Public art project located at 1200 West 1700 South, Salt Lake City, UT 84104 Salt Lake City, Utah | City Council District 2
The Salt Lake City Arts Council’s Public Art Program, in collaboration with Salt Lake City Public Lands, West Side residents, and project stakeholders, is seeking to commission an artist or artist-led team to create an iconic public art installation for the West Side, to be located in the Glendale Park, the City’s newest regional park, currently under development. The selected artist or team will be responsible for developing their design and concepts in close collaboration with Salt Lake City’s West Side communities, who have expressed a desire for an artwork that fosters a sense of community and belonging and reflects their shared values. This collaboration aims to maximize the commission’s community impact, ensuring that the resulting artwork authentically represents the West Side’s culture, history, and people, ultimately establishing it as a landmark for both the city and the communities it will be designed serve.
Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall’s 2023 Plan included a focus on strengthening our community by “creat[ing] inclusive and equitable opportunities for all, working intentionally toward safe, affordable, and equitable neighborhoods.” A key initiative of this important objective was to ‘begin community engagement and site selection for iconic West Side public art installation(s).” Throughout 2023, the Salt Lake City Arts Council’s Public Art Program, in close collaboration with the Civic Engagement Team, led an extensive effort to involve West Side communities in the process. The initiative engaged residents, organizations, and stakeholders in Salt Lake City, particularly those in Council Districts 1 & 2. Participants shared their thoughts and ideas through an online survey, in-person interactions, and a community conversation event hosted at the Glendale Branch of the City Library in November 2023.
These various engagement efforts, as outlined in the West Side Public Art Engagement Report containing our findings, are the basis for the commissioning of an “iconic public art installation” that will aim to reflect the diverse voices, values, needs, and ideas of West Side residents. As outlined in the Arts Council’s 2021-2026 Strategic Plan, the Salt Lake City Arts Council is working to foster equity in the community, bolster the arts through new and creative partnerships, and empower the arts sector. Equity in Salt Lake City is acknowledging and addressing historic and current disparities experienced by our residents, employees, businesses, neighborhoods, and visitors. Salt Lake City provides access to resources and opportunities that support everyone in overcoming barriers to their success so that our community today, and generations tomorrow, can thrive.
COMMISION BUDGET: $425,000 (total budget)
SUBMISSION DEADLINE: Thursday, August 15, 2024 by 11:59 pm MST
ELIGIBILITY: This Call for Artists is open to all artists or artist-led teams located within the United States regardless of race, religion, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, age, marital status, political opinion or affiliation, or mental or physical disability. Strong preference will be given to artists who have experience engaging with community members through their artistic process.
SUBMISSIONS: All applications must be submitted through the CaFÉ (CallforEntry.org) website, link below.
INFORMATION SESSION: The recording of the applicant info session can be viewed here: https://youtu.be/y3RZdDZbrus
To access the presentation slides covered during this info session, please click here.
View the Questions and Answers received for this project here.
QUESTIONS: All questions regarding this RFQ are to be directed to the Salt Lake City Public Art Program by email at publicartprogram@slcgov.com. Please review the complete Request for document prior to emailing any questions.
View the full Request for Qualifications here.
View the preferred art locations within Glendale Park here.
SUBMITTABLE DIRECT LINK TO APPLICATION:
https://artist.callforentry.org/festivals_unique_info.php?ID=13822