CALL TO ARTISTS
The Art-in-Architecture Program of the Capital Development Board is pleased to announce a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) to Illinois professional artists to create permanent original public art for the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) Rail Splitter North/ Southbound Safety Rest Areas in Sangamon County, Illinois.
Final Deadline: Friday, June 14, 2024 3:00 P.M.
APPLYING BEFORE THE FINAL DEADLINE IS ENCOURAGED.
ELIGIBILITY
These public art commissions and potential purchases are open to all professional artists, artisans, or artist-led teams that live and work in the state of Illinois.
• An artist/artisan is defined as a skilled practitioner that generates designs and concepts for creative works that reflect form, beauty, and aesthetic perception. All artists on a team must be from Illinois.
• Subcontractors may be used and are defined as those providing technical implementation such as construction, fabrication, and/or assembly for portions or all of a finished product under direct supervision and control of an artist.
• Faculty and staff of IDOT are not eligible to apply for this commission. PROJECT SUMMARY
Illinois Department of Transportation, Rail Splitter Rest Area.
Built in 1963, the Rail Splitter Safety Rest Areas, located just north of Springfield, were the first interstate highway rest areas in Illinois. With the advent of the interstate highway system, rest areas became part of the cultural landscape—a piece of our national heritage—providing a sense of place and identity for the region in which they stand.
The new Rail Splitter Safety Rest Areas will honor Illinois Department of Transportation’s significant contributions in interstate highway design and construction by preserving and restoring these historic landmarks. The dramatic concrete canopies, an architectural innovation of the time, will remain a beacon for travelers—a tribute to mid-century architecture and engineering. The spacious Rest Areas will welcome travelers by offering a beautiful landscape, innovative design, and a connection to Illinois history.
The commissioned artwork will be located on the left side of the North and Southbound Rest Areas. Incoming travelers will have direct view of the work as they approach the buildings. The artwork must be visually engaging and should honor the legacy of Illinois’s contributions to interstate design and development. Please view the plans and renderings on pages 7-10.
The artwork must be durable and safe with limited annual maintenance. The artwork must meet regulations of the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Illinois Accessibility Code.
BUDGET DETAILS
The budget for the project is $64,000.
This budget covers all expenses associated with, but not limited to the project design, labor, fabrication, project management, materials, tools, contracted services, operations and meetings, and travel required to complete the artwork plus installation, related permits, licenses, taxes and insurance, and transportation and delivery of the work to the site, as well as documentation of the completed project. Any expense that exceeds the contracted amount will be the artist’s responsibility.
The artist is responsible for working with the Capital Development Board Art-in-Architecture Program, the using agency, and other relevant partners to oversee all aspects of the art installation.
SELECTION PROCESS
At least three artists/teams will be selected from the pool of eligible applicants and paid a
fee of $1,500 each to develop and present a site specific proposal.
Correspondence will be sent to the selected artists/teams with details of the proposal process and contracts.
Do not send a proposal unless you have been contacted by the Art-in-Architecture Coordinator.
ARTWORK SITE AND OBJECTIVES
The commissioned artwork will be located on the left side of the North and Southbound Rest Areas. Incoming travelers will have direct view of the work as they approach the buildings. The artwork must be visually engaging and should honor the legacy of Illinois’s contributions to interstate design and development. Please view the plans and renderings on pages 7-10.
The artwork must be durable and safe with limited annual maintenance. The artwork must meet regulations of the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Illinois Accessibility Code.
BUDGET DETAILS
The budget for the project is $64,000.
This budget covers all expenses associated with, but not limited to the project design, labor, fabrication, project management, materials, tools, contracted services, operations and meetings, and travel required to complete the artwork plus installation, related permits, licenses, taxes and insurance, and transportation and delivery of the work to the site, as well as documentation of the completed project. Any expense that exceeds the contracted amount will be the artist’s responsibility.
The artist is responsible for working with the Capital Development Board Art-in-Architecture Program, the using agency, and other relevant partners to oversee all aspects of the art installation.
Art-in-Architecture LEGAL AGREEMENT
The Capital Development Board Art-in-Architecture Program reserves the right to alter any aspect of the selection process or overall project in any way for its own convenience at any time. This Request for Qualifications does not constitute either an expressed or implied contract and these provisions are subject to change.
HOW TO APPLY
IF YOU HAVE ALREADY APPLIED TO THE ILLINOIS ART-IN-ARCHITECTURE PROGRAM
If you have previously applied and your portfolio is on file, you do not need to send your materials again. To apply for this project email a Letter of Intent that includes:
• the project name and project number
• your name and the name of your team members if applying as a team
• your most current contact information including address, telephone number, and e-mail address
IF YOU HAVE NEVER APPLIED TO THE ILLINOIS ART-IN-ARCHITECTURE PROGRAM OR WISH TO UPDATE YOUR PORTFOLIO
Please e-mail a full package including ONE copy of each of the following labeled with the artist’s name as well as the project name and number:
• Résumé (if a team, one for each member) with current contact information, including:
− Name
− Address − Phone
− E-mail
− Website
• Artist Statement/Letter of Intent (1 page maximum, double spaced)
− If the submission is on behalf of a team, please identify the lead artist and indicate if the individuals have previously collaborated and the nature of the collaboration.
− If the artist or artist team has worked with not-for-profit organizations, local governments, state agencies, or other similar and relevant groups, please describe the project.
• References of at least three professionals (for example, commissioning agency or organization, design or arts professional, architect, landscape architect, engineer, etc.). Include the name, complete address, telephone number, and e-mail for each reference. We DO NOT want reference letters, just the contact information.
• Up to 15 JPEG images of relevant past work. Please provide the images in the following format:
− One image per JPEG
− Pixel dimensions per image: approximately 600 x 800
− Image resolution: 72-300 pixels per inch
− Maximum file size per image: 1MB
− Name each image: lastnamefirstnameimagenumber.jpg
For example: mirojoan01.jpg, mirojoan02.jpg, mirojoan03.jpg, etc.
− A corresponding, numbered, annotated image list with title, media, dimensions, location, brief description, date of the work, project budget, and project partners, if applicable.
− Please send images as attachments and not in the body of the e-mail.
• Optional One PDF file of additional support material, including press clippings or other
relevant information on past projects (maximum 1MB file.)
• Digital Submittals
− Email submittals are required.
• PowerPoint presentations are not accepted.
• Please Note:
− Send art images as JPEG files ONLY.
− Do not send design proposals.
− All submittals become property of the Capital Development Board Art-in- Architecture Program and will not be returned. Submissions can be made available for public viewing. The artist retains copyright.
HOW AND WHERE TO SUBMIT
Interested artists must e-mail application materials no later than Friday, June 14, 2024 at 3:00 P.M. Submissions received after this date will be kept for review for other Art-in- Architecture projects.
- E-mail to CDB.ArtinArchitecture@illinois.gov
- QUESTIONS
Contact the Art-in-Architecture Program at CDB.ArtinArchitecture@illinois.gov. The Art-in-Architecture Policy Procedure Manual, commission opportunities, and other information are posted at AIA Program website.