PROJECT SUMMARY 
The re-development of the RCCC will bring a new typology of community center to Evanston.  With the combination of outdoor leisure and recreation and indoor ice rinks, community rooms and a public library, this facility will set a new precedent for community centers in the Midwest bringing together people of all ages, abilities and interests to meet, play and learn.   Robert Crown Park is a 15-acre park located in Evanston, Illinois at the northeast corner of Main St. and Dodge Ave.   The Robert Crown Center has served Evanston since 1975, but the desire for added programming and improved facilities to serve the community has facilitated this new pursuit.  In keeping with the public and community-based mission of the facility, the public art should be equally ambitious.

ARTWORK GOALS/CONSIDERATIONS

The City of Evanston has the following goals and considerations for public art installations. For your proposal, please propose an installation and location that meets one or more of the criteria below.  

Proposed design and signature artwork should:

 ·   Be community based

·   Create another destination for the park and center

·   Be site‐responsive

·   Be interactive

·   Encourage activity

·   Integrate with/enhance the architecture

·   Improve the experience of the residents, visitors, and businesses

·   Relate to a diverse group of people

·   Be long‐lasting, durable, and require little maintenance

·   Be appropriately scaled for the public spaces

Spaces/areas/ideas that have been contemplated/considered for public art installation by the Arts Council with elements such as sculpture, material, light, sound or other artistic media:
 
 ·   Main public entry hall/lobby or library

·   Installations within the hardscape/parkland

·   Design integrated with the architecture (floors/walls/ceilings/lighting/acoustics)

·   Interactive art within the landscape

BUDGET DETAILS 
The budget to cover artwork shall not exceed $400,000. Submitted proposed artwork must fit within this budget. This budget must cover all expenses associated with, but not limited to the design, labor, fabrication, project management, materials, tools, contracted services, operations and meetings, travel required to complete the artwork installation, installation of the artwork, permits, licenses, taxes, insurance, engineering, transportation, delivery, and installation of the artwork to the site. If special installation requirements are needed for large and/or complex pieces, the artist is responsible for working with the City of Evanston and other relevant partners to coordinate all aspects of the installation.

ELIGIBILITY

·   Application is open to artists or artistic teams of all backgrounds and levels of accomplishment, worldwide.

·   Anyone receiving funds directly from the City of Evanston will not be eligible.

HOW TO APPLY 
Artists and artistic teams interested in the project should submit the required material listed below. The following information should be included in the submission: 

·   Artist Resume(s) (if a team- one from each team member) with any project related information.  Teams should confirm a primary contact.

·  Artist(s) Statement / Letter of intent (one page maximum) outlining your interest and approach to the project with thoughts on potentials for public programming around the piece(s).

·   Images/description of the proposed artwork along with approximate/rough dimensions of the artwork demostrating its scale in the context.  (Please note : The CAFÉ portal only accepts submissions as JPEGS and automatically scripts a portfolio of the submitted images for the jury.  While we understand the complications of this format, we ask that you export each page of your proposal (written, graphic or otherwise) as a JPEG and upload them individually to the portal.   There is also an area for a written artists statment, and text can be submitted here as well.  In addition to the above, but not as a replacement to, as part of your written submission you may include a link to an online storage location (dropbox, google drive) where a PDF may be uploaded.  )

SELECTION PROCESS 
Initial proposal will be evaluated based on the criteria below by representatives from the City of Evanston, the Evanston Public Library, the Evanston Arts Council and Woodhouse Tinucci Architects.  Up to 3 Shortlisted teams will be invited to develop their ideas further based on the feedback of the selection committee and provided a $2000 stipend each to do so.  Selected finalists will then be invited to present their developed ideas to the selection committee and a final selection will be made. 

SELECTION CRITERIA 
The following criteria will be considered during the selection process: 

·   Aesthetic Excellence – The highest priority is the inherent aesthetic quality of the artwork and its compatibility and relationship with the site as well as the way the public is intended to respond and interact with the artwork. 

·   Relevance – Artwork must be appropriate for and sensitive to the chosen location including surrounding architecture, local history, and community attitudes and concerns. 

·   Placement – The requirement for the final placement of the artwork in a location accessible to the public may influence selection. 

·   Community Engagement – Will the proposed artwork facilitate community engagement and interaction and bring more people to the center.

·   Durability and Permanence – Resistance to theft, vandalism, and weathering, as well as structural sustainability and the potential for excessive maintenance must be considered as the work is intended to be permanent. 

·   Public Safety – The artwork must be safe for the intended public use. 

·   Public Programming – Ability for artwork to support public programming. 

·   Past Experience – Can the proposing artists or artistic teams demonstrate past success and experience with similar art installations and community works. 

·   Financially and Technically Feasible – The artist must provide convincing evidence of his or her ability to successfully complete the artwork as proposed within the proposed budget.

 TIMELINE

August 17th, 2018                               RFP Issued

August 30th, 11:00am CST                 Online Project Introduction/Information Session     (see additional information below)

September 14th, 2018                        Deadline for Questions

October 12th,  2018                            Deadline for submissions

October 26th, 2018                             Finalist Selection

November 2018                                  Finalist Interviews

December 2018                                  Project Award

October 2019                                      Artwork Installation Deadline

*All dates subject to change.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Additional information regarding the project and it's history can be found on the City of Evanston's Robert Crown Center Project website HERE.

Additional necessary drawings/documentation/questions and answers can be found HERE: 

·   Design Renderings

·   Site plan

·   Floor plans

·   Video and Recording of online information session. 

·   Responses to all questions.

Note: Additional/higher resolution documents can be provided if necessary/requested. 

Online GoTo Meeting non-mandatory Information Session, Thursday August 30th, 11:00am Central Standard Time.  

Online meeting link: 
https://www.gotomeet.me/woodtinarch 
Dial in for audio:  
United States: +1 (646) 749-3131 
Access Code: 442-867-629

QUESTIONS

Any questions should be directed to a.tinucci@woodtinarch.com by September 14th, 2018 at 3:00pm. 

Application Requirements

Eligibility Criteria