SUMMARY:  

The City of Reno is accepting qualifications from artists/artist teams and artist-led design teams for a public art opportunity at the Moana Springs Community Aquatics and Fitness Center in Reno, NV. Artists and design teams working in the United States and who have experience designing projects with a similar budget and scope are encouraged to apply. 

ABOUT THE PROJECT: 

The City of Reno is seeking artists and artist-led design teams for a large-scale public art project that comprises multiple artworks and locations for artwork. The City is looking for projects that take into consideration the history of the site and the unique characteristics of the surrounding environment. 

There are multiple locations that the City is interested in commissioning artwork for including the exterior north facing facade of the building, the interior main corridor, the outdoor soaking pool area, the entrance lobby, and the surrounding grounds (exact locations to be determined). Artwork may include sculpture, suspended art, mural, relief, and artistic lighting components. The Moana Springs Community Aquatics and Fitness Center Public Art Project is an opportunity to create art across the facility and grounds that will function together with a cohesive, overarching vision. 

This call for artists is looking to program 5 main areas with artwork. Each location is different and will require a unique approach. Artists and artists teams/artist-led design teams should take the following into consideration for each location:

• Creating multiple visual angles and approaches
• Day and night activation
• Artwork sustainability and conservation

Selected artists/artist teams/design team will be expected to work with the community, City staff, building architects and engineers, and stakeholders to design the final artworks. The City is encouraging teams of artists or design teams to apply for this opportunity. Link to the project website.

ABOUT THE LOCATION: 

Moana Springs Community Aquatics and Fitness Center is being constructed on five acres of the same site that has seen two prior pools. The original facility was constructed in 1905 as a hot springs resort named Moana Springs. The surrounding area also has a history of recreation that at one time included a lake for winter ice skating and summer boating, a dance hall and bar, a baseball diamond, and rodeos. The property was purchased by the City of Reno in 1957 and a municipal pool was built on the site in 1960 that operated until 2007. The baseball closed in 2011 and the facilities were demolished in 2012. Link to Reno Historical for more on the history of the site. The new site will have a park area with a new playground among a grouping of mature existing trees. The building will be approximately 52,000 square feet and will be a concrete and steel framed building with lots of glass to let in natural light. Two pools and a fitness center will be inside the building, with a third pool outside on the back patio. Inside will be a 50 meter pool for competitions and a separate pool for recreational use. Outside will be a heated soaking pool for a relaxing retreat from the action inside. The facility also includes multipurpose rooms, locker rooms and a second floor viewing  platform above the competition pool. On one side of the new facility are existing soccer fields and baseball fields. See below  for site images.

BUDGET:  

Projected budget is not to exceed $525,000 for the entire project. This budget is inclusive of all costs associated with the design, planning, engineering, permitting, fabrication, installation, and completion of the project. This budget includes all travel costs and insurance. This budget does not include the costs for initial proposal design and travel outlined in Phase 2 below.

ARTIST QUALIFICATIONS/ELIGIBILITY: 

• Artists age 18 or older may apply as an individual or a team
• Must have experience in completing outdoor/indoor public works of similar scale 
• Must be available for on-site visit to Reno 
• Eligible applicants must reside in the United States 
• Able to address climate specific to the site (dry, sun, heat, wind, freezing, etc)

SELECTION PROCESS & CRITERIA: 

Phase 1 – selection of up to 5 finalists (artist teams/design teams) 

The submitted qualifications will be reviewed by a selection committee composed of the Public Art Committee of the RACC and community representatives. Selection of finalists will be based on the  following criteria: 

• Quality of letter of interest.  
• Quality of work samples. 
• Ability to complete the project based on bio, previous work, and references.  
• Ability to come to Reno in August of 2023 for site-visit and community engagement sessions.
  

Phase 2 – selecting one artist/team for the project

Finalists will be paid a stipend of $4000 and travel will be paid for up to two team members. Finalists will give a public presentation of past work with emphasis on collaboration with stakeholders and commissioning organizations and be interviewed by the selection committee. The presentations will be followed by a question and answer period. Then, finalists will have approximately two months to develop proposals for a potential design based on the community input and interviews. Proposals will include artwork for multiple locations per images below. Finalists will present their proposals in a public meeting to the selection committee and the community. Selection of a finalist artist/team will be based on the following criteria: 

• Appropriateness of proposed design/aesthetic and materials for the site. 
• Responsiveness of design/artwork to community input. 
• Ability to complete the project within the timeline and budget provided. 

Selected artists/design team will be expected to work with the community, City staff, building architects and engineers, and stakeholders to design the final artworks.

SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS: 

To be submitted via Submittable. (https://cityofrenoartscultureandevents.submittable.com/submit). 

1. Resume or CV: Current professional resume or curriculum vitae (CV), detailing professional  artistic accomplishments, including bio and artist address, email, and phone number. Submit information for all team members. 

2. References: List 2 references from past public art projects, including title and contact information for each reference.

3.Work Samples: 5-10 images of recent previously completed artwork. Include title, year completed, materials/media, client, location, budget, and description of work. 

4. Letter of Interest: Address how the applicant’s previous experience and current artistic  direction will result in a successful public art project for this space. Include detailed information  on how you would approach this project and how it will reflect the regional community.

Estimated timeline: 

RFQ announced: May 1st, 2023 

Deadline for questions: May 12th, 2023 11:59 pm PST

Response to questions posted: May 19th, 2023 5:00 pm PST 

RFQ submission deadline: June 20th, 2023 11:59 pm PST

July 2023: Committee review and selection of finalists; selection results will be sent to all applicants. 

August 2023: Finalist interviews, community input sessions, and site visit; finalists must interview in person. 

October 2023: Proposals due, presentation of proposals. Artist/artist team/design team selected for Moana Springs Community Aquatics and Fitness Center Public Art Project. 

November 2023 - January 2024: Artist/team will work with staff, community, Council, architect, and contractor to finalize designs for artwork via stakeholder meetings.

January 2024: Proposed artwork will go to the City Council for final approval.

February - August 2024: Artwork is fabricated and installed in coordination with construction, all artwork will be installed upon or before completion of construction and opening of the facility.

All questions regarding this request for qualifications are to be directed to Megan Berner, Arts & Culture Manager, City of Reno at bernerm@reno.gov or 775-326-6333.

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RFQ QUESTIONS AND RESPONSES:

1. Can you please clarify if you are looking for a single artist/team to do all 5 of the pieces/locations, or are you accepting proposals for a single location on the property?

• We are looking for a single artist/team to do all 5 of the pieces/locations so there is an overall vision for the facility. 

2. What is behind the overall emphasis on artists applying as teams?

• Individual artists are welcome to apply if they feel that they are capable of creating work for each of the 5 locations specified. The RFQ went out with an emphasis on artist teams due to the diverse locations within the site for artwork--in other words, they may not all be the same type of artwork, i.e. sculpture vs wall treatment. Many artists approach this type of opportunity by working within a larger design team.

3. I am wondering if there are detailed renderings of each of the sites proposed for the artworks and when it lists "interior" is that inside one of the buildings or an interior courtyard?

• The images that are included in the call/RFQ and on the project site are the renderings available. Interior corridor indicates inside the building, the entrance lobby is also a space inside the building. 

  4. Will the various art opportunities in the Moana Springs project be awarded to a single artist, or will multiple artists be selected?

• We are expecting to award this to a single artist/team to create artwork for all 5 indicated spaces within the site.

5. I will be applying with an artist team of muralists and a sculptor to propose a combination of murals and sculptural elements. One idea that was exciting to our team is to paint the interior of one of the pools (not the competition pool) with a mural that corresponds with the other locations. Is this a location/ concept that the committee would entertain?

• This is an RFQ so we won’t be looking for specific proposals or projects at this time. We can’t speak for the committee but artists are welcome to propose any ideas.

6. For kinetic artwork, can we include a link to a video? If so, would you suggest including the link in the image description or elsewhere?

• You are welcome to include a link to a video. Including it in the image description is the best place to do so.

7. Could you clarify how the $525,000 budget will be divided among chosen artists and the number of artworks that budget is intended to cover?

• We are expecting to award this commission to an artist or team of artists that will address all 5 areas as part of an overarching vision for the facility as stated in the call. It is up to the artist or artist team to allocate the budget accordingly.

8. Can the art opportunity / design proposal encompass the entire area above the outdoor pool?

• Yes, the locations are not meant to be exact based on the yellow highlighted areas. They are indicating the general area and can potentially be placed anywhere within the designated area, if feasible. 

9. How is the $525,00 budget broken down per designated art area?— My question references the multiple areas of art location possibilities throughout the MSCAFC facility noted in the renderings?

• See question 7, above.

10. Will one artist / art team be selected to create work for all the locations highlighted in yellow as priority areas for art? If so, does the art project committee prefer a congruency  between all the works of art?

• Yes, we are expecting to award this commission to one artist or artist team that will create work for all 5 areas. The call states that this “is an opportunity to create art across the facility and grounds that will function together with a cohesive, overarching vision.”

 

 

 

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