attention: Utah School for the Deaf & Blind

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.  Selection of the commissioned artist(s) will be based on proposals presented to the Selection Committee on August 22, 2018.

Once selected as a finalist we will work to provide as much information and access as possible to assist in the artist’s research while developing their proposal.

An honorarium will be offered to the finalists to assist with the costs associated with the preparation of a proposal and travel. This honorarium will be applied toward the commission amount for the artist(s) awarded the commission.

Schedule: 

June 8, 2018 - Deadline for receipt of preliminary materials
July 3, 2018 - Committee Review
August 22, 2018 - Finalists presentations

July 2019 - Project substantial completion

ARTIST SELECTION COMMITTEE

Brian Bales                                          Utah Division of Facilities Construction & Management

Joel Coleman                                     Superintendent, Utah School for the Deaf and Blind

Joe Jacoby                                          Jacoby Architects, Inc.

Emily Larsen                                       Curator, Springville Museum of Art

Carolyn Lasater                                 Associate Superintendent for the Blind, USDB

Michelle Tanner                               Associate Superintendent of the Deaf, USDB

Kraig Wilkes                                        Jacoby Architects, Inc.

Rita Wright                                          Director, Springville Museum of Art  

If you have any questions about this or other projects information is available at: www.publicart.utah.gov
Or contact: Lisa Greenhalgh at 801 245 7270 or lggreenhalgh@utah.gov or Jim Glenn at 801-245-7271 or e-mail at: jglenn@utah.gov

All images courtesy Jacoby Architects, Inc.

Application Requirements

Eligibility Criteria