The Norfolk Public Art Commission and the Airport Art Planning Committee
seek to commission an artist to design and create exterior artwork.

LOCATION/CONTEXT: Norfolk is the cultural, educational, medical and business center of the seven city Hampton Roads area. It is thriving with culture, history, diversity, festivals, attractions and entertainment and boasts the best shopping and dining experiences in the entire region.  The city is a vital confluence of commerce, water, city, rail, transportation, government and business all coming together.  Norfolk hosts the world’s largest naval base, one of the busiest international ports on the East Coast, and the region’s international airport.
      Norfolk International Airport is the major airport serving southeast Virginia and northeast North Carolina. Surrounded by water and garden, it is enhanced by the splendor of the neighboring Norfolk Botanical Garden, which creates a beautiful buffer zone between the airport and the outside world. The year-round beauty of the airport grounds has become a national role model for reconciling expanding air facilities with a delicate ecological sanctuary. It has one of the most beautiful air approaches of any city in the world. The recently renovated lobby and concourses are bright and modern with open views of the lush landscapes.

PROJECT DESCRIPTION:  The Public Art Planning Committee seeks an artist to design and create exterior artwork that will signal Norfolk as a friendly and welcoming city. The art should be site-specific, creatively stimulate thought and conversation, and be relevant to Norfolk. The perfect artwork will create a sense of arrival, originality and momentarily relieve the stresses of air travel. 

PROJECT SITE:  Exterior artwork should be experienced by the maximum number of airport patrons. There are a variety of potential artwork sites. A key location is at the main entrance on Norview Avenue and Azalea Garden Road and would be seen as travelers enter or exit the airport grounds.  The park just outside the pedestrian bridge which runs between the main terminal and the baggage claim would also be a good location for artwork to be viewed both from indoors and outdoors.  Artwork would need to be approximately 20’ tall to be at eye level to the inside.

SIZE/MEDIA: The artwork should be large enough to be viewed by the maximum number of people entering and exiting the airport. Artwork must be fabricated in durable, permanent outdoor materials that are safe and easily maintained.

PROJECT FUNDS: Up to five finalists may be selected to be interviewed by the Public Art Planning Committee via Skype. The finalists are not expected to complete a design at this stage but will be interviewed about past work and creative process.  There will also be a preliminary discussion of the site. The committee reserves the right to select the final artist without a finalist process.
     The total budget for the completed, delivered and installed artwork is $200,000. This will cover artist’s honorarium, fabrication, materials, shipping and insurance, travel expenses necessary to complete the project, project plaque, final documentation and any incidental expenses.  The artist must hire a Virginia licensed contractor to install the artwork(s).  The selected artist may be asked to present a community educational workshop or presentation.
     Please note that a city contract will be issued with a design phase requiring review and approval by the Public Art Commission prior to fabrication.
     The selected artist must carry a Commercial General Liability Insurance Policy naming both the City of Norfolk and the Norfolk Airport Authority as additional insured, and must provide certificates of insurance to that effect guaranteeing thirty (30) days written notice before any changes to the policies become effective. The normal expected insurance requirement is three million dollars each occurrence.  Insurance can be purchased and certificate presented after the first payment is made.  If the artist employs anyone in connection with this work, the artist must carry a workers compensation insurance policy and an automobile liability insurance policy if appropriate. The artist shall also be responsible for assuring subcontractors, if there are any, meet the same insurance requirements.  

CALENDAR: This calendar is subject to change.
     May 4, 2017, 11:59 PM MDT time, submittal due date and time 
     June 2017, selection announced
     Spring 2018, completion of art

SELECTION CRITERIA AND AWARD CONSIDERATIONS: The commission will be awarded based on factors such as the aesthetic value, creativity and contemporary relevance of the proposed piece. The city will consider the diversity of beliefs and values and general standards of decency of the citizens who fund the commission and purchase public art for the City of Norfolk. The award will be made to the responsible offeror whose submission is determined in writing to be the most advantageous to the City taking into consideration the evaluation factors set forth in this Request for Proposal.
     The following criteria will be used in the proposal evaluation process:
          • Artistic merit (excellence, originality, creativity and innovative approaches) as evidenced by submitted materials
          • Professional artistic experience to fulfill the requirements of this project either in studio, educational, community, employment and/or art projects and the ability to undertake the design, creation and installation of the artwork
          • Appropriateness of materials, style and concepts in relation to this prospectus

 PROPOSAL REQUIREMENTS: Submission must be submitted via CaFÉ website at www.CallForEntry.org or delivered to 232 E. Main Street, Norfolk, VA 23510 by 2:00 PM EDT on May 4, 2017. 

QUESTIONS/FOLLOW UP:  Questions about this project may be directed to Danny Hawk, Office of the Purchasing Agent, 757-664-4026 or danny.hawk@norfolk.gov.

For assistance with the CaFÉ online application process, contact CaFÉ tech support at 888-562-7232 or cafe@westaf.org, Monday-Friday, 8:30 PM to 5:00 PM MDT.

   
Before submitting proposals, please review the website http://www.norfolk.gov/bids.aspx for possible updates and addendums.