Fulton Street Plaza Activations Request for Proposals

SFAC staff will review the proposals with Library staff and recommend two artists/artist teams for the project. The recommended artists/artist teams will be presented to the Arts Commission for review and approval.

Arts Commission Approval: Recommendations will be submitted first to the Visual Arts Committee (VAC), a subcommittee of the Arts Commission and then to the full Arts Commission for approval. All Artist Review Panel recommendations are subject to the Visual Arts Committee and Full Arts Commission.

All Arts Commission meetings and Public Art Review Panel meetings are open to the public and are posted on the Arts Commission website at least 72 hours in advance of the meeting. To check the meeting schedule for public art projects, please go to our calendar. 

ARTIST SELECTION CONSIDERATIONS"
Selection Criteria for Artists and Activation Events: Artists and activation events will be selected in accordance with the Mission and Goals of the Civic Art Collection and in accordance with the criteria below. Criteria to be used when scoring an artist’s application shall include, but not be limited to the following considerations. Per City contracting requirements, artist applicants who are registered as a Local Business Enterprise will be given a rating bonus of 10% relative to other applicants.

• Artistic Merit: Artistic Merit may be judged by such measures as originality of concept and artistic vision; the degree to which the work engages participants emotionally, intellectually, or spiritually. Artistic merit may also be credited to activation events that reflect a significant or direct relationship between the artist and distinct racial or cultural communities.
   
• Relevant Skills & Experience: The Commission and SFPL staff shall consider the assessed ability of an artist to successfully implement a proposed project, such as the ability to work constructively with other project stakeholders, meet deadlines, willingness to resolve issues as they arise, and generally manage the demands of the project. Cultural competency and/or significant connection between the artist and the project constituency, or experience that may particularly qualify an artist to meet project goals may also be considered.
   
• Meet Project Goals: The proposed activation events meet the specific goals of the project as defined in this RFP and in the Project Plan approved by the Commission.
   
• The Activation Events are Appropriate to the Site: The activation events are appropriate for their intended execution and are judged to be relevant within the context of the surrounding community, and are compatible with the mission and operations of the client department.
   
• Feasibility: Proposed activation events shall be evaluated relative to their feasibility and evidence of the artist’s ability to successfully complete the work as proposed. Factors to be considered include, but are not limited to: project budget, timeline, and the artist’s experience. The artist or artist team is available for both Fall 2024 or Spring 2025 and considers the school semester schedule in their proposal.
   
• Public Safety and Accessibility: Activation events shall be evaluated to ensure that they do not present a hazard to public safety and comply with the Americans with Disability Act (ADA) and with all other applicable building codes. 
   
• Artist or Artist Team’s Connection to the Neighborhood: Artist or artist team can demonstrate a meaningful connection to the neighborhood.
   
• Community Engagement: Activations should have a strong community engagement component; proposed project has named collaborators.