City Hall Art-Pillar

Las Cruces City Art Board Project Mission Statement
Through a fair and open process, the City Art Board and Art Selection Committee are working to select and recommend to the Las Cruces City Council public art to be acquired by the City of Las Cruces.  This public art piece will be placed and integrated into the architecture of Las Cruces City Hall.

Project Intent
The City Art Board seeks an artist or artist team to create a site-specific indoor project to be designed for the central pillar in the lobby of Las Cruces City Hall.  The commissioned artwork will engage the public and the staff at City Hall and should reflect the architectural setting, the purposes of the building, and the City of Las Cruces.  Finalists will be encouraged to submit vibrant and dynamic designs inspired by our local environment, history and cultures. The City Art Board seeks artwork that is large enough in scale and scope to provide a focal point and to create appreciation of the space.

 Las Cruces City Hall Artwork Vision Statement
The location is a pillar in the lobby of City Hall. The art selected will be the centerpiece of city government. The artwork can be made of a single or a mixed media which must be durable, long-lasting (life of the building), safe and low maintenance.  The artwork can be kinetic or static, 2D and/or 3D, and should include all four sides of the pillar. The artwork should meet the following environmentally safe criteria:  UV/sun resistant, non-outgassing, non-toxic, non-glare, no blinking lights, no distracting sounds, and no water.

The location for this art is a two-story pillar which is rectangular in shape and supports a coved ceiling over clerestory windows.  The lobby includes an overlooking balcony and two large windowed entrances to the east and west. 

The City Hall lobby is central to the building, and it is the first interaction visitors have upon entering.  The Information Desk is located directly in front of the north face of the pillar; the City Council Chamber is to the west; City Clerk to the south; and the hallway leading to the Utilities Department is east of the pillar.   

Las Cruces City Hall Site Information
The wall that forms a pillar in the center of the atrium is approximately 10 feet across, 2 feet thick and 22 feet high. The pillar is used as a backdrop for the information desk, and no artwork can be placed below 12 feet from the floor. The artwork should not weigh more than the capacity for a normally structured interior wall at its anchor points. Depending on design, attachments can be placed on the cross beams in the ceiling and must stay at least 4 feet from existing ceiling sprinklers. The selected artwork design is subject to Facilities Department approval for public safety and effect on the architectural integrity of the building.

Project Amount
$30,000.00 is available to the artist or artist team for the completed and installed project.  Project amount includes all fees and expenses associated with the project, e.g., ladders, scissor-lift, scaffolding, materials, equipment, labor, certifications and permits, engineering documents, insurance, taxes, shipping, identification plaque, and written and professional photographic documentation of the completed project.  There is no other funding.

Submission Requirements
Eligibility for qualification is open to all artists or art teams working in the United States through the CaFE call.  Artists submitting qualifications should demonstrate a level of expertise and professionalism that is commensurate with the project scope and budget.  No member of the current City Art Board, Art Selection Committee, or employee of the City of Las Cruces, New Mexico, may apply for this project.

 At the artist’s expense, any required certifications for the artwork, whether electrical, civil, or structural, must be provided by a licensed practitioner in the State of New Mexico.  If necessary, the artwork should be reviewed by a professional fine art conservator.

Semi-finalists will be required to present a schedule for installation and propose how installation can proceed with the least disruption to a working day.

 Please read the following information carefully.  Incomplete or late submissions will not be accepted.  Supplemental information beyond what is requested, including proposals specific to this project will not be reviewed by the Art Selection Committee.  Failure to provide any of the published requirements will result in disqualification from the competition.  Duplicate submissions will not be accepted.  All materials must be submitted via café, according to the specifications outlined below.

·        Succinct letter of interest not longer than one page written specifically to address the needs of the project.  Please explain what excites you about the opportunity, and how you may approach the project if selected as a finalist.  Outline your professional qualifications.

·        A current chronological resume or curriculum vitae demonstrating relevant work experience particularly public art or privately funded commission projects.  A biography or an autobiography will not fulfill the resume requirement.

·        Ten images of previously completed work which may include multiple views.  Complete image citations will be required.  Documentation should include artwork title, medium, height, width and depth, price or value, year of completion, and project description, including budget and commissioning agency.  Please review and adhere to the image and media preparation page on café when formatting your images or videos.  Tutorials can be downloaded using the links near the bottom of the page.  By default, CaFE will organize the images in our submission alphabetically.  If you wish to present the images to the Selection Committee in a different order, you must prioritize the images before submitting an application.

 Selection Process and Criteria
The Art Selection Committee is comprised of five members representing the City Art Board, City of Las Cruces and the community.  Under the guidance of the City Art Board, the Art Selection Committee is responsible for submission review, selection and recommendation of the semi-finalists.  Said committee is also responsible to recommend the ultimate selection of the artist/art team to be awarded the commissioned project to City Council.

 Artists may research the project using any resource with the exception of discussion with individual members of the Las Cruces City Staff, the Las Cruces City Art Board or Art Selection Committee.  The Art Selection Committee may only discuss rankings among themselves when they meet to determine the semi-finalists.

The selection criteria shall include but is not limited to

·        The professional qualifications of the artist(s) as evidenced by the supporting materials,

·        Proven ability to undertake projects of the described scope,

·        Artistic merit and superior caliber craftsmanship as evidenced by the images, and

·        Suitability of submission to project intent and site.

Up to three semi-finalists will be invited to submit a formal proposal for the projects. 

Semi-finalists will receive a $500.00 honorarium for a written proposal and a maquette, renderings, or 2-D representations of the proposed artwork to be completed within 60 days of the notification of selection.  One site visit will be required of each semi-finalist to include a personal presentation of the artwork proposal to the Art Selection Committee and the public.  All maquettes, renderings or representations and written proposals will become the property of the City of Las Cruces, New Mexico.

Artists or art teams short-listed as semi-finalists for these projects will be required to enter into a Finalist Presentation Contract with the City of Las Cruces.  A sample of the contract is on the City’s web site.

The artist or art team ultimately awarded the commission project will be required to enter into a Professional Services Contract with the City of Las Cruces.  A sample of the contract is on the City’s web site.

Project Timeline

March 20, 2019 – Project Announced

May 12, 2019 – Submission Deadline

June 7, 2019 – Notification of Semi-finalists (artists get 60 days before presentations)

August 9, 2019 – Semi-finalists presentation

TBD for regular Council Session Acceptance to Finalist Notification

Application Requirements

Eligibility Criteria