Call for proposals: South Main Public Arts Initiative – Phase 2

Call for public art proposals

South Main Public Arts Initiative for:

• Bus shelter art

• Sidewalk poetry

• Crosswalk art

Deadline: Monday, June 6, 2022 at 11:59 PST

The City of Santa Ana’s Public Works Agency is issuing a Call for Public Art Proposals (CFP) to artists or art teams with connections or ties to Santa Ana for original designs embedded into the reconstruction along South Main Street between 1st Street and Dyer Street. The timeframe for project completion is 1 year or less from full execution of the agreement. A panel will review completed proposal submittals and award multiple artists/teams for their designs.

The deadline for proposal submission is Monday, June 6, 2022 at 11:59 PM (PST) and must be submitted online via Submittable.com.

Who to contact if you have questions

• Public Works Agency: Isabel Gomez – igomez@santa-ana.org
• Arts and Culture Office: Gabriela Cramer – gcramer@santa-ana.org

Anticipated timeline

Event dates, times, and locations may be subject to change under certain circumstances. Please check back on both the Public Works Agency and Arts and Culture Office websites for any changes.

Date	Item
April 6, 2022	Application available on Submittable.com
May 23, 2022	Deadline to submit application questions
June 6, 2022	Applications due online by 11:59 PM PST
August 2022	Artists notified
TBD by Public Works Agency	Project commences

Project objective / theme

This  call for proposals (CFP) is intended to engage artists/teams with connections or ties to Santa Ana in the design of the historic South Main Street along the 2.5-mile corridor between 1st Street and Dyer Street to illuminate the perspectives, relationships, and narratives of our community. The goal is to delight residents and visitors who walk along this corridor and unexpectedly discover an inspiring poem, enlightening history about the area, or dazzling artwork on the street.

The CFP includes 3 main categories:

1. Bus Shelter Art will enhance the experience of our transit system as well as be an opportunity to share the history of the surrounding neighborhoods (See “South Main Public Art Themes” at end of CFP). We seek up to 17 artists/teams to create artworks that contribute to the interest and aesthetic appeal of the new shelters through designs that portray the history of the city.
2. Sidewalk Poetry will provide a space for poets and writers to craft a 160-character or fewer poem responding to the theme “What is home?” The poem should reflect on connection to physical or emotional spaces. Let the Santa Ana history and culture be your inspiration.
3. Crosswalk Art will activate public spaces, engage the attention of drivers and pedestrians, and celebrate the history and diverse culture of Santa Ana. We seek up to 18 artists/teams to create art designs that enhance the experience for pedestrians and drivers.

Site information

Applicants are invited and encouraged to visit the different sites on your own.

For questions about the sites, contact Isabel Gomez at igomez@santa-ana.org. All questions should be submitted by Monday, May 23, 2022.

1. Bus shelter art (see PDF map on website)

• There are 17 bus shelters. Art case display is 6’-2 ¼” x 2’-7 ½”.
• Artists may request a specific bus shelter or a shelter location may be chosen for the relevant historical context of the design.

2. Sidewalk poetry

The City will sandblast the original poems into sections of the sidewalk along the corridor. Final locations will be determined by availability and poetry’s connection to the surrounding neighborhood. Sidewalk poetry will not be allowed in front of the bus loading/unloading areas and crosswalks.

3. Crosswalk art (see PDF map on website)

• There are 18 of crosswalks. 10’ wide x 20’-50’ long, from curb to curb.
• Crosswalk locations are at the corners of Main Street and the following streets:
  • Andrew Street (4 crosswalks)
  • Occidental Street (1 crosswalk)
  • Pomona Street (2 crosswalks)
  • Chestnut Avenue (4 crosswalks)
  • Pine Street (4 crosswalks)
  • Walnut Street (3 crosswalks)

Proposal selection criteria

A selection panel composed of, but not limited to, arts professionals, City staff, City Commissioners, and local community representatives will review the applications and select a group of finalists. The selection panel will review and evaluate the applications and final design proposals based on criteria that may include but is not limited to the following:

• Artistic merit and originality—including theme and context of the display in terms of scale, form, and content
• Experience creating artwork for public spaces, preferred but not required
• Experience collaborating with public entities (such as schools, cities), preferred but not required
• Track record working within a timeline and budget, preferred but not required
• Santa Ana-based artist/team, preferred but not required

Design and installation

The ideal art design will enhance the corridor, represent Santa Ana’s vibrant arts culture, and promote awareness of the city’s social, cultural, and historical composition. The preferred designs should reflect the history and story of the surrounding neighborhoods. The artwork must be appropriate for all ages and engage with the growing, diverse population in the City of Santa Ana.

The artist/team will not be required to fabricate or install the artwork. The City will coordinate with the artist/team for any assistance needed by the city.

Design criteria

• All proposed artwork should be original 2-D drawings or digital renderings only.
• Artwork with stock or copyrighted images in the design will be disqualified.
• Consideration should be given to the architectural, historical, geographical, and socio-culture of the City.
• Artwork/Poetry cannot contain trademark images, logos, tag lines, or be in any way thematically linked to a commercial business, establishment, product, or service. Overt religious and political themes and symbolism will also be declined.
• The City will reject for display works of art that are obscene (as defined by A.C.A. § 5-68-302 et seq.) or violate other State or Federal laws.

