AMP: Artists' Meeting Place and Resource Collective

Application Deadline: August 30th, 2010

Artwork Budget: approximately $70,000-$80,000
Eligibility: Open to practicing artists and artist teams in the Southern California Region
To Apply: Please submit a letter of interest, resume, up to 10 digital images of relevant prior work or projects and 3 professional references.

Submittals should be addressed to:

Scott Boydstun, Design Principal, Rasmussen and Associates,

248 South Mills Road, Ventura, Ca. 93003.

For additional information email s.boydstun@rasmussenandassociates.com. Purpose/Goals:

Community Memorial Hospital is expanding their facility to provide state of the art medical care for their patients and the residents of Ventura. Features of the Hospital District master plan include an enhanced public realm with two new public parks and reconfigured streets that are designed for both pedestrians and cars.

The larger of the two parks, District Park is a centrally located plaza/green space adjacent to the new hospital. The plaza is designed to provide an outdoor environment for use by families who are visiting the facility. The site is designed for passive recreation and includes a central water feature. Schedule:

According to the current building design schedule, the following dates dictate the schedule that our planning and commissioning process must parallel:

Design Phase: September 15 - October 29, 2010
Construction Document Phase: November 1 - December 31, 2010
Construction: Spring 2013
Completion: Fall 2013

Budget:
The construction of the District Park is estimated at approximately $1 million. The purpose of this RFQ is to establish a pool of qualified artists who will be considered for the opportunity to develop an art component for this space. The project budget is estimated to be between $70,000-$80,000 for design, fabrication and installation.

Description:
Potential public art improvements to the District Park area can include free-standing or kinetic sculptural elements, benches, lighting and/or a water feature. Though designed as an environment for passive recreation the artwork could be developed for community interaction. Approach:

The experience of an acute care hospital is one that finds both patients and their families at their most vulnerable and research indicates that beyond the aesthetic and cultural benefits art usually provides, that a carefully thought out art program can be enormously effective in supporting patients, families and hospital staff. Informed by experience and research in the field, we will be looking for artwork that evokes the beauty and serenity of the natural world through the use of materials, form, light and imagery. Artist Selection Criteria:

Artist's application will be evaluated on the following criteria:

Artistic merit as evidenced by digital representation of past work.

Appropriateness of the artist's medium, style and previous professional experience as they relate to the art goals and opportunities in this project.

Experience with projects of similar scale and scope, including familiarity with public agencies, the public review process, and experience working with community groups.

The ability of the artist to successfully complete the proposed artwork within the project timeline for the library branch for which they may have been selected as a finalist.

Artist Selection Considerations:

Artistic excellence, innovation and originality as evidenced by representations of past work and other supporting material.

The artist's work is judged to be appropriate to the goals of the project.

The artist's professional experience is adequate to meet the demands of the project.

The artist is available to participate in the design, approval and implementation of the project as required.

Assessed ability to meet project deadlines, and to perform work in a timely and professional manner.

Results of reference checks.

Artist Selection Process:
After the application deadline Rasmussen and Associates in coordination with City of Ventura Public Art staff will screen applicants to establish a qualified candidate pool to be considered for this commission. These pre-qualified artists will be presented to an Artist Selection Panel consisting of arts and design professionals and one representative each from Community Memorial Hospital Board, the Architectural Oversight Committee, the Public Art Commission and the Midtown Community Council and Rasmussen & Associates. The panel shall select up to three finalists, who will be asked to attend an on-site interview and to present an initial proposal for consideration. An artist stipend of $500 dollars will be provided to cover travel and proposal expenses. After interviewing the candidates, the Selection Panel will recommend candidate(s) for selection by CMH.

Application Process:
Please submit a letter of interest, resume(s), up to 10 digital images of relevant prior work or projects and 3 professional references. Artist teams must submit one application and are limited to 10 images.

Submittals should be addressed to:
Scott Boydstun, Design Principal, Rasmussen and Associates,

248 South Mills Road, Ventura, Ca. 93003. For additional information email s.boydstun@rasmussenandassociates.com .

Required Forms and Contracts:
Depending on the specific scope of the project, prior to the issuance and throughout the duration of the contract, the artist may be required to maintain a City of Ventura business tax license, and may be required to provide various types of insurance, including Automobile Liability, General Liability, Fine Arts, and other insurance as required by the Contractor.

Americans with Disabilities Act:
The selected artist(s) will be required to comply with American with Disabilities Act (ADA) requirements in addition to related federal, state and local codes and will be encouraged to develop artwork(s) sensitive to programmatic as well as physical accessibility issues in cooperation with the Public Art Commission and disabled communities. Environmental Regulation:
Due to the environmental sensitivity of the site and its protection under the regulations of the California Environmental Quality Act, the California Department of Fish and Game, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the selected artist(s) will be required to comply with applicable environmental regulations.