11th and natoma park project

The San Francisco Arts Commission invites artists and artist teams residing in the United States to submit qualifications for artist-designed fence panels. As part of the 11th and Natoma Park development, San Francisco Recreation and Parks (RPD) plans to install an 11-foot high, powder-coated aluminum perimeter fence and entry gate along the 11th Street frontage of the park, which provides an opportunity for the integration of a permanent public artwork. Artists will be responsible specifically for the design of up to 1300 square feet of panels, which will be fabricated and installed by a separate contractor paid for and managed through the RPD park project.

Project Goals:

• Promote neighborhood connection, a sense of belonging, inclusivity, and play. This may include celebrating the diverse identities, values and living legacies of SOMA Pilipinas and the Leather & LGBTQ Cultural Districts.
• Provide an artwork opportunity for artists with a meaningful connection to the neighborhood.
• Engage the community through artist-led programming to help inform the development of the artwork design.

Selection Process

• Artist Qualification Panel: The eligible applications will be presented to an Artist Qualification Panel consisting of one SFAC staff member, one representative of the client agency (RPD), and one arts professional who will review and score the applications to identify a short list of 15-30 qualified artists to be considered for the project opportunity. As part of the application process, artists will be asked to describe their connection to the neighborhood, as well as how they may engage the community in the development of the artwork design. The review panel will be instructed to take these responses into consideration as part of the application scoring criteria.
• Artist Review Panel: The shortlist of qualified artists will be presented to the 11th and Natoma Park Project Artist Review Panel consisting of one (1) representative of the client agency, two arts professionals, one Arts Commissioner, and one community representative. The panel will identify three finalists who will be invited to develop conceptual site-specific proposals after attending an orientation session with the project team and key stakeholders. These finalists will be paid an honorarium of $3,000 for the development of a conceptual proposal; there is no additional reimbursement for travel expenses.
• The 11th and Natoma Park Project Artist Review Panel will reconvene to consider the finalists’ proposals in an interview format and will select one artist for recommendation to the Arts Commission.
• Arts Commission Approval: The Artist Review Panel’s recommendations are first submitted to the Visual Arts Committee (VAC), a subcommittee of the Arts Commission and then to the full Arts Commission for approval. All Artist Review Panel recommendations are subject to the Visual Arts Committee and Full Arts Commission.
• All Arts Commission meetings and Public Art Review Panel meetings are open to the public and are posted on the Arts Commission website at least 72 hours in advance of the meeting.

Artist Selection Considerations:

Selection Criteria for Artists and Artwork: Artists and artwork will be selected in accordance with the Mission and Goals of the Civic Art Collection and in accordance with the criteria below. Criteria to be considered when scoring an artist’s application for a commission and/or acquisition of artwork by either purchase or commission shall include, but not be limited to the following considerations. Per City contracting requirements, artist applicants who are registered as a Local Business Enterprise will be given a rating bonus of 10% relative to other applicants.

• Artistic Merit: Artistic Merit may be judged by such measures as originality of concept and artistic vision; the degree to which the work engages the viewer emotionally, intellectually, spiritually; the qualify of craftsmanship or mastery of skills and techniques. Artistic merit may also be credited to artwork that reflects a significant or direct relationship between the artist and distinct racial or cultural communities.
• Relevant Skills & Experience: Review Panels and the Commission shall consider the assessed ability of an artist to successfully implement a proposed project, such as the ability to work constructively with other project stakeholders, meet deadlines, willingness to resolve issues as they arise, and generally manage the demands of the project. Cultural competency and/or significant connection between the artist and the project constituency, or experience that may particularly qualify an artist to meet project goals may also be considered.
• Meet Project Goals: The proposed artwork (or the assessed ability of an artist to design a proposal) meets the specific goals of the project as defined in the this RFQ.
• The Artwork is Appropriate to the Site: The artwork or proposed artwork is appropriate for its intended display location in terms of scale, media, design or imagery and is judged to be relevant within the context of the surrounding community, and is compatible with the mission and operations of the client department.
• Feasibility, maintainability: Proposed objects shall be evaluated relative to their feasibility and evidence of the artist’s ability to successfully complete the work as proposed. Factors to be considered include, but are not limited to: project budget, timeline, and the artist’s experience. Due consideration shall be given to the structural and surface soundness, and to inherent resistance to theft, vandalism and weathering, and to the cost and amount of ongoing maintenance and/or repair anticipated.
• Contributes to the Quality of the Civic Art Collection: The artwork is judged to support and improve the city’s collection in terms of artistic qualify and diversity of artists represented. The Arts Commission is committed to acquiring art works that reflect diversity in style, scale, media, and artistic sources as well as diverse cultural communities and perspectives. The Arts Commission also encourages exploratory types of work as well as established art forms.
• Public Safety and Accessibility: Artwork shall be evaluated to ensure that it does not present a hazard to public safety and complies Americans with Disability Act (ADA) and with all other applicable building codes.
• Duplication: Artists will be asked to warrant, as a condition of their agreement with the City,that the artwork commissioned or purchased is unique and an edition of one, and shall not be duplicated unless it is part of a limited edition or otherwise stated to the contrary in the artist’s contract with the Commission.
• Artists’ meaningful connection to the neighborhood and approach to community engagement.