Request for Qualifications
Submissions to the RFQ are due July 17, 2020 and must be submitted via CaFÉ. Artists are asked to submit the required documents and images to demonstrate their interest and expertise.

In reviewing submitted RFQ materials, the committee will consider the following:

• The quality of the artist’s portfolio or previous work samples submitted
• The artist’s cover letter and how well it addresses this particular project
• The artist’s experience working with the public art process and demonstrated ability to work with the project architect and facility managers

Following review, select artists will be asked to submit a complete formal design proposal, including a budget, timeline, and references. Proposal packets and budgets for finalists must include additional lighting needs, signage, and plans for a foundation (if needed) or other structural support, design fees, material costs, labor for fabrication and installation, and all necessary costs involving planning, completion, delivery, and installation of the project. It is the responsibility of the artist to budget accordingly.

If decided by the committee, in-person or video presentations may take place. There will be modest financial compensation for final design proposals and in-person presentations. Any other travel is the responsibility of the individual artist.

About the Facility

The Veteran’s Home of Wyoming Skilled Nursing Facility (SNF) consists of three residential cottages that will house 12 residents per cottage. The facility is being built on the existing campus of the Veteran’s Home of Wyoming. It is located in Buffalo, Wyoming in the foothills of the Big Horn Mountains. The campus sits on the site of the historic Fort McKinney.

In moving away from the atmosphere of a medical facility, the SNF will have a homelike feel with a farmhouse aesthetic, which connects to the architecture of the current domiciliary on site. Round the clock medical care and assistance is provided for residents. Each cottage will have a central entrance that leads into a lobby/foyer area with a large fireplace. Exterior communal space in the back of each cottage is accessible to the residents. The cottages will be secure. A new flagpole will be installed adjacent to the cottages and is the exterior focal point for the new SNF. A parking lot on the southeast corner of campus connects to Buffalo’s trails system and will be utilized by the general public.

The facility is scheduled for substantial completion in early 2022. For images and plans, visit the Arts Council website. For more information about the Veteran’s Home of Wyoming, visit the Department of Health website.

Artwork

The committee is interested in exterior artwork, including sculpture or functional art. There are opportunities for functional art around the exterior of the cottages, at the entrances, or at the flagpole. This includes signage, benches, bike racks, integrated lighting, or work that integrates into railing or fencing. The committee is also interested in stamped concrete or work that is integrated into sidewalks or pathways.

The SNF is both a residence and a medical facility, and the committee wants to protect the privacy of the residents while also providing access to the selected art for staff, volunteers, residents, visitors, and the general public.

The committee would like to see artwork that encompasses the themes and motifs of Wyoming, including wildlife, the Buffalo area, mountains, or Western artwork. They are also interested in work that incorporates the history of the site and Fort McKinney, or other military themes. Artwork should be uplifting, inspiring, or celebratory. Artwork must be ADA accessible.  

All styles, genres, conceptual approaches, and mediums will be considered.

All proposed artwork must be durable, structurally sound, secure, site appropriate, and easy to maintain. Additional drawings, site plans, and information will be provided to the artists invited to submit complete proposals.

Project Budget

The total project budget available for artwork is $41,212.00. This amount may be allocated for multiple artists/artworks or for various locations. A more specific budget allocation will be determined by the committee after finalists are selected.

Timeline

The selection committee will review the submissions to this RFQ in July 2020. Following review, select artists will be asked to submit a complete formal design proposal. A decision will be made by September 2020. A specific timeline for development, production, and installation will be established upon selection of the finalist(s). This timeline is subject to adjustment.

The Committee
Artists’ submissions will be reviewed and final selections will be made by a committee appointed by the Wyoming Arts Council and the State of Wyoming. The committee for this project includes administrators and staff of the facility, artists, community members, architecture and construction project managers, and a Wyoming Arts Council board member.

Application Requirements

Eligibility Criteria