Call Detail
Snowy Range Bridge Rotating Sculpture Program
Entry Deadline: 9/28/20
Application Closed
Work Sample Requirements
Images | Minimum:Min. 2, Maximum:Max. 12
Total Samples | Minimum:Min. 2, Maximum:Max. 12
Call Type: Public Art
Eligibility: National
State: Wyoming

Art Opportunity
Overview
Laramie Public Art Coalition (LPAC) and the City of Laramie are working together on a new rotating sculpture program. Two sculpture pads were placed during the WYDOT construction of the Snowy Range Bridge, a bridge connecting  the east side of Laramie to the west side of the city. The sculpture pads are a gateway to the city, welcoming visitors and residents to Downtown as well as a gateway to all points west. 

Two existing artworks will be selected for this first rotation, to be temporarily installed from 2021 to 2024. The artwork will be on loan to the City of Laramie for the duration. 

The selection committee is seeking artwork that addresses Community Voices and has the ability to withstand the harsh weather of southeast Wyoming, including high winds.

Community Voices
The Laramie community was asked to provide feedback about aspects of the region that could be celebrated with artwork at the sculpture pads. Several themes emerged: Laramie History, Indigenous Culture, Community Pride, and Nature. (Additional resources are linked for context) 

Laramie History: The city was founded with the construction of the Union Pacific Railroad. Women’s fight for equality is also a pillar of the area. ​​​

Indigenous Culture: There is a strong desire from the community to acknowledge and honor Indigenous people, including the Cheyenne and Arapaho, whose land Laramie now occupies.  

Community Pride: Making stories visible. Recognizing the Hispanic community, who have called Laramie home since the early 1900s. And amplifying individuals like the Black 14 from the University of Wyoming, who were excluded from playing football in 1968 after standing in solidarity for the rights of their fellow athletes.  Nature: The wind, wild flowers, and pronghorn are a significant part of the landscape and everyday experience. The Snowy Range Bridge namesake, the Snowy Range in the Medicine Bow Mountains, is visible from town. 

Read the community feedback here: laramiepublicart.org/snowy-range-bridge


Budget
The budget for each sculpture pad is $19,000.  This budget is inclusive of artist fee, installation and deinstallation, artwork transportation, artist travel, artwork signage, and object insurance during travel. Artist(s) will provide a maintenance manual for their work with detailing how to care for the artwork throughout the display period.  Only existing artwork will be considered for this opportunity. 

The City of Laramie will provide general liability insurance for the artwork for the length of display and work with LPAC on maintenance. 

An additional $1,000 honorarium will be provided for a community engagement opportunity with the selected artist(s). Laramie Public Art Coalition will collaborate with the artists to develop and implement engagement programming. 

Sculpture Pads
There is a sculpture pad on the west side of the bridge and a sculpture pad on the east side of the bridge. 

  

The west side sculpture pad is 10 feet in diameter. The east side sculpture pad is 6 feet in diameter. To download the sculpture pad plans, visit laramiepublicart.org/snowy-range-bridge

Selection Process
A selection panel including representatives from the City, Albany County, and community members will determine a short list of artists to interview based on artistic merit and Community Voices theme attentiveness. The panel will choose two artists and two artworks for this first sculpture rotation. Each artist and artwork will be assigned a sculpture pad. 

Timeline
Submission deadline: September 28, 2020 at 11:59 PM MST
Selection panel: Week of October 5
Finalist interviews: Weeks of October 12 and 19
Artists notified: By end of October 2020
Artworks presented to design review committee: November 2020
Artworks to be installed by March 2021

This timeline is subject to change at any time due to unforeseen circumstances, weather, and the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Eligibility
Open to artists residing in the United States. Artists residing in Wyoming and Indigenous artists are encouraged to apply. Artist teams are welcome to apply with work that could be in dialogue across the bridge. 

How to Apply
Artists can submit up to three completed artworks for consideration. 

The following information is required for submission:

  • Name
  • Email address
  • Phone number
  • Address
  • CV - up to three pages
  • Biography - up to one page
  • ​​Website

Each artwork submitted for consideration must be accompanied by the following:

  • At least two images of the artwork (up to 4)
  • Artwork dimensions
  • Title
  • Year of completion
  • Previous installation sites (if applicable)
  • Materials
  • Installation method
  • Weight
  • ​Description of how the artwork speaks to an element of the Community Voices. Up to one page. 

City of Laramie
Laramie, the Gem City of the Plains, is a city of 30,000 sitting at 7,200 feet in the high plains of Wyoming. Surrounded by abundant nature, the city is home to the only four year university in the state, the University of Wyoming.
https://www.cityoflaramie.org/

Laramie Public Art Coalition
The Laramie Public Art Coalition's mission is to enhance the unique visual and cultural vibrancy of Laramie and Albany County, in a manner that encourages participation and engagement from all our citizens and visitors.  

LPAC is an independent, non-profit 501c3 that provides the greater Laramie community with a structure and inclusive processes to create successful public art projects that reflect the community’s identities and values and contribute to Laramie and Albany County's vitality. https://laramiepublicart.org

Download the call at laramiepublicart.org/snowy-range-bridge


 

Application Requirements

Eligibility Criteria