Watsonville’s Behavioral Health Office Building
An artist will be selected to create a site-specific public art component for the Behavioral Health Office Building (BHOB) in Watsonville. All experienced professional artists, including those who are new to the field of public art, are encouraged to apply.
Accepted art forms for this project are murals, mosaics, and metal sculpture (low profile, attached to wall). The deadline for submitting a proposal is September 12, 2018.
Estimated Project Timeline
- September 7, 2018 — Proposals must be received by 5:00 p.m. This is not a postmark deadline. Mail or deliver the application package; faxed or e-mailed applications will not be accepted.
- Mid-September 2018 — Public Art Selection Panel to meet and review proposals. Up to two artists will be selected to interview with the panel and present a more developed project proposal.
- Early October 2018 — Artists present their proposals to Selection Panel; finalist selected.
- Mid-October 2018 — Selection Panel submits recommendation of public artist for the BHOB project to Arts Commission. If approved by Arts Commission to continue in the selection process, artist and County begin contract process.
- Late November 2018 — Artist’s proposal and contract goes before the Board of Supervisors for consideration. If approved, artist may begin work on the project.
- Fall 2018/Winter 2019 — Installation
Background
The new Behavioral Health Office Building (BHOB) was built within the existing developed area of the County Freedom Boulevard campus. The new building of approximately 13,000 SF is designed to separate adult and child services, and is located adjacent to a recently completed health clinic, optimizing coordination of shared resources and visitor convenience.
Important Proposal Considerations
Given the nature of the facility and its clientele, many of whom would find bold, strongly abstract images unsettling, it is preferred that the proposed artwork employ subtle shapes and/or muted tones, that it be warm and welcoming, and provide a calming message.
Limited public-access areas inside the building, as well as the exterior wall treatments, require the public artwork for the BHOB be situated on the exterior wall of an adjacent existing building. As such, proposals for a mural, mosaic, or metal relief sculpture are the only art forms that will be considered for this project.
Inclusion of the community and BHOB clientele in some aspect of the project is desirable. (e.g. they assist in creation of one or two additional small pieces that could be installed in each of the entry areas)
Preparation of the wall (e.g. washing, priming), as well as any finish work required, must be included in the artist’s budget; no additional funding is available for this work.
Application Process
The application materials must include:
- A current resume detailing professional artistic accomplishments and at least two references who can speak to your past work and qualifications.
- Up to sixteen images of recent relevant work. These images must be submitted on a PC-compatible CD, saved in a .tif or .jpg format. Maximum image size should be no more than 300 dpi and no larger than1024 x 768 pixel resolution. Each file should be named with artist surname and image number to correspond with annotated image list (see below).
- An annotated, typed list of the images must include the following information: image number, media, size, title, date, cost and brief description of the art work if necessary.
- A preliminary written proposal not to exceed one typed page, which addresses the artist’s specific approach to this project, as well as conceptual drawings of the proposed project.
- All materials should be on white, single-sided un-stapled, and un-bound 8 1/2” x 11” paper. Nothing over 8 1/2” x 11” can be accepted for this phase of the process. If you expect the panel to view color within your materials, please include ten copies of the color portions, as we do not have color photocopy capability.
- A self-addressed, stamped envelope with sufficient postage for return of the application materials.
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For More Information Please contact Kathy DeWild at the Santa Cruz County Department of Parks, Open Space and Cultural Services, 979 17th Ave, Santa Cruz, CA95062. E-mail: [email protected].