AIPP Mission Statement

The Art in Public Places program enriches New Mexico’s public spaces through an innovative and diverse public art collection. Since its inception in 1986, the program has placed more than 3,000 works of art in all of New Mexico’s 33 counties.  Our goal is to reflect the diversity of the arts in New Mexico, the Southwest, and the nation while building a dynamic public art collection for the State of New Mexico.

Through a fair and open public process, committees made up of local and regional representatives work with New Mexico Arts staff to select artwork for their communities. The Art in Public Places program then commissions large-scale projects that are designed for integration directly into the architecture or landscape of a given site, or the program purchases existing original artwork to be placed in or around public buildings permanently or on loan.

Project Intent

The Art in Public Places Program of New Mexico Arts and the Local Selection Committee (LSC) for the National Hispanic Cultural Center (NHCC) seek an artist or artist team to create an exterior, site-specific commission project to be situated at the Paseo Acequia on the eastside of campus.  The LSC is interested in commissioning artwork that will engage visitors of all ages to NHCC and explore the following ideas: acequias, water, movement, journeys, voyages, passageways, connections, the river, the history of acequias, water as life, and respond to the movement and shape of the acequia itself. Artists should also consider the location of the acequia on campus, and the programming that occurs at the NHCC. The LSC’s goal is to interject color and liven this area of campus, to attract visitors and make the walk between buildings more enjoyable. The Paseo Acequia is currently being used as a planter, but artists are encouraged to use all areas of the acequia in their artwork as they see fit. Proposals can incorporate artwork in, on, and/or around the concrete acequia and adjoining graveled area.  The LSC would like artists to consider the following:

• Artwork should engage visitors of all ages to the National Hispanic Cultural Center.
• Artwork can utilize the space inside, on, and around the concrete acequia.
• Artwork should reflect the programming/history of the NHCC and respond to the following themes: acequias, water, movement, journeys, voyages, passageways, connections, the river, the history of acequias, water as life, and respond to the movement and shape of the concrete acequia itself.
• Artwork should interject color and liven this area of the campus to attract visitors and make the walk between buildings more enjoyable.
• Artworks can incorporate a variety of materials including but not limited to: integrative lighting, mixed media, tile, paint, etc.
• There is currently no access to electricity at the site. Therefore, lighting proposals need to provide their own power source (solar, battery, etc.).  
• No artworks incorporating water features or elements will be considered.  
• No artworks incorporating wood or other materials not conducive to the New Mexico outdoors/climate/weather/wind will be considered.
• No bronze sculptures/artworks will be considered.

The project must be durable, low maintenance, permanent, safe for both children and adults and must meet all applicable code requirements, including ADA compliant.  At the selected artist’s expense, the artwork may require certification by an electrical, civil and/or structural engineer licensed to practice in the State of New Mexico, and review by a professional fine art conservator.

CLICK HERE to download a PDF with site photos/measurements/more information.

Eligibility

This request for qualifications is open to all artists or artist teams working in the Southwest region (Arizona, Utah, Colorado, Oklahoma, Texas, and New Mexico). Artists submitting qualifications should demonstrate a level of experience and professionalism that is commensurate with the project scope and budget. In order to further the mission of the NHCC, preference will be given to artists/artist teams who self-identify as Hispanic/Chicano/Latinx.

AIPP regulations state that 1% funds may not be spent for artwork created for an institution or agency by an employee of the institution or agency. Qualifications submitted by and on behalf of current employees or family of current employees of NHCC will not be considered. Applicants may be required to provide verifiable proof of current employment at the discretion of AIPP Program staff. Past employees are eligible to submit proposals, but may not become employed by NHCC for the duration of the project.

Site Information

National Hispanic Cultural Center’s mission is dedicated to the preservation, promotion, and advancement of Hispanic culture, arts, and humanities. The Center presents exhibitions, lectures, book readings, performing arts and educational programming that are meaningful to the local community. It offers the Hispanic, Chicano, and Latinx artist a place to present their work and bring it to the national stage. The NHCC is committed to making a cultural home for the diverse identities that shape the community.

