RFQ

SFPUC's CDD at 2000 Marin St.

The San Francisco Arts Commission acknowledges that we are on the unceded ancestral homeland of the Ramaytush Ohlone. We affirm the sovereign rights of their community as First Peoples and are committed to supporting the traditional and contemporary evolution of the American Indian community and uplifting contemporary indigenous voices and culture.
Aerial map of the SFPUC's CDD at 2000 Marin St.

Project Overview

The San Francisco Arts Commission invites artists and artist teams residing in the United States to submit qualifications for an artwork at San Francisco Public Utilities Commission’s (SFPUC) City Distribution Division (CDD) at 2000 Marin Street in San Francisco. This is an opportunity to create a monumental artwork integrated into the North and West façades of the parking garage on the CDD’s new campus.

PROJECT BUDGET
The budget for artwork is $1,859,800 inclusive of all artist's fees, as well as associated expenses for design, fabrication, insurance, transportation and installation. An architectural credit of $150 per square foot can be applied to the artwork in areas where the artwork replaces the proposed metal cladding of the building’s façade.

ELIGIBILITY
Eligibility is open to professional, practicing artists who reside in the United States. Entries not meeting eligibility guidelines will be withdrawn from consideration.

Project Description

San Francisco Public Works is currently designing a new campus for SFPUC’s CDD at 2000 Marin Street to replace its existing facility at 1990 Newcomb Avenue. SFWD manages the City’s water distribution system, including maintenance of 1,250 miles of water mains, 12 reservoirs and 9 pump stations. The new campus, situated in the Islais Creek watershed, will be the work location for managers, engineers, tradesperson, administrators, and field personnel.  The campus will include five buildings (Administration, Warehouse, Shops, Auto Shop, and Parking Garage), and a landscaped Plaza.

The Arts Commission and SFPUC have identified the North and West façades of the Parking Garage as the optimal public art location. This is an opportunity for an artist to architecturally integrate an artwork into the two façades. The following are the approximate areas for an artwork: North façade at 43 feet high by 134 feet wide, and West façade at 43 feet high by 300 feet wide. The artwork is not required to cover the total surface area of both façades but can occupy a portion of the facades; the design will also need to accommodate ventilation requirements of the Parking Garage. The artwork will be highly visible along Cesar Chavez Street and Evans Avenue and will constitute a monumental artwork for the surrounding Potrero Hill, Dogpatch, Islais Creek, and Bayview Hunters Point neighborhoods.

The goal of the project is to create a site-specific, landmark artwork that is inspired by water and reflects the activities of the SFPUC’s City Distribution Division including connecting all to deliver high quality, efficient and reliable water to the residences and businesses within the City and County of San Francisco. The artwork shall also reflect the SFPUC’s mission to provide their customers with high quality, efficient and reliable power, water, and sewer services in a manner that is inclusive of environmental and community interests and sustains the resources entrusted to its care.

North Facade.jpg
North Facade
2000 Marin Project Plan Images-49.jpg
West Facade Art Location

Selection Process

Artist Qualification Panel: The applications will be reviewed by an Artist Qualification Panel consisting of one representative of the SFPUC, one arts professional, and one SFAC staff member to identify a list of the most qualified artists to be considered for the project opportunity.

Artist Review Panel: This list of the most qualified artists will be presented to an Artist Review Panel consisting of one representative of the SFPUC, three arts professionals, one Arts Commissioner, and one stakeholder or community member. After considering the artists’ qualifications, the Artist Review Panel will identify finalists for recommendation to the Arts Commission for approval. The finalists will be invited to develop conceptual proposals after attending an orientation session with the project team and key stakeholders. Each finalist will be paid an honorarium of $4,000 for development of a conceptual design proposal.

The proposals will be posted on the Arts Commission website for written public comment prior to the final review panel meeting.

The Artist Review Panel will reconvene to consider the finalists’ concepts in an interview format along with any community input and will recommend one artist for the project to the Arts Commission. 

Arts Commission Approval: The Artist Review Panel’s recommendation 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 Artwork: Artists and artwork 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 considering when scoring an artist’s application for a commission and/or acquisition of artwork by either purchase or commission 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 the viewer emotionally, intellectually, spiritually; the qualify of craftsmanship or mastery of skills and techniques. Artistic merit may also be credited to artwork that reflects a significant or direct relationship between the artist and distinct racial or cultural communities.
     
