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from Franklin Furnace

CALL FOR ENTRIES
NEWPORT BEACH CIVIC CENTER INVITATIONAL SCULPTURE EXHIBITION
Phase V
1000 Avocado Avenue, Newport Beach, CA 92660

DATE ISSUED: November 15, 2019

DEADLINE TO APPLY: January 15, 2020 – NO APPLICATION FEE REQUIRED
The City of Newport Beach (City) is pleased to announce a call for entries for Phase V of its ongoing Invitational Sculpture Exhibition to further activate the splendor of the City’s Civic Center Park. Artists, private collectors, galleries, and museums/non-profit institutions are invited to submit artworks for consideration for a temporary exhibition at the site.

Up to ten artworks may be selected and showcased for two years in the heart of Newport Beach in Civic Center Park. The 14-acre, ocean-view site was specially designed by renowned landscape architect Peter Walker as an intended sculpture garden. The Civic Center Park has also developed into a destination for visitors and residents of Newport Beach to gather for civic events and activities including summer concerts on the lawn, art shows, docent-led sculpture park tours, visits to the dog park, or leisurely walks along the park’s windy trail. As home to City Hall, City administrative offices, and the Central Branch of the city’s public library system, the Civic Center is the heart of Newport Beach.

This is a unique opportunity to display artworks in a serene, ocean-view setting that attracts Newport Beach residents as well as tourists from around the world. The prior four phases of this exhibition have delighted and enriched visitors with the works of world-class artists both local and international.

For information about Civic Center Park http://www.artsoc.org/pdfs/AboutTheNewportBeachCivicCenter.pdf

TO APPLY:

Artists/Private Collectors/Galleries/Museums/Non-Profit Organizations may submit only one (1) finished, original artwork for consideration. All submissions must be made online using the Slideroom platform. Visit their website for details on how to apply. There is no application fee.

SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS:

To apply: The application at Slideroom must be completed, and all required supporting documents and media uploaded by Wednesday, January 15, at 11:59 pm. (Pacific Standard Time) Applicants are STRONGLY urged to submit early to allow for dealing with any technology challenges. Late submissions will NOT be accepted.

ELIGIBILITY:

This call is open to all professional artists and artist teams, private collectors, galleries, and museums/non-profit organizations. All applicants must be over the age of 18. Proposals and general work samples will be disqualified, submitted works must be complete, and either installable or adaptable for installation, at the time of submission.

APPLICATION MATERIALS:

• Title and date of artwork;
• Very brief description of artwork (25-word maximum);
• Description of the piece including materials, accurate dimensions, weight, and installation instructions.
• Estimated value of artwork
• Is artwork available for sale? If so, at what price?
• Collection of [insert name here] OR Courtesy of [insert name here]
• List of previous exhibition locations, if any
• Has the proposed artwork been installed in an outdoor, public setting before? If not, how will you prepare the artwork for the outdoor, public installation at the Civic Center Park?
• Why is the submitted artwork appropriate for the Civic Center Park?
• What is your relevant public art experience.
• Preliminary Budget to include: 1) Estimated transportation cost 2) Insurance cost 3) Artist honorarium
• Resume/curriculum vitae (no more than two pages) including name, mailing address, phone number(s), email and website (if applicable), along with the names/contact information/titles of three (3) professional references
• Between two (2) and four (4) images of the artwork submitted; ideally at least one overview and one detail close-up. Images of artwork other than the submitted piece will be removed from consideration. Artwork must arrive in the same condition as seen in submitted images.
• Review and approval of the sample MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING & LOAN AGREEMENT. Your application submission indicates you have read, understand, and are willing to accept the terms of the Memorandum of Understanding & Loan Agreement if selected to participate in the exhibition.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

• Applications will only be accepted online through Slideroom.
• Do not send applications directly to Arts Orange County or the City of Newport Beach.
• Late applications will not be considered.
• If artists are applying as a team, include resumes for all team members.
• The City of Newport Beach reserves the right to reject all submittals and to decline to award contracts for this project.
• All artists who submit their materials for review will receive notification of the results of the selection process, including the identification of the selected artists.
• All information contained herein does not constitute an expressed or implied contract.
• Artists will not be eligible for more than one artwork selection in any given exhibition.
• Works selected must remain for the entire duration of the exhibition and be sturdy enough to withstand the site’s significant climactic environments – Cold, Heat and humidity, Salt Air, Wind, etc.
• Successful applicants will be responsible for transporting their artworks to and from the site according to the contract schedule. The City of Newport Beach will coordinate professional installation and de-installation services for all selected artworks.
• The City of Newport Beach has retained Arts Orange County, the nonprofit countywide arts council, to provide professional services for the sculpture exhibition. The professional art installation service Display, along with public art consultant Joe Lewis, will assist Arts Orange County with the project.
 
