The Bernalillo County Arts Board solicits a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) for artists or artists’ teams for a site-specific mural project that will be located at a new park at the corner of Bridge Blvd and Tower Road near Coors Blvd. The address of the site is 3036 Bridge Blvd, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87121. 

The proposed mural location is a wall with the dimensions of 143 feet by four feet, or approximately 572 square feet. The call is open to New Mexico-based artists. The established budget for the project is $50,000. The winning artist or team will create a concept and design for the mural, engage in community outreach, and implement installation. The mural will be culturally relevant and represent the culture, heritage and landscapes of the region.

Site Details:

The mural will be installed on the western wall of a new park located at Tower Road and Bridge Blvd. The address is 3036 Bridge Blvd Albuquerque, New Mexico 87121. The park is approximately 0.5 acre in size. The dimensions of the wall are 143 feet by four feet, or approximately 572 square feet.  The wall is made of concrete masonry units (CMU).  The new park is part of Phase I of the Bridge Boulevard Reconstruction Project, a multi-jurisdictional planning/design effort with the goal of improved intersections and multi-modal accommodations/amenities along Bridge Blvd. The Project is the first of a four-phase design project in support of the Bridge Boulevard Corridor Redevelopment Plan. Phase I covers Bridge Blvd approximately from Goff Blvd, west to Old Coors Road, and Tower Road from Old Coors Dr. to Coors Blvd. The Project includes the new park, intersection improvements/realignments, sidewalks, ADA accommodations, drainage improvements, and lighting, among other amenities.

Location/Context/History:

The site is located near Albuquerque’s South Valley, a diverse community with a rich history. When rail service arrived to the Albuquerque area in the 1880s, a bridge was built near Barelas, which later became Bridge Blvd. Up until the 1930s, at 1,550 feet the bridge was considered the longest structure spanning the Rio Grande. A new span was completed in 1984, making the area of Bridge Blvd one of the oldest sites in New Mexico with a bridge continuously spanning the Rio Grande. In 2021 Albuquerque celebrated the renaming of a portion of Bridge Boulevard to Avenida Dolores Huerta. The newly named boulevard shares the sign with Avenida Cesar Chavez which stretches to the east, in honor of the two leaders who fought side by side for workers’ rights. Huerta is known for her advocacy on behalf of farmworkers, immigrants, and women. The renamed area stretches from 4th Street to the east, to Isleta Boulevard to the west. It will run along Avenida Cesar Chavez, making it the first intersection in the country to have two streets named after the civil rights leaders who worked side by side. (https://albuqhistsoc.org/aes/s2sv.html)

About the Bernalillo Country Arts Board:

The Arts Board is guided by the following mission:  Public art has the power to inspire curiosity, encourage contemplation, facilitate dialogue, foster community engagement, and create a sense of place.  Located throughout the country, the Bernalillo County public art collection enhances quality of life through the acquisition of exceptional works of art by artists at various career stages.

Project Intent/Theme:

The mural will be culturally relevant and represent the history, heritage, and landscapes of the communities along Bridge Blvd. The goals of the project are to 1) create a landmark public artwork; 2) involve young artists; 3) engage with the multigenerational communities along Bridge Blvd to generate the theme and images for the artwork.  The artwork will explore the past, present and future identities of the communities along Bridge Blvd.

Media/Style/Size:

The Board seeks artists or artists’ teams who are proficient in the creation of site specific murals.  Durability and low maintenance of all mural materials is required. The artist must ensure that the mural is protected against graffiti and ultraviolet rays. The artist may create the mural using materials including but not limited to acrylic paint, mosaic or other media. The size of the wall where the mural will be located is 572 square feet (143 feet long by four feet tall).  The wall is made of concrete masonry units (CMU).  See the attached images for complete site details.

Project Funds:

$50,000.00 is available to commission the mural from 1% for the Arts, from voter approved general obligation bonds. This amount includes all fees and expenses associated with the project, e.g., materials, equipment, labor, permits, travel, installation, and written and professional photographic documentation of the completed project.

Timeframe (Subject to Change): The call is open for 45 days, at which point three finalists will be selected. The three finalists will receive a stipend to develop a final design to present to the Selection Committee and the community in Albuquerque, New Mexico.  The finalists may or may not choose to present their designs in person. A finalist will be selected by the Arts Board based on the presentations and designs submitted by the top three artists. 

·       RFP announced: October 15 2021

·       RFP closes: December 1 2021

·       Three finalists announced: February 2022

·       Final selection awarded: May 2022

·       Mural planning and design: July-August 2022

·       Mural implementation starts: September 2022

·       Mural completion by December 2022

Application Requirements

Submission Requirements

Please review and follow the printable image preparation guide on the CaFÉ website. Digital media on-line submissions must follow the CaFÉ image uploading requirements. Submit from two (2) to seven (7) images of previous work. Digital images should include the artist’s name, artwork title, dimension/size, media, date of creation, and cost, in addition to any in-kind consideration. Submit from one (1) to three (3) digital images of an initial conceptual design for the mural.

Artist name and address must be on every page of any documents that are submitted. All word and quantity limits must be followed for submission materials. 

• Artist Statement
• Artist Résumé
• Questionnaire
• A correspondingly numbered image key of each image must also be submitted including artist’s name, artwork title, dimension/size, media, and date of creation.
• References

This online process requires that all application images and materials be submitted in digital format. For digital image requirements please visit the “Image Prep” section at CaFÉ, (www.callforentry.org). 

Artists must demonstrate: • Cultural competency • An understanding of Bernalillo County and its history and population • Experience with community engagement. 

Eligibility Criteria

This is a local call open to New Mexico based artists.