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ABOUT DAVIS

Davis is noted for its desirable quality of life, its small-town atmosphere, and an emphasis on parks and open spaces. Known as an environmentally aware and socially innovative city, Davis boasts more than 50 miles of bicycle paths (proposed art site is on one such bike path) and more bicycles per capita than any other city in the nation. Residents of Davis are active in local, national, and international political causes, sports, arts, and community organizations.

As a university town, Davis has the advantages of a small town coupled with the numerous intellectual, recreational and cultural activities serving a wide variety of interests. A Northern California hub for artists of many media, Davis features a community-built Art Center (located across the street from the proposed public art site), and an exciting collection of unusual public art pieces.

The Central Valley is the agricultural heart of the state and provides one of the most highly developed and integrated agricultural systems in the world. The area surrounding Davis has some of the most productive agricultural land in California, sustaining hundreds of different crops – from rice to tomatoes to almonds. Davis is known for its innovative conservation efforts and efficient use of energy, open spaces and water resources. These priorities have garnered Davis international acclaim for innovative accomplishments in recycling, water conservation, and energy-saving designs.

The Sacramento and American Rivers lie to the east along with historic gold country and Lake Tahoe and the Sierra Nevada Mountain range. To the west are the San Francisco Bay area, the great coastal redwood forest, and the beaches and rugged shores of the Pacific Ocean. Davis also sits in the Pacific Flyway, a major migration route for waterfowl and other North American birds.

PROJECT BACKGROUND

The City of Davis Arts & Cultural Affairs Program supports community-based arts projects, cultural opportunities, and education initiatives that foster excellence, diversity, and vitality in the arts. The program is the clearinghouse for all creative activity in the City of Davis government and serves the entire Davis community. 

This public art piece will be the final phase of a recent transportation improvement project that includes a new multi-use path that extends from the Southwest corner of the recently developed “Cannery” neighborhood, under the Covell Boulevard overcrossing at the railroad tracks and then up to the existing path on the south side of Covell Boulevard. The improvements include a new connection on the east side of the overcrossing from the existing path to the Cannery development with ADA access, retaining walls and lighting design.

Selected proposals will align with project goals to create a safe and positive space at this intersection: a highly visible location where many community assets and landmarks meet. The selected artist will demonstrate quality and originality, with a style that beautifully enhances the newly improved corner and public space.

Sample artistic themes might include, but are not limited to:

· Honoring the history of the land on which the site is located

· Honoring indigenous people and traditions

· Historic Hunt’s Tomato Cannery

· Community

· Arts & Culture

· Education

· Environmental conservation

· Agriculture

· Native wildlife and plants

· Railroad

· Youth sports/baseball/parks

PROJECT SPECIFICATIONS

·  Artwork must be designed, scaled, and fabricated to fit on the large-curved retaining wall at the corner of F and Covell Streets, as shown in the location notes. The entire wall extends 288 feet, and ranges in height from approximately 2.5-9.5 feet. The artwork does not need to cover the entire wall, and should be focused toward the corner curve.

· Artwork may include lighting elements that connect to existing retaining wall electrical system (stub outs every 50 ft.).

· Additional components may be included on adjacent areas within the project that complement the primary location.

· Only durable materials may be used in the creation of the artwork.

· Artist must supply their own materials and media.

· Drop cloths should be used at all times while using wet materials during installation of art.

· Design may not include a copyrighted or trademarked image and must be an original created design by the artist or team of artists submitting.

· Artists are responsible for protecting their work from the elements and possible vandalism.

· Passage on the sidewalk for pedestrians must be maintained at all times, or appropriate encroachment permits, and street closures must be obtained during installation.

· All appropriate ADA requirements for protruding objects must be met by artist, and can be found here: https://www.access-board.gov/ada/guides/chapter-3-protruding-objects/

Additional plans and supporting materials can be found on the Site Plan, the city’s website at www.cityofdavis.org/arts, under Artist Opportunities, or by contacting Rachel Hartsough, Arts & Culture Manager, 530-757-5640, rhartsough@cityofdavis.org.

Application Requirements

APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS

Please submit all of the following. The application will need to include:

1. Artist Resume: Up to four pages, detailing artistic accomplishments, awards, commissions, exhibitions, related academic appointments, etc. 

2. Portfolio Images: Up to 10 color images of your work. You may submit multiple views of the same artwork, for example, a detail shot, but each image counts as one of the 10.

3. A Letter of Intent: A brief note explaining the artist's interest in this project, and particular qualifications that make them well suited for the job, including relevant past work.

4. Professional References: Names and phone numbers of up to three individuals who have worked with you recently on large-scale pieces. References should be able to address your ability to successfully complete a public art project.

Submissions for this opportunity will stay on file as part of a new initiative to create a pool of pre-qualified artists for future projects.

Eligibility Criteria

ELIGIBILITY

The project is open to all Davis and regional Northern California artists, regardless of race, color, religion, natural origin, gender, age, military status, sexual orientation, marital status, or physical or mental ability. Artist teams are eligible to apply, including teams of artists from multiple disciplines. The Civic Arts Commission and the City of Davis reserve the right to reject any or all applications, proposals, applicants, or projects, and to modify or terminate the application process or the selection process for any reason and without prior notice. Artists must be 18 years of age. Artists must be able to provide insurance. Must be able to provide a U.S. mailing address on W9.

SELECTION PROCESS

The City Council has charged the Davis Civic Arts Commission with responsibility for recommending all acquisitions of public art. One artist or artist team will be selected based on experience working with design teams, past work that exhibits style and materials appropriate to the project, and a strong letter of intent. A panel made up of Civic Arts Commissioners, a representative of Davis Arts Center, and additional community and city staff members will oversee the selection process. The selection panel will review the proposals and forward a recommendation to the Civic Arts Commission, and ultimately City Council, which has final authority for commissioning all works of art. As in all competitions, the city reserves the right to revise the project parameters as needed, and to reject all proposals if no consensus is reached on final selection.

The panel will review all application materials and choose one or several finalists. Selection will be based on a review of each applicant’s style, technical skill, and examples of previous work. Previous experience with public or private commissions is desirable. Artwork must be structurally sound and resistant to vandalism.

Finalists will be invited to present their proposals and answer questions as needed. Additional discussions with individual applicants may be held before the final decision is made.

TIMELINE

The tentative timeline is as follows, and is subject to change:

January 28, 2022              Deadline for the response to RFQ by 5:00 p.m.

February, 2022                 Finalist/s selected by committee

February, 2022                 Committee interviews/makes recommendation

March, 2022                     Arts Commission reviews recommendation.

April, 2022                    City Council action on recommendation.

April, 2022                    City awards contract to selected artist.

Fall, 2022                         Artist completes artwork and installation.