The NHCC is located in the historic neighborhood of Barelas, on the corner of Avenida Cesar Chavez and Avenida Dolores Huerta. The Center encompasses a 20-plus-acre campus which includes a plaza, three theaters, an art museum, a historic designated building, an education center, a library, a genealogy center, and a restaurant. The NHCC also houses the Spanish Resource Center, a branch of the Spanish Embassy, and Instituto Cervantes. The National Hispanic Cultural Center is a division of the New Mexico Department of Cultural Affairs and is further supported by the National Hispanic Cultural Center Foundation.

To learn more about the National Hispanic Cultural Center, please visit our website at: https://www.nhccnm.org/

Project Amount

$80,274 is available for this project after finalist presentation fees. This amount includes all fees and expenses associated with the project, e.g., materials, equipment, labor, permits, engineering documents, insurance, taxes, travel, installation, shipping, identification plaque, and written and professional photographic documentation of the completed project. There is no additional funding.

Selection Process and Criteria

The Local Selection Committee is made up of representatives from the owner/user agencies of the facility, the project architect, an artist, arts professionals, and a representative from the NHCC Foundation. Under the guidance of an AIPP Project Coordinator, the Local Selection Committee is responsible for prospectus development, submission review, finalist selection and ultimately selecting the artist or artist team to be awarded the commission project. Artists may research the project using any resource with the exception of discussion with individual members of the Local Selection Committee or the New Mexico Arts Commission.

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.
• Suitability of submission to project intent and site.

Up to five finalists will be invited to submit a formal proposal for the project. Finalists will receive a $1,000 honorarium for a written proposal, presentation, and a maquette and/or digital rendering of the proposed artwork. Due to COVID travel/gathering restrictions a visit to the site is not required of each finalist. A digital presentation of the artwork proposal to the Local Selection Committee and the public will be conducted via video conferencing software. All maquettes/renderings, samples and written proposals will become the property of the National Hispanic Cultural Center.

Artists or artist teams short-listed as finalists for this project will be required to enter into a Finalist Presentation Contract with the State of New Mexico. A sample Finalist Presentation Contract is available on New Mexico Arts website or upon request.

The artist or artist team that is ultimately awarded the commission project will be required to enter into a Professional Services Contract with the State of New Mexico. A sample Professional Services Contract is available on New Mexico Arts website or upon request.

Submission Requirements

Please read the following information carefully as 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 Local Selection Committee. Failure to provide any of the published requirements could result in disqualification from the competition. Duplicate submissions will not be accepted. All materials must be submitted via CaFÉ (callforentry.org) according to the specifications outlined below:

• A succinct letter of interest no longer than 3 paragraphs written specifically to address the needs of this project. Please explain what excites you about the opportunity, how you may approach the project if selected as a finalist, and 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 or videos (or a combination) of previously completed artwork. Complete image citations will be required; including artwork title, medium, height, width and depth, price or value, year of completion, and project description to include 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, CaFÉ will organize the images in your submission alphabetically. If you wish to present the images to the committee in a different order you must prioritize the images before submitting an application.

Project Timeline (subject to change):

June 2021 – Project Announced

August 2021 – Submission Deadline
August 2021 - Jurying of Submissions by LSC

September 2021 – Notification of Finalists

November/December 2021 – Finalist Presentations

November/December 2021 – Notice of Award

Spring 2023 - Artwork completed and installed
 

Questions/Follow Up

Questions regarding the project should be directed to Meredith Doborski, AIPP Project Coordinator, at 505-396-0326, email: Meredith.doborski@state.nm.us

If you would like to have your submission materials reviewed by an AIPP staff person, please make an appointment no less than two weeks prior to the submission deadline. Technical assistance calls increase dramatically during the final two weeks of the open submission period; therefore we cannot guarantee review during the final two weeks of the competition. Submission materials will not be reviewed on the day of the deadline.

Deadline for Submission: Midnight (MDT), Friday, August 6, 2021

Application Requirements

Eligibility Criteria