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Background

The Louisiana Legislature established the Board of State Engineers in 1898 to create a uniform public road system. Its responsibilities increased in 1921 when the legislature created the Louisiana Highway Commission as an independent state agency. The Louisiana Department of Highways was created in 1940, serving under the Board of Highways and a Director. In 1976, the Department of Highways was abolished, and the legislature created the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development (DOTD).

The mission of DOTD is to plan, design, build and sustain a safe and reliable multimodal transportation and infrastructure system that enhances mobility and economic opportunity. DOTD is responsible for maintaining public transportation, roadways, bridges, canals, select levees, floodplain management, port facilities, commercial vehicles, and aviation, which includes 69 airports in the state of Louisiana. Additionally, DOTD’s Emergency Operations department manages statewide emergency transportation and public works/engineering services, ensuring Louisiana residents have access to Motorist Assistance Patrol, evacuations routes, and emergency preparedness tools. There are nine DOTD district offices across the state.

The newly constructed DOTD building will replace the current Lake Charles district headquarters and will house administrative staff, human resources, business offices, design engineers, roadside development coordinators, and maintenance. The Lake Charles district maintains the state transportation system in Beauregard, Allen, Calcasieu, Jefferson Davis, and Cameron parishes.

About the Public Art

The goal of the selected artwork is to speak to and inform about the work being done within the DOTD. The artwork should also complement the building and surrounding space. There is potential for either a 2 OR 3-dimensional piece of permanent public work of art which could include but is not limited to murals, sculpture, site-specific sculptural installation, or a social space. Possible placement for the artwork include the concrete retaining wall on the west side of the south elevation, the southeast corner of the building, or the social gathering space within the plaza area (see attachments).

Budget

The proposal selected by the committee will include an all-inclusive budget of $35,500 to cover all costs associated with the project, and commensurate with the intended scale, including but not limited to: research, professional consultations, formal reports from licensed structural and electrical engineers where appropriate, a long-term care and maintenance report from a licensed professional conservator, materials, fabrication, transportation, travel, insurance, installation, and photography and documentation of the artwork.

Scope of Work

The development and design for the artwork should:

• Consider the elements of the site as a source of design ideas.
• Consider the facility and the area(s) surrounding the artwork and their intended uses as described in this call.
• Reflect DOTD's history and mission.
• Be durable, sturdy, stable, suitable for climate conditions, resistant to UV damage, and safe for public interaction.

Selection Process & Evaluation Criteria

An Art Selection Committee (the Committee) may include (but is not limited to) representatives from the Department of Transportation and Development, the architectural firm that designed the facility, professional artist(s), and the State Arts Council will review all eligible artist submissions.

Submissions are evaluated by the following criteria:

• Artistic excellence and originality as evidenced by the representations of past work images and other supporting materials
• Appropriateness of artist's medium, style, and previous experience as they relate to the project goals and setting
• Experience with projects of a similar scale and scope
• Ability to create site-specific or site-reactive works
• Availability to participate in the design and implementation of the project as required
• Special consideration will be given to Louisiana artists as defined by La. R.S.25:9000.1(E)
• The committee may also take into consideration when selecting artists whether or not an artist is already represented in the state’s collection

Notifications and Proposals

Notifications will be issued by the end of February 2022. A full timeline will be provided to those finalists who have been shortlisted.

This is a call for the submission of proposals. If your proposal is selected, you will be contacted by the Percent for Art program staff. A selection will be made within two weeks of the proposal meeting.

Finalists will be required to attend two (2) meetings: A site visit to meet with the Committee and to view the space, and the presentation of the artist’s proposal before the Committee.

The proposal must include the concept, materials, size, weight, installation requirements, details of maintenance, and budget. The proposal must also include a maquette (if applicable) or digital renderings, which displays the physical volume of the space and allows for multiple perspectives of the artwork within the space.

All proposal documents, including the maquette and renderings, will become property of the State of Louisiana and will be used for educational and/or promotional purposes of the program. Each finalist’s proposal and/or maquette may be exhibited for Committee and community consideration.

An honorarium/proposal fee of $1,500 will be paid to artists to offset expenses associated with the development of proposals and travel (if applicable).

NOTE: "The Percent for Art Program and the Artist Selection Committee reserves the right to change, modify, or revise the Call to Artists, in part or whole, at any time before the submittal deadline without prior notice. Any change, modification or revision can be found here. The Percent for Art Program and the Artist Selection Committee also reserves the right to reject any or all applications or proposals, to reject any finalist, or to terminate the selection process for any project without prior notice."

The Louisiana Percent for Art Program was established by law in the 1999 legislative session. The law specifies that on projects using more than $2,000,000.00 in state funds, one percent (1%) of the expenditure for construction or renovation of a state building shall be for works of art by artists and craftsmen for the building or its grounds.

Submission Requirements

A complete application must include:

• Artist résumé demonstrating a minimum of five (5) years of professional visual art experience (NOT STUDENT WORK). If submitting as a team, a current résumé should be submitted for each team member (Compiled into one document). A biography will not be accepted in place of a résumé.
• Statement of interest describing:
  1. Why you are interested in this project
  2. Previous experience with public art
  3. Your connection (if any) or interest in Grambling State University
  4. How you believe the art will enhance the chosen space
• References that include the names and current contact information for three (3) individuals with whom you have worked, collaborated, or who have commissioned your work in the past. 
  References will be contacted for artists invited to develop a proposal for the commission.
• Images (6) of your original completed commissions, not proposals, which demonstrate your qualifications for the project. 3-D models, sketches, or drawings will not be accepted. You must include the title, medium, dimensions, project budget (price), year completed, location, and a description. The value must be indicated in US dollars. Each image must contain only one view of the work. 
  Multiple views per image or unexecuted conceptual projects will not be considered, and may disqualify your submission.
• Up to 3 videos (optional) of work examples

This call for artists is open to professional artists 18 and over, regardless of race, color, religion, national origin, gender identification, military status, sexual orientation, marital status, or physical ability.

Artist teams may apply and must designate one artist as the lead contact. Examples of work submitted must be original, recently completed artwork (within the last 10 years).