The County of Yolo, in an effort to further their community vision to create a more visually pleasing environment, is seeking permanent work(s) of public art to be integrated into Yolo Branch Library in Yolo, CA.

Local residents and the Yolo County Library recognize there is an urgent need to replace a 100-year old Carnegie library building that has major fire, safety, and environmental deficiencies, with a new library and meeting room for the underserved rural communities of Yolo, Dunnigan and Zamora. 

Serving a multicultural and economically challenged community, the new building will provide residents with an additional 2,800 square feet of space for library programming, stable Wi-Fi, access to computers and technology resources, adult literacy tutoring, English as a Second Language programs, Bilingual Storytime, early childhood literacy programs, social activities for adults and seniors, as well as homework help for children and teens.

The new facility will also contain a much-needed community meeting space for library programs, meetings, classes and community services such as food distribution. The library will provide residents with the opportunity to apply for local, state and federal benefit programs and to meet with service providers in person.  This new facility will strengthen the library’s role as a community gathering place and hub of civic engagement and education. The County plans to break ground on the new facility in July 2021 with completion of the project predicted for early Summer of 2022.

Budget:
$25,600 is available for all related expenses of this commission(s) The budget of $25,600 is all inclusive, a proposal should NOT exceed the stated budget amount. The County of Yolo intends to review qualifications and design proposals before determining the total number of pieces to be commissioned.  Therefore, artists can submit proposals amounting to less than the total budget.

 Project Criteria:

The art work selected for the project shall:

• Draw inspiration and context from the place and people of the rural communities of Yolo, Dunnigan and Zamora, which includes acknowledging the region’s agricultural heritage;
• Be reflective of the library’s role as a community gathering place and hub of civic engagement and education;
• Inspire discovery and the creation of new memories among a diverse and multi- generational community;
• Instill community values of respect and appreciation for the indigenous people called the Patwin and their past and continued cultural contribution and preservation of the region’s natural resources;
• Consider the design and architecture of the site.

 Proposed Locations (See attached floor/site plan):

Three publicly accessible areas of the new facility have been identified by the Art Advisory Committee for public art enhancements within the budget guidelines of this project. These are considered the most suitable for placement of artwork to aesthetically enhance the project for the patrons of the facility. Artist proposals can address one or all three locations. (reference images in attached floor/site plan)

• Exterior Covered Activity Area- West Wall
• Interior Collection Room- North Gable
• Interior Foyer- West Wall

Schedule:

July 16, 2021; 11:59pm MT- RFP submittal deadline

August 2021- Panel Review and Recommendation

September 2021- Recommendation presented to Yolo County Board of Supervisors for final approval

September 2021- Artist(s) Contracted

May 2021- Artwork(s) Installation

RFP Selection Criteria:

Professional artists who reside in Northern California (counties including: Del Norte, Siskyou, Modoc, Humboldt, Trinity, Shasta, Lassen, Tehema, Plumas, Butte, Glenn, Mendocino, Lake, Colusa, Sutter, Yuba, Sierra, Nevada, Placer, El Dorado, Sacramento, Yolo, Napa, Sonoma, Solano, Amador, Marin, Contra Costa, San Joaquin, Calaveras, Alpine, Tuolumne, Stanislaus, Alameda, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Cruz, Santa Clara, Merced, Mariposa) will be invited to submit qualifications and design proposal.

A selection panel will review all artists' qualifications and design proposals, determine and recommend a finalist. Artists will be chosen based on their ability to meeting the following criteria:

• Outstanding innovation, creativity and originality in the development of public art;
• A history of successfully designing and implementing permanent public projects on time and within budget;
• Design excellence in past work, including originality of concept, site contact and quality of workmanship and materials, as evidence in images of completed projects;
• The ability to respond creatively and uniquely to site-specific design challenges, including the social, physical and environmental condition and challenges inherent to each project;
• Expertise in identifying and working with permanent materials appropriate for long-term use in an interior or exterior environment that is subject to varying weather conditions and heavy public access;
• Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively positively with public agencies, public review processes and community organizations;
• Ability to design art that meets the thematic, project description with artistic merit;
• Ability to meet this project timeline for creation and installation of work.

 The panel will review the submissions and recommend design(s) to the Board of Supervisors for approval.

All meetings of the Yolo County Board of Supervisors are open to the public. For meeting schedule please visit the county website at www.yolocounty.org

 All insurance liabilities including liability and the worker’s compensation must be met by the artist(s). The final contract(s) will be between the County and the artist(s).   

 Art that is inherently political, religious or otherwise exclusive of any factor of the social stratum shall be deemed inappropriate for this project.

 The selected artist will be required to comply with American Disabilities Act requirements and related federal, state and local codes. All artwork installations much meet stated security requirements and must meet all safety guidelines as outlined by OSHA, local fire and building codes.

Security and Safety Considerations

Areas that have been identified for consideration in this project include locations that are easily accessible to the public. Therefore, attention will be given to the safety and security of patrons of the library in the choice of materials and the installation of the artwork.

For Example:

• All artwork must be mounted to the surface in such a manner that it may not be removed, broken, or otherwise altered
• Artwork may not contain any sharp edges or be fabricated from any materials that may be removed with or without force, be broken off or otherwise altered.

Maintenance

Consideration must be given to maintenance to assure that vandalism or deterioration is not a concern.

Submission

To be considered, applicants must submit:

1. A current resume (three-page maximum)
2. A narrative description- describe your proposed design, materials, and method of integration of the artwork into the Yolo Branch Library.
3. Rendering of proposed design
4. Four (4) images of past work. (teams may submit up to 6 images)
5. Image list (title, media, dimensions, date, budget)
6. Budget

Questions:

All questions shall be directed to Alison Flory, Executive Director, YoloArts.

Email: aflory@yoloarts.org           Phone: 916.599.2305

No late entries, verbal quotes or facsimiles will be accepted.

Application Requirements

Eligibility Criteria