Public Art Intent and Goals

The City of Kansas City, Missouri One Percent for Art program  commissions works of art that advance public understanding of visual art and enhance the quality of public places by selecting a qualified artist who can innovatively and thoughtfully design within the context of this project.

Project Background

The City of Kansas City, Missouri One Percent for Art program seeks to commission a professional visual artist, or artist team, to design original, site-responsive public art for Starlight Theatre in Kansas City, Missouri, utilizing a green space near the east entrance of the facility (see Site Details for photographs).

The total budget available for this project is $60,000. The RFQ deadline is Sunday, August 15, 2021, 11:59 p.m. Mountain Time Zone.

On April 4, 2017, Kansas City voters approved an infrastructure repair plan funded by General Obligation bonds, a plan known as GO KC. Residents voted on three ballot questions. Question #3 called for approving the issuance of $50 million in bonds to repair public buildings.

Recent Americans with Disabilities Act upgrades at Starlight Theatre were funded by GO KC Question #3. Starlight audiences will notice numerous walkways leveled throughout the venue, an increase in the number of ADA and ADA companion seats in Starlight’s Producers Circle and Box sections, elevation of the outer Terrace sections to improve sight lines over the Plaza ADA seating, and elevated ADA seating at the Terrace level. New, accessible informational, directional and weather shelter signage will be installed throughout the venue.

The project also includes upgrades to the front of house theatre with an accessibility lift option for production staff. This allows for lowering the equipment to improve visibility and opens more seating in the Terrace section behind the former sound booth. The video booth will also move to be centered within the venue.

Eligibility

Professional visual artists or artist teams based in the United States at least 18 years of age are eligible, with a preference for artists who live or work in the Missouri counties of Cass, Clay, Jackson, Platte, and Ray County, or the Kansas counties of Johnson and Wyandotte.

Demonstrated experience working with diverse community stakeholders is desired. Full-time, permanent City of Kansas City, Missouri employees, project consultants and their employees and sub-consultants are ineligible to apply.

Budget

The public art budget for this Starlight Theatre public art project is up to $60,000. The selected artist(s) will provide original, site-responsive public art for a green space on the east side of the Starlight Theatre grounds (see Site Details for photographs).

Question and Answer Period
Questions related to this project should be emailed to the Public Art Administrator at james.martin@kcmo.org by 5:00 p.m. CDT July 21, 2021. Questions received by this deadline will be answered in writing on this CaFE Call for Artists listing via a RFQ addendum after the Artist Information Session described below. Questions submitted in writing may also be answered during the Artist Information Session described below if time allows.

Artist Information Session

An information session with the KCMO Public Art Administrator and Starlight Theatre personnel will be held via Microsoft Teams videoconference 11:00 a.m. CDT Friday, July 23, 2021. Please use the following link to join:

Click here to join the meeting

Addendum, 7/26/2021:

Q: Are you open to 2D designers (muralists, mosaic artists) that can work with your team and local fabricators to design an all-inclusive art experience? Or are you more looking for 3D artists such as sculptors and architects for this project?

A: The space for the work has been defined already—a green space near the east entrance of the facility. There is nothing preventing 2-D designers from submitting qualifications. Artists who collaborate to realize a 3-D experience should include the qualifications and work samples of all collaborator(s). In other words, it is the responsibility of the artist to identify potential collaborators and set up agreements with them. The One Percent for Art program does not get involved with that process.

Q: Can you record the Artist Information Session?

A: The Artist Information Session recording is located at https://drive.google.com/file/d/1c1D9AXtqg3xZlQQcArw2ZR9tef9az9LC/view?usp=sharing

Evaluation Criteria

The selection of an artist, or artist team, shall be based on whose qualifications best meet the requirements contained in this Project Outline. In keeping with the standard One Percent for Art selection criteria, the Selection Panel will review and consider the following evaluation criteria:

Excellence: Works of art in the artist's portfolio are original, innovative, of exceptional quality and enduring value.

Relevant prior experience: The artist has created projects of a similar scale and budget and has experience coordinating with multiple stakeholders or is jointly submitting the qualifications of a collaborator that has created such projects and that has such experience.

Appropriateness to site and project: Works of art in the portfolio indicate that the artist is likely to be sensitive to the social, economic, cultural, historical and physical context of the site and the surrounding neighborhood, either existing or planned.

Durability: Works of art in the artist's portfolio utilize materials and processes likely to contribute to the longevity of public works of art, especially for projects that will be located outdoors, or is willing to adopt such practices by collaborating with a partner with relevant specialized expertise.

Selection Process
The Kansas City, Missouri Public Art Administrator will convene a selection panel to evaluate the submissions. Up to three semi-finalists will be selected and paid a $1,200 design fee each to develop a proposal to present to the selection panel. The selection panel will review the semi-finalist proposals, letters of interest, budgets and qualifications (images of work, resume/CV, letter of interest, references) and select one artist, or artist team, and one alternate. The selected artist/artist team's proposal will be presented to the Municipal Art Commission for approval prior to development of a contract. All contracts may be subject to approval by City Council.

Contractual Process
The selected artist or artist team will enter into a contract with the City of Kansas City, Missouri.

The $60,000 budget must also pay for costs that may be incurred to meet other requirements for doing business with the City of Kansas City, Missouri. These requirements include, but are not limited to:

• acquiring a City of Kansas City, Missouri business license
• registering as a vendor with the City of Kansas City, Missouri
• ensuring that municipal revenue tax to the City of Kansas City, Missouri is current
• developing a budget to include all aspects of design, fabrication, transportation, installation and lighting, and that may include costs such as:
  • permits
  • excavation, site remediation and landscaping
  • electrical work and fixtures such as lighting
  • approval by a licensed structural engineer
  • travel expenses
  • general liability insurance
  • commercial auto insurance
• contracts over $160,000 may be subject to City of Kansas City, Missouri DBE, MBE, WBE and SLBE guidelines

Requirements of the State of Missouri may include, but are not limited to:

• registering with the Missouri Secretary of State to conduct business in Missouri
• Worker’s Compensation and managing related documentation
• notarized affidavit of compliance with federal e-Verify requirements
• contracts over $75,000 must meet Missouri’s Prevailing Wage Law and require managing related documentation

Federal requirements may include, but are not limited to:

• W-9
• E-Verify

Semi-finalist and finalist artists seeking assistance with City of Kansas City, Missouri contract requirements should contact KC BizCare, https://www.kcmo.gov/programs-initiatives/kc-bizcare or 816-513-2492. For questions outside of BizCare’s scope of services, artists may be referred to other resources. BizCare and other City employees and/or contractors are not authorized to give legal advice to artists. Semi-finalist and finalist artists may find it advantageous to consult with an attorney while discussing contract terms with the City.

Tentative Schedule

July 2, 2021: Call for Artists distributed
July 21, 2021: Question and Answer period deadline, 5:00 p.m. CDT
July 23, 2021: Artist Information Session via Microsoft Teams (see link above), 11:00 a.m. CDT
Week of July 26, 2021: Answers to Q&A and recording of Artist Information Session uploaded to this Call for Artists
August 15, 2021: Call for Artists submission deadline, 11:59 p.m. Mountain Time Zone
September 2021: Call for Artists semifinalists announced
November 2021: Call for Artists finalist announced
December 2021: artist contract awarded
Early 2022: artist refines design, coordinates design with Starlight team
Summer 2022: artist fabricates work
October 2022: art installed

Application Requirements

Eligibility Criteria