  • Relevant Skills & Experience: Review Panels and the Commission 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 artwork (or the assessed ability of an artist to design a proposal) meets the specific goals of the project as defined in the Project Outline and RFQ.
     
  • The Artwork is Appropriate to the Site: The artwork or proposed artwork is appropriate for its intended display location in terms of scale, media, design or imagery and is judged to be relevant within the context of the surrounding community, and is compatible with the mission and operations of the client department.
     
  • Feasibility, maintainability: Proposed objects 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. Due consideration shall be given to the structural and surface soundness, and to inherent resistance to theft, vandalism and weathering, and to the cost and amount of ongoing maintenance and/or repair anticipated.
     
  • Contributes to the Quality of the Civic Art Collection:  The artwork is judged to support and improve the city’s collection in terms of artistic qualify and diversity of artists represented. The Arts Commission is committed to acquiring art works that reflect diversity in style, scale, media, and artistic sources as well as diverse cultural communities and perspectives. The Arts Commission also encourages exploratory types of work as well as established art forms. 
     
  • Public Safety and Accessibility: Artwork shall be evaluated to ensure that it does not present a hazard to public safety and complies Americans with Disability Act (ADA) and with all other applicable building codes. 
     
  • Duplication:  Artists will be asked to warrant, as a condition of their agreement with the City, that the artwork commissioned or purchased is unique and an edition of one, and shall not be duplicated unless it is part of a limited edition or otherwise stated to the contrary in the artist’s contract with the Commission.

How To Apply

Applications are available through SlideRoom, an online application system for calls for entry. There is no charge to artists for using SlideRoom. Please be sure to allow adequate time to submit your application as technical difficulties can occur. Applications that are mailed, emailed, faxed or hand-delivered will not be considered.

Applications will not be accepted after Friday, August 26, 2022, 11:59 p.m. (PDT)

Application materials include:

1. Letter of Interest Questions

  • Provide a description of your artistic focus, career highlights and qualifications, and particular interest in this project.

2. Resume

  • 25,000 characters maximum.
  • If you are applying as a team, please include your team/studio resume. If that is not available, please combine the individual resumes (one right after the other) of each team member into one document.

3. Ten images of previous work

  • SlideRoom accepts all image file types up to 5MB. Images should at least 72 dpi and no larger than 1280 x 1280 pixels
  • For team application, please indicate the lead artist for each project.
  • For more information on working with media, please click here

4. Image Descriptions

  • When you upload your images, SlideRoom will prompt you to fill out image descriptions. Please include the title, medium, dimensions, and year for each work. You may also include a brief statement (2 sentences maximum) about each work.

Check out our How to Apply to Calls for helpful tips on how to submit the most competitive application.

Please note that Arts Commission staff will be available to answer questions about this call until 5 p.m. (PT) on the deadline date, August 26, 2022. Please contact Craig Corpora at craig.corpora@sfgov.org, or 415-252-2249.

SlideRoom technical support is available Monday – Saturday by email, 7:00 AM – 7:00 PM (PST) support@slideroom.com.

Project Timeline

RFQ Deadline

August 26, 2022

Qualification Panel Meeting

September 2022

Review Panel Meeting 1

Mid-September 2022

VAC approval of recommended finalists

September 21, 2022

Full Commission approval of recommended finalists

October 3, 2022

Applicant notification via email

October 2022

Review Panel Meeting 2

December 2022

VAC approval of recommended artist

December 21, 2022

Full Commission approval of recommended artist

January 2023

Artist under contract

February 2023

Anticipated completion

2027

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Eligibility

Eligibility is open to professional, practicing artists who reside in the United States. Entries not meeting eligibility guidelines will be withdrawn from consideration.

What's Coming Up

Public Meeting

Executive Committee Meeting

December 18
/
1:00 PM to 2:30 PM

Hybrid: 401 Van Ness | Rm 125 and Online
Public Meeting

Visual Arts Committee Meeting

December 16
/
2:30 PM to 6:00 PM

Hybrid: City Hall | Rm 408 and Online
Public Meeting

Community Investments Committee Meeting

December 09
/
1:00 PM to 3:00 PM

Hybrid: City Hall | Rm 416 and Online
Public Meeting

Full Arts Commission Meeting

May 06
/
2:00 PM to 4:00 PM

Hybrid: City Hall | Rm 416 and Online