Westfield seeks artists to redesign decommissioned IndyGo bus exterior

The City of Westfield is seeking artists to digitally design original artwork for the exterior of a refurbished, decommissioned IndyGo bus that will serve as a pop-up retail space. The “Rolling Canvas” bus is a partnership between the city’s Economic Development team and PATTERN, Inc.

The “Rolling Canvas” bus will be placed on the south side of Jersey Street in Grand Junction Plaza. The city is seeking eye-popping digital artwork designed with the city’s essence, heritage, and character in mind.

Applicant artists are welcome to use Westfield’s history, signature events, and physical environment as inspiration, if they choose.

Deadline for submission

Wednesday, April 16 at 11:59 p.m.

Eligibility

To be eligible to submit proposals for this project opportunity, applicant artists must:

• Be able to meet all of the Project requirements (see below);
• Be age 18 or over;
• Be willing to meet all contractual obligations and adhere to a strict budget and timeline;
• Be willing to allow PATTERN Inc. and/or the city to use the final design for other purposes and/or at other locations; and
• Provide the signed affidavit for acknowledgement of originality and intellectual property.

This project will require:

• Providing a digital concept design with proposal submission;
• Coordinating with the city to develop an approved design; and
• Coordinating with the city for installation dates.

Project budget

This project will carry a commission fee of $1,000 to be paid to the artist or team selected to complete the project pursuant to this RFP. This fee encompasses and includes all the selected artist’s (or team’s) compensation and anticipated expenses, including (but not limited to) design fees, licensing fees, and production of a digital art piece for submission in response to this RFP.

Additional commission compensation in relation to this project will not be provided.

Payment will be made in two installments: half will be paid to the selected artist at the beginning of the project ($500), with the remaining half to be paid upon completion of the project ($500). Completion of the project is considered when the Rolling Canvas bus is in the final location. Please note that, due to the city’s statutory claims process, these payments may take up to 30 days to arrive.

Resources

The Rolling Canvas bus dimensions: 40 feet long by 9 feet wide by 10 feet high with the intention of being a full wrap of the exterior.

The city will provide digital photos of the current bus, upon request.

Selection process

Artists must submit their proposals (see below: “How to apply”) to Claire Gelinas (cgelinas@westfield.in.gov) at 11:59 p.m. on Wednesday, April 16. Representatives from the city and PATTERN, Inc. will review submitted proposal and select a final artist to design the “Rolling Canvas” bus.

Teams of artists are welcome to submit proposals as a team. The selected artist will be provided a contract for services that must be executed and returned before work on the project may begin. Each contract will contain provisions required by Indiana law, including but not limited to Ind. Code § 22-5-1.7-11 and Ind. Code § 22-9-1-10.

Note: While this is the intended selection process, in the event of an insufficient number of qualified applicants, the city reserves the right to invite an artist to propose to perform the project, or to directly select an artist, and reserves the right to cancel this RFP and the associated opportunity entirely at any point and for any reason.

Selection criteria

Finalists will be selected based upon the following criteria:

• Technical Ability: Artist’s submission indicates professionalism, skill with materials and techniques, and indicates the capacity to meet the requirements of this project; and
• Artistic Quality: Artist’s past work is appropriate to its context, innovative, creative and stylistically distinctive.

Project timeline

This timeline represents the project as of the date of issuance of this RFP. Changes may be necessary as the Project progresses.

• Deadline for proposal submissions: April 16
• Selection Committee Review: April 17 and 18
• Selection of finalist artist(s) and provision of contract(s) for signatures: No later than April 21
• Fabrication & Installation: April 23 to May 6

How to apply

Artists must submit the following information to Economic Development Strategist Claire Gelinas at cgelinas@westfield.in.gov. (Please note: submission materials will not be returned to applicants.)

• Resume: Please include a copy of your artistic resume.
• Cover letter: Please include a statement about your interest in this Project, as well as any personal or professional connection you have to Westfield and how that connection influences your interest in this Project. Please also include a statement about how your previous work experience qualifies you for this opportunity.
• Concept design: Please include a digital concept design of your proposed artwork for the “Rolling Canvas” bus. Applicants will be required to incorporate the City of Westfield’s Economic Development logo and PATTERN, Inc. logo in the final design.
• Examples of previous artwork: Submit two to five digital images in .JPG or .PDF format of past work. Please limit the file size of each image to 5MB or less. If possible, include images of at least one previous project that is appropriate to the conditions of this Project.
• Image information sheet: Submit a sheet with the following information about each submitted project: title, date completed, client/neighborhood/site name, total artwork budget, and a brief (one to two sentences) description of the project or piece at is relates to this Project. Include a directory of which image titles you have submitted are associated with each project (ex: for an artist named Smith: PROJECT x: Images Smith 1, Smith 2, Smith 3; PROJECT Y: Smith 4, Smith 5). Submit this sheet in .DOX, .DOCX or .PDF format.
• Artist affidavit of originality & IP: Submit a completed and signed acknowledgement of this statement (Exhibit 1 of this RFP). Applicants that do not include the Artist Affidavit of Originality and Intellectual Property Ownership will not be deemed an incomplete submission and will not be considered. Submit this sheet in .DOC, .DOCX, or .PDF format.

Delivery of submissions

Submissions may be emailed to cgelinas@westfield.in.gov, shared via Dropbox, or hand-delivered to Claire Gelinas at the City of Westfield located at the below address.

Mailed or delivered submissions must be loaded on a single USB drive. CDs, DVDs, or printed items will not be accepted. USB drives must arrive at City of Westfield City Services building (address below) no later than 11:59 p.m. Wednesday, April 16. A Dropbox share request must be time-stamped by 11:59 p.m. on Wednesday, April 16 – all items must be included in the shared folder by that time. Any item that is time-stamped as being uploaded after 11:59 p.m. will be disqualified from consideration.

The delivery address is:

ATTN: Claire Gelinas
City of Westfield
2728 E. 171st Street
Westfield, IN 46074

Questions

If you have questions, contact Claire Gelinas, Economic Development Strategist, at cgelinas@westfield.in.gov or call (317) 914-7789.