BACKGROUND
The City of Charlotte Placemaking Program funds projects that create active and inviting public spaces, by activating leftover and/or underutilized public spaces, implementing enhanced streetscapes, and demonstrating how public spaces can help transform neighborhoods by creating vibrant gathering spaces. The Charlotte Urban Design Center (UDC) manages the Placemaking Program and works with other divisions and departments within the City to integrate public art, gathering, and celebration into capital and economic development projects.
OVERVIEW
The City is accepting qualifications from local professional creatives (visual artists, performing artists, fabricators, photographers, poets, etc.), teams of creatives, and artist management businesses/organizations for potential inclusion in the Prequalified Creative Pool (Pool).
The Pool will be used to match local creatives on a rolling basis, with opportunities throughout Charlotte. To help the UDC manage all the opportunities for creatives identified within City-led projects, the Pool has expanded to include professionals with experience managing public art and performance from commission through community celebration.
Creatives selected from the Pool may be commissioned to produce original work(s) and/or contracted to collaborate with the City to provide design or management services for art elements at several specific placemaking projects. Projects will range in scale and scope, possibilities may involve: pavement surface enhancements, seating, bike racks, handrails, lighting, kinetics, wall murals, street murals, photography, live performances, etc. This call represents an opportunity for creatives and creative teams working in a diverse range of media to reach a broad audience. This request is open to creatives working in all media with demonstrated experience collaborating with architects, landscape architects, engineers, fabricators, installers, and/or community members. The UDC will use this prequalified list to match creatives with opportunities commensurate with skills and experience.
ELIGIBILITY
Applicants not meeting the following eligibility guidelines will be withdrawn from consideration:
- Submittal of a complete application.
- Work samples demonstrate an ability to create dynamic, site-specific artworks, and/or the ability to tie creative work to a place or community.
- The creative’s resume demonstrates evidence of professional competence and, experience working in collaboration with architects, landscape architects, engineers, fabricators, installers, and/or community members.
- Local creatives and creative teams are required to live within Mecklenburg County with preference to Charlotte residents.
SELECTION POCESS
This solicitation process is being undertaken to enable the UDC to identify the most highly qualified creatives for several upcoming opportunities throughout Charlotte. As part of this process, applications from creatives who wish to be included in the Pool will be pre-screened by City staff for compliance with RFQ eligibility requirements.
The UDC will then review all eligible applications to create a prequalified pool of creatives, creative teams, and creative management businesses/organizations. Those accepted into the Pool will be notified by the City via email.
City staff will then use the prequalified pool to make recommendations to the Placemaking Program and City departments, matching artists to specific opportunities on a project-by-project basis.
TIMELINE
- January 19, 2023 - Applications released
- March 3, 2023 - Application submission deadline
- April 14, 2023- Selection review and notifications sent.
- April 15, 2023 - Commissions for specific projects will begin and continue as projects are implemented throughout the year.
TO APPLY
Applications must be submitted online by 5:00 p.m. EST on March 3, 2023.
PLEASE NOTE: Inclusion in the Pool does not guarantee a commission.
