Call Detail
Toledo Summit St Public Art Project
Entry Deadline: 7/15/20
Application Closed
Number of Applications Allowed: 20
Work Sample Requirements
Images | Minimum:Min. 0, Maximum:Max. 10
Video | Minimum:Min. 0, Maximum:Max. 2
Total Samples | Minimum:Min. 1, Maximum:Max. 12
Call Type: Public Art
Eligibility: National
State: Ohio
Event Dates: 6/15/20 - 3/31/21

I. PROJECT INTENT 

The Arts Commission of Greater Toledo’s Art in Public Places Program in partnership with ProMedica seeks to commission public art for a new construction project along the Summit Street corridor in Downtown Toledo.

 We are looking for artists that have experience with integrating public art into infrastructure projects. Submitted qualifications will be judged on a competitive basis. Up to three finalists will be selected and asked to create a proposal for the site.

 The artist / team selected for the commission shall collaborate closely with the project management team through in-person meetings and other necessary means of communication when developing conceptual designs for artwork, including identifying the site(s), content, scale, media and to allow the thorough integration of the artwork into the site.

 The artist must be willing to learn in-depth about the community and the relation to surrounding areas of Toledo, participate on the design team with members of the community and utilize this information in the overall conceptual development of the work.

 We are seeking to commission work that celebrates the culture of The City of Toledo; its history, our present growth and what the future can look like.

 

II. BUDGET

Up to three finalists will be paid $2,500 for developing their proposal. The Arts Commission will reimburse expenses related to site visits, interviews and any other expenses related to this phase of the process including travel, lodging and meals. 

The budget for the artwork component is $175,000, including but not limited to all expenses related to project completion, site preparation, additional design fees, engineering, materials, equipment, fabrication costs, documentation, transportation, installation and travel. 

III. ELIGIBILITY

 The project is open to all artists in the United States of America, age 18 and over, regardless of race, color, religion, national origin, gender, age, military status, sexual orientation, marital status, or physical or mental disability. Artist teams are eligible to apply, including teams of artists from multiple disciplines.

IV. TIMELINE

June 15, 2020               Request for Qualifications Launch

July 15, 2020                Deadline for RFQ Submissions

July 22, 2020                Review of Applications

July 29, 2020                Finalists Notified

August, 19, 2020           Finalists Site Visits

September 19, 2020      Finalists Present Proposals

September 26, 2020     Winning Proposal Announced

Spring, 2021                  Installation 

Toledo will be host to the Solheim Cup in August of 2021 and is anticipating 150,000 visitors to our community.  All work is required to be completed by June 2021. 

The Arts Commission reserves the right to change the project timeline. Dates for site visits and proposals are tentative and will be based on the availability of the finalists. 

V. HOW TO APPLY 

Artists interested in this project must prepare and submit the following:

  • Letter of Interest - This letter should be no more than one page and should explain the artist’s interest in the project.
  • Current Resume - If submitting as a team, a current resume for each team member should be provided.  
  • Visual Support Materials - Submit 10 digital images of your professional work. Images must be submitted in the following format:

Format:

·      File Type: JPEGs

  • Annotated image list - The image list must include the artist’s name and a brief description of image stating its title, date, medium, size, location and if a commissioned project, the commission budget.
  • Community Engagement: 2-3 Examples of community engagement projects or workshops that were coordinated with past public art projects
  • References - A list of at least three professional references that have an intimate knowledge of their work and working methods. The list must include complete emails and telephone numbers.

All submissions must be received by 11:59 pm EDT, July 15, 2020

VI. SELECTION PROCESS

The Deign Review Board for this project will review all submissions and select all artists to be reviewed for this commission. The finalists will then be asked to develop a conceptual approach for artwork at the site and make a presentation of their proposal, including concept, materials, size, weight, details of maintenance guidelines, special equipment needs, and budget. The finalists will be compensated two thousand dollars ($2,000) for their participation in this stage of the selection.

A series of videoconferences will be held in lieu of site visits for this project.

The Design Review Board will be comprised of members of The Arts Commission, ProMedica, The City of Toledo Engineering Services department and other downtown stakeholders.

VII. ABOUT TOLEDO 

Toledo is located on the western shore of Lake Erie and is the fourth largest city in Ohio, with a population of approximately 450,000 people in the metropolitan area. Toledo has a storied past in the manufacturing of many well-known icons of industry including The Jeep and Toledo Scale. Toledo is also known as The Glass Capital of the World for glass manufacturing and is the birthplace of the American Studio Glass Movement.

Toledo also has an impressive collection of public art, with large-scale sculptures, murals, and functional structures by noted artists from across the country. Many of these pieces were acquired through the pioneering 1977 ordinance that set aside one percent of Toledo's Capital Improvement Budget for the purchase, conservation, and public education of art. The city also offers a wide array of cultural opportunities including The Toledo Museum of Art, The Toledo Symphony Orchestra, The Toledo Opera, with many theaters and performance venues located all over the City. 

IX. ABOUT THE SITE

Summit Street is a major Toledo corridor that runs parallel to the Maumee River from The Old South End to Point Place. As a downtown thoroughfare, there are many major businesses that are headquartered on Summit St. including ProMedica, Fifth Third Bank and Owens Corning. Promenade Park was recently renovated and has become a destination for major concerts and festivals in the summer drawing thousands of people. 

Starting in April 2020, Summit Street, from Lafayette to Jackson, is undergoing a renovation including replacement of a 150-year-old waterline, updated parking and improved pedestrian experiences. Visitors will soon experience new lighting, improved crosswalks, additional benches, and plantings. The site for this project is a new pedestrian friendly island that includes a park-like setting located between Adams and Madison.

A map of the site can be found here: https://goo.gl/maps/fX6HP3r4q1JrHhKR9

Application Requirements

Eligibility Criteria