This news item expired on Wednesday, August 31, 2016 so the information below could be outdated or incorrect.
Request for Proposals:
Buncombe County invites qualified artists to submit proposals for one outdoor kinetic sculpture to be placed outside the entrance to the Courts Building on College Street in downtown Asheville, NC. A budget of up to $35,000 is allocated for this project, which is open to artists residing in Western North Carolina.
Artist may submit a maximum of three sculpture proposals.
Background:
Buncombe County was formed in 1791 and originally included most of Western North Carolina. Through the years education, agriculture, architecture, medicine, manufacturing, transportation, and tourism have all been important parts of the development of Buncombe County. The first Courthouse was built in 1792 in Morristown (renamed Asheville in 1787) and was replaced by several larger and more modern Courthouses. The latest Courthouse was completed in 1928 and expanded by the addition of a new Courts Building in 2013. The new Courts Building provides additional court rooms, jury space and offices for the Buncombe County court system. The building, located on College Street in Asheville, NC, is adjacent to the Buncombe County Courthouse and provides an added entrance to the Courthouse.
This sculpture is commissioned through the Buncombe County Resolution Supporting Art, History and Culture in Buncombe County passed by the Buncombe County Board of Commissioners in May, 2015.
Criteria:
A proposed sculpture should:
Capture attention, engage the public, and be appropriate to its specific location;
Be contemporary and interactive;
Aesthetically enhance the Downtown and otherwise interact with its surrounding environment;
Be appropriate for a high pedestrian traffic environment;
Be designed with consideration of the safety of the public;
Be constructed of permanent, durable materials and preferably maintenance-free;
Be capable of withstanding adverse weather conditions including high winds, high temperatures, heavy rain, storms, etc.
Not involve electric power, water, or electronics;
Be suitable by way of form and quality for public viewing, and if appropriate, approachability (depending on installation location);
Location:
The work of art will be a permanent, exterior installation near the entrance to the Courts Building.
Budget:
A budget not to exceed $35,000 is available for materials and construction. Installation costs are not included.
Proposals:
Proposals are due August 31, 2016 by 5 p.m.
One concept per proposal. Artist may submit up to three proposals.
Complete proposals must include:
A current Artist statement or resume;
Three (3) color images of ONE sculpture with each application: two images clearly showing the front and back of the sculpture: one other showing detail. Be sure to show the scale of the work.
Two (2) color images of sample works representing artist’s original work that best illustrate sculpture experience.
Contact information for three references from projects of similar scope and size. At least two (2) color images of sample works representing artist’s original work that is of similar type
Artist may submit up to three (3) applications for this project, with (3) color images of ONE sculpture per application.
Artist may include a maximum of one (1) video file.
Please submit all RFP responses to:
Buncombe County Kinetic Sculpture Project
Attn: Gigi Francis
67 Haywood Street
Asheville, NC 28801
Gigi.francis@buncombecounty.org