New Public Art Opportunity at Texas Tech University
- This RFQ had a pre-bid event.
- This RFQ was uploaded by the owner.
The Texas Tech University System seeks to commission a professional artist to create site-specific exterior sculpture(s) to be placed on the grounds of the Jones AT&T Sports Performance Center, opening in August 2017. Public art will be placed in front of the building as a beacon to the center.
The new Sports Performance Center will house a 200 meter indoor track with seating for approximately 500 persons, as well as an 80 yard indoor football facility with associated training, weight rooms and nutrition centers. The center will be approximately 159,285 GSF and the height of the building is 85 feet at the highest point, 40 feet at the lowest.
This will be a multi-phased project that will renovate the South End Zone building in the future with a similar budget. We are interested in looking at artists that can create a piece that will stand alone, but could also be considered to create a companion piece for the next phase of the project.
Safety is imperative; durable, low-maintenance materials are recommended to withstand West Texas' intense weather conditions. Ideal submissions will create an art piece that showcases the athlete and human form and conveys a sense of movement. Artists should think of a figure or body in motion. This art installation will not only serve as a beacon in the area, but will also give passersby an idea of the use of the facility. Submitting artists should consider lighting and other elements that will draw attention to the sculpture at various times throughout the day. They may also want to consider finding ways to make the piece interactive. Water features are highly discouraged, but the selected artist may have an opportunity to collaborate with landscape architects for the project.
As mentioned earlier, this is the first phase of a multi-phase project. While an artist is not guaranteed to be selected for the second phase, there is a high likelihood that they will if they have a cohesive plan in mind to create one stand-alone piece, but also have ideas on how to create a companion piece at a similar budget for the other end of the walkway. We expect this project to be realized in the next few years.
Public art near this location include "Universal Signs" by Barbara Grygutis, "Masked Rider" by Grant Speed, and several murals by Mike Mandel and Kenneth Pirtle (see photos in attachments).
Artists should keep in mind that this is a very high traffic location and will host many different types of people, including student athletes, general public, and game day attendees. Any concepts that may be considered polemic or political should be avoided.
In order to be considered, submissions must comply with the requirements outlined in this document. Objects that are mass-produced or of standard manufacture are not eligible for consideration.
Location: Texas Tech University, Lubbock, Texas
Budget: $450,000
Deadline: June 7, 2016 at 3 p.m. (Central)
See full RFQ here: http://esbd.cpa.state.tx.us/bid_show.cfm?bidid=124120
Apply here: http://www.publicartist.org/call.cfm?id=920
View our current collection on our website at http://texastech.edu/publicart
