Artist can enrich a Pasadena neighborhood through engaging its community to create concepts for a new city-capital art project.
The City of Pasadena has opened applications for the Robinson Park Recreation Center Capital Public Art Project, which any California-based artist or team can join to create community-engaged permanent public art.
“The public art project for the Robinson Park Recreation Center is intended to enrich community life, engage a wide spectrum of Northwest Pasadena’s residents, and enhance the visual character of the neighborhood,” the city’s Cultural Affairs Division said.
An announcement by the Cultural Affairs Division of the Department of Planning and Community Development said Request for Qualifications (RFQ) application forms for the are now available online. Artists are encouraged to fill them up and submit applications up to Thursday, April 7, 11:59 p.m.
The organizers are holding a virtual Community Meeting and Artist Workshop on Wednesday, March 9, to explain the scope of the RFQ and answer questions from potential applicants and members of the public. The workshop begins at 1 p.m.
Applicants working in any medium may apply, but the selected artist or team must be culturally sensitive and eager to engage with community members while developing their artwork concepts. The artist or team will be selected based on the quality of past work, their approach to community engagement, and their ability to create art that reflects the local history of Northwest Pasadena and its present-day aspirations.
Pasadena’s Capital Improvement Public Art Program mandates that one percent of an eligible City CIP project budget be allocated for development of a site-specific public art artwork. Artists are required under the program to engage with community stakeholders – through research, dialogue and a series of workshops or events – to develop a vision statement that outlines the values and goals for the project.
The Robinson Park Recreation Center Stakeholder Group has also outlined the role and expectations of the artist as he or she engages with the community. A Selection Panel will review all applications according to the established evaluation criteria to make a recommendation for a selected artist or team.
Upon recommendation from the Arts and Culture Commission, the Cultural Affairs Division will contract with the artist or team and outline project milestones as part of the development phase of the project. As a result of the community engagement process, the contracted artist or team will present a proposed artwork concept to the Commission for review.
“The Public Art project at the Robinson Park Recreation Center is a great opportunity for the public to work with a culturally sensitive and professional artist/team to develop an artwork that reflects the history and aspirations of the Northwest Pasadena community,” the announcement added.
For more information, visit www.cityofpasadena.net/arts or contact Rochelle Branch, Cultural Affairs Division Manager at the Planning and Community Development Department, (626) 744-7062.
