Project Background and Overview  

The City of Tampa is seeking to commission multiple artworks for sites and transportation corridors. These commissions are part of a larger initiative to connect existing artworks, historic sites, and community spaces to form a cohesive cultural heritage trail that recognizes the significant value and contributions of Tampa’s African American community. Creating this network of sites with our partners will increase community engagement and outreach, provide must-see destinations, and develop a source of community pride.

The importance of Black history in public space is an integral component of promoting inclusive growth for the City of Tampa.  That is why the City of Tampa, along with community partners, cultural institutions, planners, developers, nonprofits, and tourist bureaus are working with artists, writers, curators, historians, and designers to recognize and embed these histories and cultural traditions into our public spaces with Soul Walk, a celebration of cultural heritage.

This initiative will bring artists and artworks into neighborhoods, start conversations within the community, and bring resources from partnering agencies for public benefit. Soul Walk provides a response to some of the challenges in preserving Black history, culture, and spaces amidst sweeping socio-economic and demographic change.

This project fits into the larger civic vision of our community. First, Mayor Castor has directed her administration to focus on strengthening neighborhoods. This enables the Arts & Cultural Affairs Department to work cross-departmentally and coordinate artist engagement and site opportunities with other city-initiated planned improvements. Second, three major developments that will directly impact these neighborhoods are either in planning or underway and are providing significant partnership opportunities. Lastly, there is a need to connect with the changing demographics as these neighborhoods, and Tampa as a whole, evolve. Tampa’s youth are significantly more diverse than its senior population and on average, people of color in the city are younger than white counterparts.  Soul Walk will function as a conduit to connect shared values, provide a platform to discuss whose history matters in our public realm and how should this history be preserved as the city changes. 
 

Developing Themes and Areas of Primary Content 

It is expected that additional content from historians, anthropologists and other scholars will be proposed and selected artists may put forth additional subject matter for consideration.     

→ Intersections of cultures, African diaspora – Tampa is, and always has been, a highly diverse community. Cultural traditions from Spain, Italy, Germany, and other European cultures have intersected with the richness of Cuba, including Afro-Cubans, also Native Americans, Black Seminoles, and other cultural groups to create the a unique identity that is Tampa  

 → A robust African American Business and Entertainment District known as Central Avenue, and the development of the Longshoreman’s trade 

 → A Music Scene that was nourished by this Business District and was part of the chitlin circuit. Notables such as Cannonball Adderley, Tampa Red and Ray Charles spent formative years in Tampa  

 → Foundational African American neighborhoods in Tampa, including The Scrub, one of the first neighborhoods in Tampa settled by freed slaves, also Roberts City, and Dobyville. These neighborhoods have been lost to development 

 → Essence and Character of Community: perseverance, resilience, strength, independence, faith and family, leadership, spirit 

 → Work and Livelihood: education, sports, labor, seasonal work, community service, health care, housing, play, transportation, travel 

 → Social themes such as equity, social justice, cultural erasure, Jim Crow/segregation 

Locations, Opportunities, and Budgets  

 → Art opportunities are focused on high visibility locations where engagement is most likely to occur

 → These projects offer exciting opportunities to explore the relationship of art, community, and site. Artists who are selected for commissions will be aided with access to archives, historians, archaeologists, anthropologists, musicologists as well as planners and architects  

 → Artists are encouraged to think about opportunities for engaging the community 

 → Budgets given include, but are not limited to, the costs of the artist design fee, artist project management fee, artwork transportation, fabrication, installation, insurance, and any professional consultants for services including lighting, engineering, or conservation  

→ Budgets given are preliminary estimates. The amount of each commission will adjust slightly 

→ Please note the opportunities and precise locations of each site are subject to change 

→ For all sites and locations, please download the full RFQ from www.tampa.gov/arts

Anticipated Project Schedule 

This schedule is subject to change. 

All materials received: December 17, 2021 

Notification of artist/s: 1Q 2022 – 4Q 2022 

Artists’ Design Development 3Q 2022 – 1Q 2024 

Artists’ Artwork Implementation 3Q 2022 – 4Q 2026 

Artwork installation completed 4Q 2022 – 1Q 2027 

Selection Process 

The artist selection process for these commission opportunities includes two phases: 

• Phase I: A prequalified pool of artists will be developed through this RFQ
• Phase II: Will include the consideration of artists in the prequalified artist pool for specific opportunities

Artists who are selected as finalists for opportunities will be asked to interview with selection panels. 

Application Requirements

1.       Artist Statement 

2.       Work Samples – Please submit a minimum of ten and up to fifteen images depicting works of art relevant to the opportunities outlined in this RFQ.  Video uploads (up to 6) will be accepted as well or you may include a link to a video in Work Sample Description (#3).

3.      Work Sample Descriptions – You may upload a document describing the work submitted samples or complete the fields in the work sample uploads. For each work sample, provide information from the list below that is relevant to your work sample. 

• Title
• Date Completed
• Materials
• Name of Collaborators / Team Members
• Location of Artwork
• Description of Artwork
• Commissioning Agency
• Cost
• Website to learn more about commissioned Artwork
• Vimeo or YouTube link, if relevant

4.       Resume - a current professional resume (limit to three pages), emphasizing professional Public Art experience and/or experience in working with public agencies.   

5.       Letter of Interest – in the letter, describe why these opportunities are appealing to you and relevant to your work. Include your experience with public art, your experience working with or creating art in diverse communities and placemaking. Letter should not exceed 3,000 characters 

Artist teams may submit up to fifteen work samples total for the team, resumes for each member, and a joint letter that details the information requested in (4) above. The letter must also state previous experience of members of the artist teams collaborating with each other. 

Do not submit a proposal for a concept with your application. Artist who submit proposals will be disqualified and their submission will not be reviewed. Proposals are defined as a physical description of an artwork for the site and/or a visual illustration of an artwork for the site.  

Eligibility Criteria

These opportunities are open to professional artists with experience executing their ideas from concept to completion, meeting a specified budget and timeframe, working in the public real with public agencies.