Art in the Loop, a non-profit organization dedicated to commissioning permanent public artworks for select outdoor sites in the “Downtown Loop” of Kansas City, Mo., is seeking qualified artists to be considered for the commission of an innovative, original, and site specific public art installation.
Project Description
The site is a pedestrian alleyway in downtown Kansas City’s Library District. Located between the Library Lofts and the Kansas City Design Center, it runs west off Baltimore Street between 10th and 11th Streets. The alley has been vacated by the City of Kansas City, and is privately owned by DST Realty, Inc. and the Library Lofts.
Art in the Loop is looking for an artist, or artist team, to reinvent this underutilized, often overlooked, urban space. Ideally the public art project will inspire neighborhood use and help make walking downtown a visually interesting and pleasurable experience. Inventive, site-specific approaches are encouraged.
This public art site is a ½ block alleyway that connects to a larger alley network, linking to key downtown destinations, including the Kansas City Public Library, the Folly Theater, and the ATA Transit Plaza at 10th and Main Streets. Currently, it is infrequently used by nearby condo and apartment neighborhood residents.
In order to allow the selected artist(s) to develop a holistic approach to the site, Art in the Loop intends to facilitate the removal o f the picnic tables and grilles currently on site as part of this public art project. In December 2008, Art in the Loop held a public art charrette, at which property owners, condo residents, and the community were informed about the project and encouraged to provide conceptual ideas and suggestions for the project. A report detailing the community feedback from this event is available upon request.
As part of the Art in the Loop process, the selected artist (or artist team) will be designated as artist-in-residence at the Kansas City Design Center (KCDC) for the duration of the project. The Kansas City Design Center is a nationally recognized partnership of the architecture and planning programs at the University of Kansas and Kansas State University (www.kcdesigncenter.org). KCDC will provide working space, access to computers and its wireless network, and a supportive creative environment for the chosen artist or team.
Artist Eligibility
Due to a unique stipulation by an anonymous donor, only Kansas City Art Institute graduates, current or retired full-time faculty and adjunct faculty who have taught at least two or the last five semesters are eligible to apply as lead artists. Artists meeting these qualifications may engage non-KCAI affiliated artists as collaborators. Eligible artists with experience and/or strong interest in working in the public realm are invited to submit qualifications to be considered for this commission. Art in the Loop plans to commission future projects that will be open to all artists.
Commission/Budget
The budget for this project, which will cover all aspects of the project including artist fees, all expenses related to the creation of the artwork, and installation costs, is estimated at approximately $75,000.
Selection Process
Art in the Loop’s selection process is based on the model used by the Kansas City Municipal Art Commission’s One Percent for Art program. A selection panel (made up of arts professionals, community representatives, and business leaders) will review materials received from qualified artists in response to this RFQ. A small number of selected artists will then receive a Request for Proposal (RFP) with detailed information about the site and criteria for selection. Finalists will receive a stipend for the development and presentation of their proposals to the selection panel.
Approximate Project Timeline
Submissions due: Monday, March 16, 2009, 4:00 p.m.
Finalists selected: Late March, 2009
Finalists’ concept proposals due: May 15, 2009
Selection finalized and contract awarded: Early June, 2009
Expected project completed: Fall 2009
Submittal Process
Interested artists should submit the following:
A professional resume/CV (no more then 4 pages). Artists working collaboratively must submit a resume/CV for each collaboration member.
- A one page letter of interest addressing the following:
- Your approach to artmaking/public art making
- Your interest in making art for Kansas City and the public realm in general
- What uniqueness you bring to the project as an artist
- Challenges you/or sources of inspiration presented by this project and initial thoughts about how you might approach it
- What you hope to gain from this experience
- Any other comments that might help to differentiate you as a candidate for this program
- An annotated image list that clearly indicates the title, dimensions, materials, and date of work. Image numbers should match image numbers on the CD
- One CD-ROM with 10-15 clearly labeled images of relevant past work in JPEG format (PC compatible)
- Image resolution - 200dpi
- Maximum file size – 1MB
- Name each image with the following format: LastnameFirstnameImagenumber.jpg. For example TraftonRobin01.jpg; TraftonRobin02, etc.
- 35 mm slides will not be reviewed
- Up to three individual pieces, total, of selected printed materials such as articles, catalogues, etc.
