PUBLIC ART

PAY ON-LINE (Secure registration by paying in advance)

Innovative • Imaginative • Cutting Edge • Artistic • Holistic • Forward-Thinking
Approaches to PUBLIC ART that engage & involve the public
in Alternative Transportation

This 3-day Art in Transportation Symposium will inspire and equip Artists, Arts Administrators, City and Parish (County) Department Directors and Elected Officials to implement Public Art projects – from design to installation – that motivate use of public and alternative transportation such as riding the bus, biking, and walking.

___________________________________________________________________

Branding Shreveport Common:
The jurors for the Shreveport Common Public Art Projects announce the selection of J. RyanArtist

CommonLink Public Art Call:
A national call for QUALIFICATIONS for the Technical Design of the CommonLink, Shreveport’s first interactive Transportation – Information Substation that will serve as the hub for all forms of transportation, information, communication and community engagement, located in Shreveport Common.  Elements of the CommonLink include sheltered bus stop, taxi stand, I-Shuttle stop, ATM, Emergency Assistance needed “light”, information station with the history of Shreveport Common, the ability to plug into the ShreveportBossierFunGuide.com with immediate access to on-line ticketing and more!  CommonLink will be situated in the center of Shreveport Common for easy access to the area’s destination points, which include a soon-to-be designed and arts-programmed community “green space” – The COMMON; the 3,000 seat Municipal Auditorium; a city parking lot; area churches; and planned new construction of mixed use attainable and market-value, mixed-use housing, along with renovated and repurposed historic buildings.

Q&A on CommonLink:

