Las Cruces Public Art Mission Statement 

Las Cruces Public Art (LCPA) commissions and cares for a collection of contemporary public artworks, promotes the community’s access to and engagement with public art, and supports the growth of public art practice in Las Cruces 

 Project Intent 

Las Cruces Public Art (LCPA) seeks an artist or art team to create a site-specific outdoor art piece to promote the Animal Services Center of the Mesilla Valley (ASCMV) which is undergoing a major expansion.  LCPA wishes to commission art that is a beacon to the public and illustrates animals and services of the ASCMV.  The art will be a large, free-standing sculpture installed in front of the new ASCMV facility.  The design should be a neighborhood focal point visible from the surrounding streets  and adjacent U.S. Hwy 70.  The sculpture may be 2D or 3D of single or varied durable mediums, must be safe, low maintenance and expected to last the life of the new building.  The selected artist or artist team shall collaborate with the City of Las Cruces Public Works Department and the LCPA program coordinator in the specification and completion of this project.

 Artwork should be large enough in scale and scope to provide a focal point for the ASCMV.

• The art’s theme should be inspired by the animals and services of the ASCMV and the design should be a beacon to the public. The sculpture may be conceptual or representational.

• Selected artist or art team will be awarded $68,000 to design, fabricate and install the artwork within eight (8) months of signing the contract with the City of Las Cruces. 

• The $68,000 project amount includes all  fees and expenses associated with the project, e.g. materials, labor, ladders, scissor-lift, scaffolding, materials, equipment, 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.

• ASCMV sculpture may be constructed of any medium, but  must be of structural and surface soundness and materials that can withstand outside and uncovered weather conditions (desert climate: high winds, extreme temperatures) as well as inherent resistance to theft, vandalism, and excessive maintenance and repair costs. Finalist artist proposals must document experience working with the media in the proposal as well as durability of the materials.  Design presentations must include a suggested maintenance schedule.

• The artwork shall meet the following environmentally safe criteria with consideration of vicinity to roadways and animals:  UV/sun resistant, limited outgassing, non-toxic, non-glare, no blinking lights, no distracting sounds, and no water features.

• Sculpture must be installed in a manner with sufficient anchoring to prevent being removed, tipped, broken, or overturned due to high wind.  The City reserves the right to review and approve the artist’s proposed installation plan and may request additional information from a New Mexico licensed engineer (hired by the artist) to address safety concerns the City may have. 

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

• The concrete pad to support the sculpture will be prepared and provided on the site for the artist by the City of Las Cruces with dimensions and connecting hardware, and possible electric service, to be negotiated/stipulated by the artist in the contract phase.

• Delivered art, that has possible content or construction quality issues identified during inspection, shall be reviewed by a professional fine art conservator or engineer at the artist’s expense if required.

• Delivered art that differs significantly from approved design will be disqualified.  

• An area on or near the sculpture will be specified for a plaque that indicates the name of the artist, title, materials, and the year installed.  The City Public Art listing shall include: the name of the artist, title, materials, year installed, 100-word narrative about the artwork and artist.

Animal Services Center of the Mesilla Valley Site Information

Dimensions of sculpture location and utility needs remain flexible and can be determined based on artist design. The artist or artist team shall collaborate with the City of Las Cruces Public Works Department and the LCPA program coordinator in the specification and completion of this project. See site map for location of proposed artwork.

 Project Amount 

$68,000.00 is available to the artists or artist teams 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 CaFÉ 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, a licensed practitioner in the State of New Mexico, whether electrical, civil, or structural, must provide any required certifications for the artwork.  If necessary, the artwork should be reviewed by a professional fine art conservator.  

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.  The art selection committee will not review supplemental information beyond what is requested, including proposals specific to this project.  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. 

·         Five to 10 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, CaFÉ 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 ASCMV Art Selection Committee is comprised of five members representing the City Art Board, City of Las Cruces and the community.  Under the guidance of LCPA, the ASCMV Art Selection Committee is responsible for submission review, and selection of the top three 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 except for discussion with individual members of the Las Cruces City Staff, the Las Cruces City Art Board or ASCMV Art Selection Committee. The LCPA program coordinator may give specific answers to an artist’s query and will forward the question and answer to all respondents. The ASCMV Art Selection Committee may only discuss rankings among themselves when they meet to determine the top three 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.

·         Suitability of submission to project intent and site. 

Up to three finalists will be invited to submit a formal proposal for the project.   

The invited 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 contract.  One site visit will be required of each semi-finalist to include an in-person presentation of the artwork proposal to the ASCMV Art Selection Committee and the public during which maquettes, material samples, and other design materials may be presented. (On-site visit requirement is subject to change depending on pandemic restrictions in place at the proposed date of presentations.)

All presented materials to be left with the LCPA program coordinator for access by the Selection Committee. Once a final design is chosen and contracted, the presentation materials of the finalists not selected will be returned to the artists for their own usage if an appropriate shipping container is provided. All maquettes, renderings or representations and written proposals of the selected artist’s design, as well as copyright, will become the property of the City of Las Cruces, New Mexico.    

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.

The ASCMV Art Selection Committee will base final design selection on artistic aesthetics, suitability to the purpose, and structural and surface soundness.

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.

 

Project Timeline

This timeline is tentative and subject to change except for deadline to submit.        

March 1 – Project Announced / Call for Entry opened·       

March 31 – Submission Deadline·       

TBD (Jury in Process)  – Notification of Finalists·       

TBD – Finalists’ written presentations due

TBD - Finalists give in-person presentation of design and materials to Selection Committee

TBD – Regular City Council Session to accept and announce the chosen design.

TBD – Artwork will be completed and installed eight months from contract date.

Application Requirements

Eligibility Criteria