- Two names of references with current contact information
Submitted materials will not be returned
Submittal Deadline and Delivery
Submitted materials may be hand-delivered or mailed but must arrive by the deadline, Monday, March 16, 2009 at 4p.m. Central Daylight Time. Postmarks are not acceptable. Late submittals will not be considered.
Send or deliver materials to:
Robin Trafton, Director
Art in the Loop Foundation
c/o Downtown Council of Kansas City
911 Main Street, Suite 110
Kansas City, MO 64105
About Art in the Loop
Art in the Loop is a partnership of the Kansas City Art Institute, the Greater Kansas City Community Foundation, the Municipal Art Commission and the Downtown Council of Kansas City. The program’s mission is to contribute to the visual identity, enrichment, and revitalization of downtown Kansas City, create new opportunities for artistic development, and expand public interaction with new art of excellence.
One of Kansas City’s outstanding traits is its passion for and commitment to the visual artist. Increasingly, the remarkably healthy art-ecology of Kansas City is recognized locally and nationally as a valuable asset and an integral part of the heart and soul of Kansas City. Through commissioning public artworks for highly visible outdoor sites in Kansas City’s Downtown Loop, Art in the Loop seeks to play a proactive role in bringing further attention to Kansas City as a place where exciting and accomplished contemporary art is not just happening but is, in fact, helping to define the city’s identity.
While many factors have contributed to the evolution of this community’s art-ecology, the Kansas City Art Institute has played a pivotal and enduring role in its development. A component of Art in the Loop ‘s mission is to broaden artistic and educational opportunities for Kansas City Art Institute-affiliated artists and to increase recognition for the Kansas City Art Institute’s longstanding contributions to our city.
Art in the Loop has been established through a $500,000 five-year grant from the Greater Kansas City Community Foundation, funded by an anonymous donor. The program is administered by the Art in the Loop Foundation, founded in November, 2004.
Art in the Loop Board of Directors
Kathleen Collins, President, Kansas City Art Institute
Porter Arneill, Director, Municipal Art Commission
Jon Copaken, Municipal Art Commission and Downtown Council
Bill Dietrich, President, Downtown Council
David Miles, President, H&R Block Foundation
Doug Curran, Partner, Stinson Morrison Hecker LLP
Robin Trafton, Director, is responsible for the ongoing administration of the program.
Contact
For further information, or to join our mailing list contact:
Robin Trafton, director
Art in the Loop Foundation
911 Main Street, Suite 110
Kansas City, MO 64105
Phone: 816-421-1539
Fax: 816-421-1661
Robin@downtownkc.org
www.artintheloop.com
The following is an Art in the Loop report on the Baltimore Alley Public Art Charrette held at the Kansas City Design Center on December 2, 2008
The Baltimore Alley Public Art Charrette was a public forum organized by Art in the Loop Foundation in collaboration with the Kansas City Design Center, which presented and discussed a potential new public art project for downtown Kansas City.
Participants: Over twenty people attended the charrette, including a number of Library Loft residents, Embassy Property staff, Kansas City Design Center professors, the DST Realty property manager, employees of the City of Kansas City Planning and Development, and Art in the Loop Board members.
Event Agenda/Activity: Robin Trafton, director of Art in the Loop, provided an overview of Art in the Loop’s mission, goals, and past projects. Porter Arneill, director of the Municipal Art Commission of Kansas City, presented an overview of public art, the artist selection process, and examples of successful public art projects. Daniel Serda, director of the Kansas City Design Center and city planning instructor at the University of Kansas, spoke to the goals of urban design and facilitated the charrette discussion. John Debauche, Lead Planner in the City’s Planning and Development Dept. spoke to the City’s Greater Downtown Area Plan which is working to find ways to make the City more walkable, more pleasurable, and to improve connections (including alleyways) and link neighborhoods. Participants were provided a handout with information on the project partners, research on alley renewal, and they were asked to complete a short survey to record their current impressions and opinions of the site.
Objective: The primary objective of the event was to obtain current impressions and opinions of the site by its current users and owners, and then develop a list of recommendations, ideas and concerns, to provide as research to the applying artists, with the idea that they would consider the information during the development of their proposals. Other objectives included to inform the group and the general public of Art in the Loop’s interest and plans to create a public art project in the Baltimore Alley, as well as to educate the participants on public art and the art commissioning process. The event also helped raise a general awareness of Art in the Loop via the invitation and discussion with other key downtown individuals, businesses, and organizations.
