Bedford Gallery Public Art Project

Heather Farm Park Public Art Project Request for Qualifications

The City of Walnut Creek, CA is seeking professional artists and/or artist teams to submit qualifications to create significant, site-specific public artwork(s) as part of the new Heather Farm Park Aquatic and Community Center located at 301 N San Carlos Dr in Walnut Creek. Project construction will begin in 2025 and associated public art should adhere to the City’s public art mission statement, found in the Public Art Master Plan, to “integrate art into the City’s everyday environment and build a dynamic, exciting, and engaging place to live, visit and do business. Through public art, the City’s program aims to make our public spaces more welcoming and to create a dialogue between artists and the community that honors our ideals, history, and shared values.”

This RFQ is open to all practicing professional artists and/or artist-led teams based in the US or internationally regardless of race, creed, gender, gender variance, sexual orientation, national origin, age, or religion, marital status, political opinion, or affiliation, or mental or physical disability. The City is committed to being a welcoming community where everyone has sense of belonging. Further establishing Walnut Creek as an inclusive community that welcomes diversity continues to be one of the City Council’s top priorities.

The $953,500 public art allocation will cover costs associated with all phases of the art project(s) including design.

Project Overview

Project construction will begin in 2025 and associated public art should adhere to the City’s public art mission statement, found in the Public Art Master Plan, to “integrate art into the City’s everyday environment and build a dynamic, exciting, and engaging place to live, visit and do business. Through public art, the City’s program aims to make our public spaces more welcoming and to create a dialogue between artists and the community that honors our ideals, history, and shared values.”

PUBLIC ART MASTER PLAN

Total Project Budget

The $953,500 public art allocation will cover costs associated with all phases of the art project(s) including design (excluding initial concept compensation), management fees, travel expenses associated with the project, production of all design documents (up to and including construction documents), costs for the fabrication, transportation, and installation of the artwork, mechanical and electrical requirements, fees for permits, insurance, licenses, taxes, and all other applicable costs related to the project.

Four possible budgets categories for which proposed art concepts will be considered:

one design for a major artwork that would utilize the total project budget of $953,500, or
a design for two smaller projects, utilizing a total combined budget of $200,000 or less, or
a design for one smaller project, utilizing a total budget of $100,00 or less, or
a design for one large project, and two smaller satellite projects that would be placed at different locations within the park, or near or inside the new building and utilize the full $953,500 budget.

Project Location: 301 N San Carlos Drive, Walnut Creek, CA 94598

Heather Farm Park is a beautiful public space that sits on just over 100 acres in the vibrant, bustling San Francisco Bay Area community of Walnut Creek and receives more than one million visitors annually. The existing community center and aquatic buildings located within the park will be replaced by a new combined facility tentatively set to begin construction in 2025 and open to the public in 2027.

The intention for this public art project is to enhance the space—both the park and the new facility—and reflect Walnut Creek residents and the City, which is known for its scenic surroundings including Mount Diablo, acres of open space and rolling hills. Weekends at the park teem with activity brought about by the all-abilities playground, sporting events such as soccer, baseball, youth, adult, and senior softball, swim meets, picnics, weddings and other festivities that draw residents and guests from out of town.

During the weekdays activity persists, activities draw a wide range of people from preschoolers and art students to tennis and pickleball players as well as nature and animal lovers to the equestrian center, dog park and manmade and natural ponds that host more than 40 bird species. Heather Farm Park is a favorite for locals who wish to take in the serene views of Mount Diablo and the ponds while seated on one of the benches amidst the blooms of flora.

HEATHER FARM PARK IMAGES

Potential Locations for Artwork within the Park

If practical, applicants are encouraged to visit Heather Farm Park before submitting an application. It is also recommended that applicants examine the maps and renderings and of the new facility, pools, pond, and park area to become acquainted with the site to determine best location(s) for their artwork(s). While specific locations for artwork have not been identified, please visit this link for site plans and facility renderings and potential locations for proposed art concepts. Applicants are encouraged to propose artwork integration for location(s) where they envision their work will be most successful.

Artists may consider publicly accessible artwork on or adjacent to the new community center, on the exterior wall of the pool changing rooms (which face the circular drive at the front entrance of the building) or on a wall inside the public lobby/atrium. Additionally, artist(s) may consider locations independent of the building and within other areas at Heather Farm Park. Installation of public art will take place during the final construction phase.

SITE PLAN & BUILDING RENDERING

Tentative Project Timeline

The construction of the Heather Farm Park Aquatic and Community Center is scheduled to begin 2025. The City Council approved the project schematic design and design development is now underway. Refer to the Arts + Rec website for any changes to timeline. Selected finalist(s) will develop public art concepts in conjunction with design development and will work in collaboration with staff and project architects to meaningfully integrate those concepts within the design plan, if applicable.

RFQ published and project information posted online	May 29, 2024
*Q+A deadline	June 18, 2024 at 12pm (PT)
Q+A responses posted online	June 21, 2024
Deadline to apply. Applications due from artist(s)/artist groups	July 11, 2024 at 12pm (PT)
Arts Commission approves artwork locations	July 22, 2024
Staff sends status notifications to all applicants including invitations to semifinalists for selection panel interviews	August 2024
Semifinalist interviews (virtual)	August 2024
Staff notifies semifinalists of status and requests formal proposals from finalist(s)	August 2024
Finalist(s) proposal(s) due	September 2024
Staff notifies finalist(s) of selection panel recommendation	September 2024
Arts Commission considers approval of finalist(s)	October 21, 2024
Finalist(s) presents final proposal to the Arts Commission for consideration of concept approval and implementation begins	January 20, 2025

Please note that all dates are subject to change.

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Questions & Answers

VIEW FULL Q&A

Application Process

To respond to this RFQ, please submit materials through SlideRoom. There is no fee to submit. No mailed, emailed, faxed or hand-delivered applications will be considered. Please allow adequate time to submit your application in case unforeseen technical issues arise. SlideRoom technical support is available Monday – Saturday by email, 7am – 7pm (PT) at support@slideroom.com.

All applications must be submitted online by 12:00pm PT (noon) July 11, 2024.

SLIDEROOM APPLICATION PORTAL

Application Requirements

Submittal materials must include:

A letter of intent and qualifications for this project. Please briefly address the following questions in 500 words or less:
1. Contact Information: Name, application address and phone number
2. A brief summary of your artistic practice
3. A description of your previous public art project[s] and a career favorite that demonstrates a successful implementation of public art
4. A statement addressing why you wish to create public artwork for this project
A professional résumé.
Two to three professional references, including name, agency or firm, phone and email contact information. Your references should be able to speak to your experience with projects of similar size, scope and budgets to the Heather Farm Park Aquatic and Community Center project.
A maximum of three digital images per artist/team illustrating experience with proposed and/or permanent public art projects.
1. Please make sure to fill out image description for each image uploaded including title, size, medium, date, location, sponsoring agency, budget, project concept, and the artist’s role in the project (if a team or collaborative project).
OPTIONAL: Articles and reviews of previous projects.