Oct
15
Arts in Transit: Call for Artists
Posted by Anne McCullough on October 15, 2012 | Leave a Comment
Metro’s Arts in Transit program is actively in search of artists or artist- led teams to design, fabricate and install artwork in three separate transportation hubs in the region’s transit system. Budgets for the three projects range from $50,000 to $60,000. Qualified artists are asked to submit their applications no later than 5 p.m. on November 26, 2012. The applications do not call for actual design proposals, but rather are intended to gather the information necessary to determine the qualifications of the responding artists relative to the requirements for each individual project.
All three projects involve the creation of public art pieces that need to be extremely durable and require as little upkeep as possible. The proposed pieces will be displayed prominently at local public transit sites, including the future Downtown Transit Center, the Riverview-Hall Transit Center and the Forest Park-DeBaliviere MetroLink Station.
Metro is planning an expansion of its existing Civic Center Transit Center at 14th and Spruce. Room for additional bus bays and a new climate controlled facility will be located adjacent to it. The selected artist will coordinate with the architect/engineer during the development of the Transit Center design. The artist contribution to the project could be additive in nature, such as designs on vertical surfaces like the shelters, windscreens, railings and screens, or integrated into horizontal surfaces such as sidewalks or platform waiting areas. Free standing or self-contained artwork compatible with an outdoor transit environment is an opportunity that could be explored as well. The proposed budget for the art project is $60,000 for this location.
The Riverview-Hall Transit Center is an existing facility serving northern St. Louis. The location is home to a an existing tower structure constructed in 2007 designed to accommodate panels on four sides from ground level up to a height of approximately 20’. Metal flanges have been incorporated into the tower structure to attach and secure the artwork. This project, while situated on a three dimensional structure, lends itself not only to sculptors, but to artists working in two dimensional formats as well. Water, laser, plasma, and/or torch cutting methods could be employed to create designs or imagery along with combining with other materials to create a landmark work for the facility and neighborhood. Given the many possible approaches that can be considered, Arts in Transit will be available to assist the selected artist in developing the best design and combination of materials for the project within the $50,000 budget.
The Forest Park-DeBaliviere MetroLink Station is located adjacent to an established residential neighborhood with historic turn of the twentieth-century homes and the Missouri History Museum, located within Forest Park. Because of both the historic and residential environment of the station, Metro seeks to engage a team willing to engage with the St. Louis community during the development of the artwork – from design through to its execution. The site, which is ideal for a mural, is a concrete retaining wall immediately adjacent to the east bound tracks and fully visible from the station platform. The wall area is approximately 150’ in length by approximately 12’ in height. The mural need not fill the entire wall but should provide a significant visual impact for transit users waiting at the station. While the existing retaining wall is appropriate for a large scale two-dimensional mural, other artistic approaches, such as bas-relief, mixed media, combined object, etc., may be proposed for the $50,000 project. This will be a challenging project due to the site’s proximity site to the light rail tracks and overhead power source. Proposers are encouraged to contact Arts in Transit for guidance.
All applications must be received (not postmarked) by 5 p.m., Monday, November 26, 2012. Late applications will not be accepted. For more information about guidelines, specific requirements for each of the proposals and links to the actual applications, visit www.artsintransit.org or call David Allen, Director of Arts in Transit at (314) 982-1412.
To date, more than 150 art projects have been installed and/or performed in MetroLink stations, vehicle interiors, MetroBus centers, bus shelters and bus exteriors as part of Metro’s Arts in Transit program, which works to enhance the transit system and the community by commissioning temporary and permanent public artworks by local, regional and national artists.
About Metro
Metro is the operator of the Metro public transportation system for the St. Louis region, which includes the 87- vehicle, 46-mile MetroLink light rail system; 387 MetroBus vehicle fleet that operates on 75 MetroBus routes; and Metro Call-A-Ride, a paratransit fleet of 121 vans.
Metro also owns and operates St. Louis Downtown Airport and its surrounding industrial business park, and the Gateway Arch Riverboats, as well as the Gateway Arch Revenue Collections Center, the Gateway Arch Revenue Collections Center, the Gateway Arch Transportation System, and the Gateway Arch Parking Facility.