Conclusions: The group was very enthusiastic about the public art project initiative, and very supportive of having artists submit unique and site specific proposals for the site. During the discussion a number of suggestions, ideas, and concerns were raised. Kansas City Design Center professor, Richard Farnan, drew design sketches of key ideas explored during the discussion.
Art in the Loop explained that the ideas accumulated would be presented as only “helpful information” for the artist (not as suggested guidelines), as we wanted to avoid placing restrictions or limiting on the artists’ creativity. The brainstorming session was viewed as a free-flow of creative ideas, without censorship. The participant’s comments were recorded below – in no specific order:
Participant’s evaluation of the site:
- Library Loft building has beautiful well maintained architectural detail; the alley’s concrete and neighboring building walls are in general good condition. The alley has a lot of potential due to its key location in the heart of the City. It looks “sad and lonely”. It could serve as an important pedestrian link for residents and visitors to downtown destinations. There are other completed public art projects and pending public art projects within walking distance.
- Users report the space does not feel safe due to minimal use and poorly lighting. There are occasional homeless visitors, no problems, but they can be intimidating. Broken table/grill and cold gray space is aesthetically unfriendly and lacking character. Alley receives little direct sunlight.
- Residents reported they use the alley, some only in the daytime. The Downtown Council has storage space adjacent to alley, and in turn the Ambassador staff access it. It is used as a service corridor. A loud city trash truck accesses the adjacent alley. Both buildings have door access to alley. One resident reported biking through the alley to access Library Loft side door. The adjacent alleys and links have some dark corners.
Participants’ brainstormed- ideas:
- Improve aesthetics of site: add creative, unique artwork; make the site vibrant, unusual or unexpected; consider relating the art to KC history and/or its current revitalization, address the walking space with simple impact (color, light, design); consider addressing the air space above the alley walkway (run lines/wires, or zip line, to hang objects, festive lighting, inflatable balloons); utilize the two bridges; consider something kinetic; consider creating art at the alley’s entrance that signals a friendly pedestrian entryway; work with the nice “natural topography” of site; consider different perspectives (something viewable from the perspective’s of the resident’s and KCDC’s windows, or drive-by traffic on street).
- Encourage use of space: participants would like this to be a destination that draws people, feels inviting, sparks curiosity and creates opportunity for discovery; encourage connectivity; consider directing traffic through alley network with new way-finding signage, develop ways to encourage bike and pedestrian traffic; add art that is interactive and activates visitors (create a new experience each visit); light foot pathway with led lights; a simple solution could inspire future improvement projects in alleys throughout downtown KC; develop a creative name for alleyway as signage, create a “gateway” at Baltimore Street entrance; add crosswalk across Baltimore Street to draw attention to site; improve feeling of safety with lighting and increased use;
- Consider mixed use space: add functional seating; design space for year-round multi-seasonal use, encourage evening and daytime use; create a “back-yard” or “living room” space comfortable for neighborhood resident’s leisure time; consider designing a play space (games), family friendly, or just make the space playful; consider creating a design that encourages temporary art displays or activities (video projection, art shows, casual meeting space, place to read, be entertained); create a tiered pavilion; design something that encourages pedestrians and visitors to walk through and linger; create a comfortable niche in contrast to the urban austerity; publicize project; program the space; many noted the related social and community benefits that would result, such as opportunities for informal encounters with neighbors, and health benefits from walking, etc.
- Include environmentally friendly and sustainable improvements: add planters, create green space; use wood or natural materials to warm-up site; bring in nature; add a water feature; create gardening opportunities; the property owners were very interested in green/environmentally conscious concepts that could help with KC green initiatives; Retain the integrity of the space and preserve what is good about the space; add art that is easy to maintain; difficult to vandalize.
Participant’s Concerns: Additional foot traffic could bring unwanted noise to Library Loft residents, especially in evening. New lighting should not reflect into residents’ windows
Next Steps: The information received from the event will be made available to artists applying for the commission. A RFQ will go out early 2009, and a selection panel will be organized. Ideally the project will start in the Spring of 2009. Art in the Loop will maintain correspondence with both the Library Lofts and the Kansas City Design Center to keep participants informed of the project’s status.