1. Reminder that the first deadline, Nov. 16: is for Request for Qualifications.
2. More information about the fees:  The fee for this “bid- ready,” construction-ready, design stamped by an architect Technical Design is $100,000.  Fabrication and Installation of the CommonLink is planned at $500,000 for a total of a $600,000 project.  There is no stipulation or promise that the artist selected to design the CommonLink would be the one to build the CommonLink.  The city architect and city engineer will serve as a resource, but they are not legally able to sign-off on the plans, thus the selected artist/artist team would be responsible to provide construction drawing prepared and stamped by Louisiana licensed architect and engineers
3. Artist or Artist Teams: This project is artist-led, whether the solo artist or a team of experts has the qualifications to develop a technical design that is bid-ready for this project. For instance, a painter would want to present a team that includes a member with architectural and/or engineering qualifications.
4. How much information is JMC ArtPartners going to have on the entire SHREVEPORT COMMON Vision Plan before vetting the RFQs: Kendal Henry reminded the callers that this is a Request for Qualifications, and for this first vetting process JMC will be looking for eligibility including evidence that the artist or artists’ team are qualified for the scope of this project. JMC ArtPartners has been fully engaged through conference calls with Pam Atchison and Gregory Free, review of the printed and online version of the Vision Plan. Kendal will tour the area, prior to the Jury Process, and as Project Manager, JMC ArtPartners is arranging the Arts In Transportation Symposium with SRAC.
5. Describe the parameters of the CommonLink project: The site for the CommonLink is limited to the somewhat L shaped green space on the south and east end of the Municipal parking lot in the 900 block of Texas Ave., bordered by Texas Ave. on one side and the curb of the parking spaces on the other, from Elvis Presley Blvd. to Douglas generally as far North as the southernmost pine tree on the lot, and if the artist needs or wants additional space, there is an additional island of green space within the parking lot. Cut-outs for two busses end-to-end will be needed along the Texas Ave. frontage and accommodations for sidewalks, and bike “sharrows”, Must not reduce the current 57 parking spaces within the City lot.
6. Site plan available: To be submitted to finalists along with more photos.
7. Differences between Texas Ave. and Texas Street: The CommonLink site is located at the 900 block of Texas Ave. Texas Avenue, which is LA Highway 80, starts at Common Street with the 800 block, runs west through SHREVEPORT COMMON. Texas ­Street runs south of Common Street to the Red River and is outside Shreveport Common.
8. What is meant by transformation: The CommonLink will transform the area, and the city, as the first public art project in the Cultural District. It will be both a transportation and information substation and an iconic destination in its own right – the first new design and construction in the area since 1954 – and it is pivotal to the SHREVEPORT COMMON Cultural District as the “coming and going” place that connects the community to the district, one that changes the way the community views alternative transportation – a place for riding the bus with your bike and then biking, or riding your bike and then busing, enticing walking, bike trails, a place for mo-peds, a place to sit, get wi-fi, use an ATM, mail a fed ex package. The CommonLink will serve not only as a shelter, security blue-light station, but also as a physical “chatroom” for the neighborhood, a place to get information about the neighborhood’s history, exciting events in the area, and a place to buy tickets, plug in, catch-up, find something to do, or catch a bus.  There is no need for the CommonLink to blend in or replicate historic styles, although it should respect the nearby historic buildings in scale.
9. What type of shelter is needed: The area should be able to stand on its own, and serve as protection from the Louisiana sun, rain, cold and wind. Consider that in 105* summers, even parked bikes need shade.
10. Do public restrooms need to be designed: Although there may be public restrooms at this site, or nearby, in the future, there is no need to include the design of restrooms at this time.
11. Grand Central Station, NYC “StoryCorps” Story Booth was given as an example of new look in a “coming and going” place that at the same time promotes the authenticity of the district with a community-based way to record and collect personal histories.
12. Should the design include areas for vendor carts: It could, and the electrical infrastructure would have to be included, but vendor carts might also be located across the street in the SHREVEPORT COMMON Green Space.
13. How can I see the area: Google maps provide satellite views of the site and surrounding area that includes the existing parking lot. Please note that BING maps has an old image that shows an abandoned car dealership that no longer exists.
14. What will be expected of the selected artist described as “on site meetings with the community”: Shreveport Regional Arts Council is planning at least 3 site visits by the artist, tied with milestones of the design process – between March and June – to engage the community and to present to college students. Please see the Public Art Call, Artist Services for additional requirements including mandatory site visits, required dates, and oversight of two local artist interns.
15. Judging Criteria – This is the Request for Qualifications. JMC Art Partners will determine artist and artist team eligibility. Works submitted will be judged on applicable experience of the team and working with the team, quality of previous works, and how the artist works with the community.
16. RFQ submissions: Restrict image sizes to 800 X 600. Text documents must be editable (saved as Microsoft Word documents are editable Pdfs. Please see the Public Art Call, Submissions, for specific submission requirements for eligibility.
17. Additional notes:
    1. City consultation – the city can NOT stamp or sign off on plans, and they do not have a structural engineer. They can answer questions. The final design will have to be “bid and construction-ready”. The artist team will not have to have a licensed architect or engineer on the team as long as the final plans are prepared and stamped per state requirements, but it wouldn’t be a bad idea to provide the technical team members on the RFQs. Again, the $100,000 should cover the specialists needed for a “bid-ready” plans.
    2. The city will be providing the fabrication/installation of the infrastructure such as sidewalks. The artist can propose underground power lines, designed sidewalks, etc.
    3. The city will put the construction out through public bid, and will need to follow Fair Share hiring procedures. Permitting fees would be included in the construction budget.
    4. Design should consider standard security issues for public transportation stations such as openness that discourages crime.

Shreveport Common Viaduct Gateway:  No artist selection at this time.  The jurors agreed that the funds currently available for the Gateway are not sufficient to achieve the required impact that will draw drivers from I-20 to the Common Street Viaduct as the entry into downtown, Shreveport.  We are considering “next steps” to achieve the desired funds.  The jurors, public art committee, board members and staff of the Shreveport Regional Arts Council extend our sincere appreciation to all artists who submitted qualifications and to those who were selected to submit proposals for these important projects.

And… very soon… the Shreveport Regional Arts Council, Downtown Development Authority, and SPORTRAN will announce a CALL for the design of Bike Racks to be fabricated (later) and installed in the downtown area.

Again, thank you for your participation and here’s to new opportunities just around the corner!