Bus shelter art

• Artwork must relate to the history of the location in design and content (see “South Main Public Art Themes” at end of the application). For example, art could connect visually to the site or interpret historical, environmental, decorative, architectural, scientific, or cultural aspects of the site.
• A QR code will be added to the artwork connecting viewers to a website that will provide additional information on the history being represented in the artwork.
• Artists should consider that shelters are experienced by bus users as well as passers-by on foot and in vehicles.
• If selected, a high-resolution JPEG file of the artwork must be provided already scaled to fit the art display case: 6’-2 ¼” x 2’-7 ½”.
• Art display will be viewed by the public only from the front of the bus shelter.
• Artwork may be rotated out for a new round of submissions.
• Each applicant can submit a maximum of 3 art designs, but each artwork must be submitted in separate applications.

Sidewalk poetry

• All writers, amateur and professional, are invited to submit original poetry for consideration.
• Must connect to theme “What is home?”
• Poems must be no more than 5 lines (including title) with a maximum of 32 characters per line (including spaces), and 160 characters overall (including spaces).
• Submissions may be free or rhyming verse (Free Form, Haiku, Distich, Cinquain, etc.).
• Poems in languages other than English are welcomed and must be accompanied by an English translation.
• Each applicant can submit a maximum of 3 poems, but each poem must be submitted in separate applications.

Crosswalk art

• Design submission must be in black and gray only. Designs will be sandblasted into the street pavement, so there will be no color.
• Designs that are simplistic yet interesting are preferred. Designs should be visible from across the street.
• As per the Federal Highway Administration guidelines, artwork must be patterned but may not include octagons, triangles, or other shapes, text, and logos that could be confused with standard traffic control devices, legends, or messages.
• Since the area will be highly trafficked, designs will deteriorate over time and may have a lifespan of 3-5 years. The City will incur the expense to either maintain the art or employ other options to address art status at the time such decisions are necessary. The City will not be obligated to maintain the artwork or incur any additional expenses related to its existence.
• Each applicant can submit a maximum of 3 digital designs, but each design must be submitted in separate applications
• If selected, a digital vector file of the artwork scaled to the size of the particular crosswalk it will be applied to must be provided to the City.

Budget

1. Bus shelter art

• Selected applicants will be awarded $1,500. Scanning, printing, and installation will be the responsibility of the City. Artwork and artists will be recognized on the City’s website and public art catalog.

2. Sidewalk poetry

• Selected applicants will be awarded $1,500. Fabrication of stencils and sandblasting onto sidewalks will be the responsibility of the City. Poems and writers will be recognized on the City’s website and public art catalog.

3. Crosswalk art

• Selected applicants will be awarded $1,500. Fabrication of stencils and sandblasting onto crosswalks will be the responsibility of the City. Artwork and artists will be recognized on the City’s website and public art catalog.

The all-inclusive award per artist/team must cover every cost incurred by the artist in the course of designing the artwork. The City will cover the costs of insurance, installation, and permits (if required). The artwork shall be owned by the City.

Selection and funding are contingent upon a signed Agreement between the artist/team and the City of Santa Ana. Awards will be distributed in two payments: 50% upon a fully-executed agreement and receipt of invoice, and the final 50% upon the successful completion of the installation and receipt of invoice.

Eligibility

Applicants must be age 18 or older. Candidates are eligible regardless of race, color, religion, national origin, gender, gender identification, military status, sexual orientation, marital status, immigrant status, or physical ability.

How to apply

A complete submission must include all the information and materials described below. The online application will prompt you to submit the information directly into the fields and to upload the submission materials described in the application guidelines. Please prepare all required materials before logging onto Submittable.com. Incomplete and late applications will be deemed ineligible and not be considered.

1. Application cover sheet

Complete and submit the Application Cover Sheet online, worksheet provided at the end of this CFP.

2. Letter/statement of interest

[Limit 1 page. Formatting guidelines: Double spaced, 12 points Times New Roman, one-inch margins]

Describe in a couple of paragraphs your interest in the project and preliminary ideas for how you would approach this project. The letter should demonstrate your understanding of the project objectives and a preliminary proposal on how they would be achieved.

3. Concise 2D representation/drawing of your artist concept:

[Limit 5 files, high resolution JPEG or PDF files only]

In a single or a series of up to five images, please present your idea(s) for your artwork. Once artist/team is awarded, final artwork will be asked for in high resolution digital file formats [.ai, .eps, .svg, .pdf]

4. Concept narrative

[Limit 1 page. Formatting guidelines: Double spaced, 12 points Times New Roman, one-inch margins]

Describe in a couple of paragraphs the concept and theme of the artwork

5. Additional material included that is not requested by the Public Works Agency will not be reviewed.

The proposal must be submitted online via Submittable.com. Email, faxed, or hand-delivered materials will not be accepted. Application materials must be received by Monday, May 23, 2022, 11:59 p.m.PST.

Submit applications here: https://cityofsantaana.submittable.com/submit.

The online application will prompt you to submit the information directly into the fields and to upload submission materials. The City strongly recommends submitting the application at least five days prior to the deadline to give ample time to troubleshoot. Access to Submittable is best using Google’s Chrome browser.

Additional information

It is the policy of the City that artists/artist teams selected through this application process must agree to maintain liability insurance, which will insure and indemnify the artist(s) and the City of Santa Ana for the duration of the contract. However, for this project, the City will cover the costs of insurance, installation, and permits (if required).

• The City of Santa Ana is not obligated to select a finalist from the submitted applications and reserves the right cancel this application at any time.
• Submitting an application does not constitute an expressed or implied contract.
• Applicants submitting will receive notification of the results of the selection process.
• Application materials will not be returned.
• All submissions become the property of the City and may be published in print and/or the City’s website. The City will own any copyrights to the artwork for purposes, including commercial, that they deem in their interest to utilize.
• This application is subject to ordinances in effect in the City of Santa Ana.