Call for Artists: Public Art at Wilmes Lake Alum Treatment Facility

January 22, 2025

The South Washington Watershed District (SWWD) seeks proposals to commission a professional artist or team of artists to design, fabricate and install a work of public art at the newly completed Wilmes Lake Alum Treatment Facility in Kargel Park, Woodbury, Minnesota. The selected artwork will be installed in a visible location on an exterior screen wall at the facility’s lift station along a highly utilized public trail. The artwork should interpret one or more of the following themes: local aquatic ecosystem restoration, water quality/clarity improvement, water movement and watershed connectivity within the SWWD, climate resiliency, and/or other related topics subject to SWWD and City of Woodbury approval. SWWD is interested in discovering new ways of envisioning, connecting, and valuing its water resources while recognizing different perspectives and ways of knowing. Through this project, SWWD hopes to engage area residents and trail users with creativity, innovation and artistic excellence while promoting and achieving water quality improvement by providing visibility to the watershed’s natural resources.

Program Overview

Artist Responsibilities

The selected or team of artists will be expected to collaborate with SWWD program staff and execute a contract with the SWWD that includes an agreed-upon work plan with specific outcomes and timelines for the project including, but not limited to, Project Conceptualization and Design, Fabrication, Installation, Maintenance Plan, and Compensation. The artist must keep SWWD staff informed of the status and progress of work so staff can provide the SWWD Board of Managers with a detailed assessment of program successes and suggested future program improvements. SWWD is currently seeking a completed public art installation within the 2025 calendar year, although this timeline is flexible depending on the needs of the proposal selected.

The artist is required to provide their own equipment and workspace and will serve as a contracted consultant to SWWD, not as an employee. The artist must maintain a commercial general liability insurance policy consistent with statutory and SWWD requirements.

Parameters & Requirements

Any materials or media may be submitted; however, applicants should pay close attention to the practical realities of the site. The selected proposal must be resilient to the elements, extreme heat, extreme cold, precipitation and wind, and be able to safely withstand public use and interaction. The installation will be mounted to a vertical wall surface that is nine (9) feet tall, fourteen (14) feet wide and located directly adjacent to a pedestrian and bike trail. While not required, there is an additional side wall measuring four (4) feet wide and nine (9) feet tall that may also be utilized if desired. The existing finished surface of the screen wall is comprised of phenolic composite panels. The substructure is incredibly sturdy and will support the weight of a variety of potential installations. There is approximately 18 inches of horizontal relief between the wall and the travelled edge of the trail. Low relief sculptural elements or a mural may be best suited for this location. Mural projects will require mounting of an alternate suitable substrate to the existing wall surface. Proposals with sharp protrusions or material edges that could cause harm to unwary moving pedestrians or cyclists, as determined by SWWD and/or the City of Woodbury will not be considered.

Screen Wall Front View (facing east) Screen Wall Side View (facing south)

Submission Requirements

Application materials must be submitted via email to [email protected] by the deadline of midnight on Friday, February 14th, 2025. Late or incomplete applications will not be considered. Submittals must include the following:

  1. Letter of Interest
    • A brief introduction outlining the artist’s interest in the project, relevant experience, and connection to the subject. (PDF, 1-page max)
  2. Artist & Proposal Information
    • Curriculum vitae (CV) or resume for all artists on the team. (PDF, 2-page max)
    • A vision statement explaining the artist’s conceptual approach and vision for the project and its connection to the goals and objectives of the SWW. (PDF, 1-page max)
    • Up to four (4) images or sketches of artist’s preliminary concept described in the vision statement above (filenames: lastname_concept1.jpg, image size limit: 2MB each).
  3. Previous Work Samples
    • Six (6) work samples completed within the last three years (filenames: lastname1.jpg, image size limit: 2MB each).
    • JPG, PNG, TIF or PDF files accepted via email or through shared portfolio folder.
    • Include an image inventory list with title, year, medium, dimensions, and brief description (50-word limit each) for previous work samples (PDF, 1-page max).
  4. Professional References
    • Three professional references familiar with artist’s work. Include contact information.
Download the full RFQ