View full call document here.

Background

Grambling State University developed from the desire of African-American farmers in rural north Louisiana who wanted to educate other African Americans in the northern part of the state. Grambling State University (GSU, Grambling, or Grambling State) is a public historically black university located in Grambling, Louisiana. The university is home to the Eddie G. Robinson Museum and is listed on the Louisiana African American Heritage Trail. The university continues to grow and prosper, incorporating several new academic programs in 16 buildings dating from 1939 to 1960, which has been added to the National Register of Historic Places.

With the demolition of A.C. Lewis Library in 2021, a 61,720sqft. structure, many were left to wonder, what's to come. The groundbreaking of "Building What's Next" began the new era that is the Grambling State University Digital Library and Learning Commons, "The Information Beacon on the Hill." Replacing the aforementioned facility is the only legislatively designated digital library in the State of Louisiana, and the only HBCU with digitally-born library in the United States of America. This 21st-century technology-enhanced, $16.5M, 50,900 square foot building offers a seating capacity of 566, with robust Wi-Fi access, a 50-seat computer lab, with large seminar rooms and over 17,000 square feet of dedicated study spaces. This space will not only facilitate excellence, but also serve as a watchtower of contemporary artistry not seen in this area.

About the Public Art

The sculptural artwork that will adorn the western façade, will complement the building aesthetics, and reflect the interconnectedness of public artworks and the communities in which they exist. The resulting artwork will not only be functional, but will act as an exemplification of Grambling State University, "Building What's Next" and as a reminder of the legacy of HBCU's being in the Avant Garde, in the lineage of Hale Woodruff, Elizabeth Catlett and John Biggers. It will be the tapestry of recollections of the past, considerations of the present, and intentions for the future to stimulate intellectual creativity and curiosity to promote lifelong learning and critical thinking.

Budget

The proposal selected by the committee will include an all-inclusive budget of $96,000 to cover all costs associated with the project, and commensurate with the intended scale, including but not limited to: research, professional consultations, formal reports from licensed structural and electrical engineers where appropriate, a long-term care and maintenance report from a licensed professional conservator, materials, fabrication, transportation, travel, insurance, installation, and photography and documentation of the artwork.

Scope of Work

The development and design for the artwork should:

• Consider the elements of the site as a source of design ideas.
• Consider the facility and the area(s) surrounding the artwork and their intended uses as described in this call.
• Reflect Grambling’s history, diversity and cultural profile
• Be durable, sturdy, stable, suitable for climate conditions, resistant to UV damage, and safe for public interaction.

Selection Process & Evaluation Criteria

An Art Selection Committee (the Committee) may include (but is not limited to) representatives from the Louisiana Office of Facility Planning & Control, the architectural firm that designed the facility, representatives from GSU, professional artist(s), and the State Arts Council will review all eligible artist submissions.

Submission are evaluated by the following criteria:

• Artistic excellence and originality as evidenced by the representations of past work images and other supporting materials
• Appropriateness of artist’s medium, style, and previous experience as they relate to the project goals and setting
• Experience with projects of a similar scale and scope
• Ability to create site-specific or site-reactive works
• Availability to participate in the design and implementation of the project as required
• Special consideration will be given to Louisiana artists as defined by La. R.S.25:9000.1(E)
• The committee may also take into consideration when selecting artists whether or not an artist is already represented in the state’s collection

Notifications and Proposals

Notifications will be issued by the end of December 2021. A full timeline will be provided to those finalists who have been shortlisted.

This is a call for the submission of proposals. If your proposal is selected, you will be contacted by the Percent for Art program staff. A selection will be made within two weeks of the proposal meeting.

Finalists will be required to attend two (2) meetings: A site visit to meet with the Committee and to view the space, and the presentation of the artist’s proposal before the Committee.

The proposal must include the concept, materials, size, weight, installation requirements, details of maintenance, and budget. The proposal must also include a maquette (if applicable) or digital renderings, which displays the physical volume of the space and allows for multiple perspectives of the artwork within the space.

All proposal documents, including the maquette and renderings, will become property of the State of Louisiana and will be used for educational and/or promotional purposes of the program. Each finalist’s proposal and/or maquette may be exhibited for Committee and community consideration.

An honorarium/proposal fee of $1,500 will be paid to artists to offset expenses associated with the development of proposals and travel (if applicable).

NOTE: "The Percent for Art Program and the Artist Selection Committee reserves the right to change, modify, or revise the Call to Artists, in part or whole, at any time before the submittal deadline without prior notice. Any change, modification or revision can be found here. The Percent for Art Program and the Artist Selection Committee also reserves the right to reject any or all applications or proposals, to reject any finalist, or to terminate the selection process for any project without prior notice."

The Louisiana Percent for Art Program was established by law in the 1999 legislative session. The law specifies that on projects using more than $2,000,000.00 in state funds, one percent (1%) of the expenditure for construction or renovation of a state building shall be for works of art by artists and craftsmen for the building or its grounds.

Application Requirements

Submission Requirements

A complete application must include:

• Artist résumé demonstrating a minimum of five (5) years of professional visual art experience (NOT STUDENT WORK). If submitting as a team, a current résumé should be submitted for each team member (Compiled into one document). A biography will not be accepted in place of a résumé.
• Statement of interest describing:
  1. Why you are interested in this project
  2. Previous experience with public art
  3. Your connection (if any) or interest in Grambling State University
  4. How you believe the art will enhance the chosen space
• References that include the names and current contact information for three (3) individuals with whom you have worked, collaborated, or who have commissioned your work in the past. 
  References will be contacted for artists invited to develop a proposal for the commission.
• Images (6) of your original completed commissions, not proposals, which demonstrate your qualifications for the project. 3-D models, sketches, or drawings will not be accepted. You must include the title, medium, dimensions, project budget (price), year completed, location, and a description. The value must be indicated in US dollars. Each image must contain only one view of the work. 
  Multiple views per image or unexecuted conceptual projects will not be considered, and may disqualify your submission.
• Up to 3 videos (optional) of work examples

Eligibility Criteria

This call for artists is open to professional artists 18 and over, regardless of race, color, religion, national origin, gender identification, military status, sexual orientation, marital status, or physical ability.

Artist teams may apply and must designate one artist as the lead contact. Examples of work submitted must be original, recently completed artwork (within the last 10 years).