CALENDAR

December 1, 2019 Open Applications
January 15, 2020 Submission deadline
January 17, 2020 Public Comment and Input period
Selections made by the Newport Beach Civic
Center Invitational Sculpture Exhibition artist
selection committee to include ten sculptures and
three alternates

February 13, 2020 Submit recommended works to City Arts
Commission for review and approval
Present to City Arts Commission - approved
recommendations forwarded to City Council for final approval

February 14, 2020 Advise selected artists of their status to determine continued availability of their work, their availability for the installation window of time, and remind them that selection is subject to City Council Approval

March 10, 2020 City Council Meeting – Presentation of recommendations and approval of selections

March 11, 2020 Selected artists notified
FedEx contracts to selected artists
Confirm that all artist contracts are received
Schedule installation dates
Collect media information from artists for press and marketing
Prepare site for installation
Develop media and promotional materials

April 3, 2020 Confirm that all artist contracts are received and delivered to city

May 18-22, 2020 Installation of artwork

Date TBD Opening reception luncheon

SELECTION CRITERIA:

The City seeks a well-balanced exhibit of Public Art emphasizing a variety of styles, types, sizes; and a diverse pool of artists. The artist selection committee will determine specific locations for artworks within the Park grounds.

• Artistic Merit: Artists shall have substantial professional qualifications, high-quality artwork that demonstrates originality and artistic excellence. Private collectors, galleries, and museum/non-profit organizations shall have professional reputations for collecting and exhibiting high-quality artwork that shows creativity and artistic excellence.

• Durability: The Selection Committee will consider only artwork made of high-quality materials which can withstand the natural elements of coastal Southern California for a minimum of two years. Consideration will be given to structural and surface integrity, protection against theft and vandalism, and requiring minimal to no maintenance.

• Meets Minimum Requirements: Artworks must be available for the duration of the exhibition period and prepared for installation, in most cases, on a concrete foundation or footings. Artworks, when installed, will be readily visible from the interpretive trails. Artworks should be suitable for viewing from all angles. Artworks shall be appropriate for audiences of all ages.

• Site Responsiveness: Artwork should be appropriate in scale, material, and content for the immediate, general, social, and physical environments to which they relate. Artworks will be installed in unsupervised areas and must not exhibit unsafe conditions or factors that may bear on public liability, as members of the public may come into contact with the works.

Artworks which incorporate sustainable strategies, demonstrate green processes or utilize green design, materials theories, and techniques are welcome, but not required.

SELECTION PROCESS:

A Selection Committee consisting of seven (7) Newport Beach Arts Commissioners and two (2) local arts professionals will be responsible for choosing up to ten (10) finalists and three (3) alternates. They will review each submission deemed eligible and make decisions based on the Selection Criteria outlined in this Call for Entries. A nonvoting installation professional will be on hand to advise on feasibility. Residents of the Newport Beach community will also have an opportunity to provide feedback and indicate their preferences to the Selection Committee through both an online survey and public hearings. Finalists and alternates will be notified of their status, but neither are guaranteed selection. Final selections are contingent upon approval by the Arts Commission and the Newport Beach City Council.

HONORARIUM:

Selected artists will receive an honorarium of between $2,500 and $6,000 in exchange for a two-year loan of their artwork. Honoraria will be determined by the Selection Committee depending on the artist’s preliminary budget, complexity of the project, weight, and size. And it shall be used to cover transportation of the artwork to and from the exhibition site, structural engineering documents (if required,) any insurance needed or desired for artwork transport and display, and fees for on-site availability during installation and removal. No other fees or expense reimbursements are offered. Artists will receive half of the honorarium upon signing the contract and the second half of the payment after de-installation.

Exhibit A (Peter Walker and Partners Art Master Plan map)

ABOUT THE EXHIBITION:

The exhibition will locate up to ten (10) sculptures throughout the 14-acre Civic Center Park. The Artist Selection Committee will site and install some artworks on predetermined concrete pads and determine the positioning of the remaining sculptures after careful review of their interactive and visual properties. Depending upon the nature of their design, some works may be installed in such a manner that they come into direct contact with the ground.

Selected artworks will remain on display for approximately two years with installation planned in May 2020 and de-installation scheduled for June 2022.

Artworks may be available for purchase during the exhibition period. Artists who wish to make their artwork available for sale agree that their piece shall not be de-installed until the conclusion of the exposition period. The City of Newport Beach will not request a commission from the sale of artwork.

The Newport Beach Arts Commission will host an opening reception luncheon for the exhibition on May 30, 2020. Participating artists are encouraged, though not required, to attend. Exhibited artists will also be invited to talk about their work during a public forum. The City plans to distribute information about the exhibition to the news media, to conduct tours, and to create a self-guided smartphone audio tour. Participating artists will, for promotional usage, submit brief explanatory statements about their artwork, in writing, and participate in audio recording sessions for self-guided tours and educational activities, as possible.

Please Note: To preserve the validity and integrity of the selection process, no applicant may contact any member of the selection committee, City Arts Commission, or the City Council until the entire process is complete, and the City Council has rendered its decision. All decisions are final.

QUESTIONS:

Please direct all questions to Nicholas Thurkettle, Program Assistant
ArtsOC (714) 556-5160 x 14 or nthurkettle@artsoc.org