The Fairmount Water Works Sculpture on the Circuit: A Pilot Project to Create a Prototype Work of Art on the Schuylkill River Circuit

REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS Deadline: Monday September 8, 2014

Project Overview This is a planning project to conceptualize and pilot a work of art on the Schuylkill River Circuit. The prototype developed through this iterative, collaborative process will capture the attention of outdoor enthusiasts, connect them with information about urban watersheds, and promote sharing of this information through new technology and online platforms to be integrated with the artwork. The Fairmount Water Works, The William Penn Foundation, and Habithèque Inc. will lead a project team that includes Philadelphia Parks and Recreation, City Parks Association, Schuylkill River Development Corp, Philadelphia Museum of Art, Bartram’s Gardens, The Center for Emerging Visual Artists, The Schuylkill Center for Environmental Education, selected individual artists, and representatives from The City of Philadelphia. Collectively, project leadership and team will work with selected artists to conceptualize, test, and refine ideas for a work of art (or series of works) and develop a prototype. These materials, along with audience feedback and lessons learned through the planning process will to be used to solicit further support for implementation of actual works along the Circuit.

Looking downstream toward Center City. People have been gathering along the Schuylkill River at the site of the Fairmount Water Works since the 15th century in the Lenni Lenape fishing camps.

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Sculpture on the Circuit and The Fairmount Water Works

An estimated one million people use Philadelphia’s Schuylkill River Trail annually --a 250-mile regional bike and pedestrian trail network known as the Circuit. This path includes a 130-mile long network of historic and cultural attractions that are inherently tied to the river — The Schuylkill River Heritage Corridor— where history, education, culture and action seamlessly intersect. When completed, the Circuit will extend to 750 miles.

The Fairmount Water Works is situated at the very heart of this celebration of nature, art and innovation. A familiar Philadelphia destination visible by highway, trains and trail, The Fairmount Water Works stands out as an architectural gem, historical landmark and among environmental centers because of its unique location along the Schuylkill River and its vital mission to advance Philadelphia’s pioneering initiatives as a world leader in sustainable watershed solutions.

Through our role as a public classroom for water education, as the nation’s hub for water management research and policy, as a collaborator for protecting and preserving our urban watershed environment, and as an agent of global change, The Fairmount Water Works is working to cultivate the most water conscious city in the country.

Our location with direct access to the Schuylkill River supports a living laboratory for water- based research, and a link among public education, interpretation and real-time research. Moreover, through our exhibits and special installations, we integrate science and art to lasting and important effect, and engage and educate broad constituencies on source water protection.

In short, we connect with people and people connect with us— together we are cultivating an ever-growing stewardship of our watershed resources.

The William Penn Foundation has funded The Fairmount Water Works for a six-month planning project to create a prototype sculpture that will attract users of the Schuylkill River Circuit to expand their awareness of the river, our watershed, water quality and our organization.

Whether one takes a moment to reflect about it or not, all living creatures are connected through water. Water…. WORKS, it is powerful, life-giving, poetic and fun. We want to combine our expertise with true excellence in artistic practice (art makers) to manifest public pathways into this important story.

Working with artist collaborators through an iterative process, we aim to create a compelling solution that will in future phases of work populate the Circuit at strategic points of intersection— offering the public a reason to stop and think about WATER and the land that connects us to it.

Our collective playing field is broad so let your imagination soar.

— Karen Young, Executive Director, The Fairmount Water Works

2 Location Location(s) of the prototype works of art to be installed along the Schuylkill River Circuit for testing with audiences are to be determined based on the nature of the concept. The Fairmount Water Works is located at 640 Water Works Drive, Philadelphia, PA 19130

For more information about the Schuylkill River Trail www.schuylkillrivertrail.com For more information about The Fairmount Water Works www.fairmountworks.com For more images of the Schuylkill River www.schuylkillrivertrail.com/index.php?/trail/photos/philadelphia

Project Goal The final prototype, as envisioned, would be designed to activate a brief time window - approximately two minutes - for a passerby to connect, and interact with the watershed and Water Works through the work of art and an integrated online platform. The goal of such a "captured intervention" would be to move circuit users and other passersby from passive participants to stewards of and advocates for the watershed. The objective is to use this work of art as a means to create awareness and provide education about the watershed that leads to increased understanding, personal connection and ultimately, behavior change among visitors and outdoor enthusiasts to the Schuylkill River Circuit and Watershed.

Compensation for Selected Artists Phase 1 - Three Selected Artists: $3,000 stipend including participation in a three-hour testing session with the public for each selected artist in Phase 1.

Phase 2 – One Selected Artist: $5,000 stipend for the chosen artist. Additional fabrication funds in the sum of $10,000 are available in support of the development of the prototype from concept to a more refined version. The selected artist will work with Habithèque Inc. to develop a fabrication plan for the prototype. The selected artist is required to attend two testing sessions facilitated by The Fairmount Water Works and Habithèque Inc.

Timeline: July 2014 – March 2015 (please notes dates are subject to change)

Phase 1 September 8, 2014 RFQ Responses due

Early October 2014 3 Selected artists are contacted to submit full concepts

November 8, 2014 Front-End evaluations (audience testing session I) with 3 selected artists

Phase 2 December 2014 Single artist selected and contacted to further develop prototype

February 2, 2015 Prototype review with project leadership and partners

February 28, 2015 Formative evaluations (audience testing session II) are conducted

March 14, 2015 Artist installs final version of the prototype; technology components go live; summative evaluations (audience testing session III) are conducted

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Goals for the Artwork The artwork should not use the Schuylkill River nor its surrounding environs as a backdrop; instead the work must integrate with its environment. Artist installations must deepen the public’s experience of the Circuit and the natural landscape.

• The completed work of art will be installed for up to one year.

• The artwork will be responsive and/or impacted by natural phenomena (light, water, wind, moon cycle, etc.) as well as responsive to viewers on the trail.

• Its design and/or placement along the Schuylkill must integrate with its surroundings and will encourage the viewer to think more deeply about the natural and built environment(s) to see things in a new way.

• The artwork will carry an implicit and/or explicit message, pose questions, and/or invite inquiry in order to help the viewer cultivate a deeper relationship with the Schuylkill and the surrounding environs.

• The conceptual development of the artwork and the online sharing tool will evolve concurrently and inform one another. Artists will not be responsible for the online sharing tool but will collaborate to ensure artistic and technology solutions are seamless and integrated.

Selection Criteria and Process Artists will be selected to submit concepts for this project based on the following criteria: • Artistic Excellence

• Quality and vision of proposed work as stated in the artwork abstract

• Thoughtful integration of artwork with environment

• Demonstrated experience with outdoor installations

• Sensitivity to the artwork's public engagement/education/interactivity

• Potential of the work to integrate with technology solution

• Ability to work within project budget and timeframe

• Ability to execute kinetic/responsive artwork or willingness to partner with project partners for this component

• Strength and relevance of artwork images provided

Applications will be reviewed and evaluated by the project partners based on these criteria. The partners will synthesize evaluations and make recommendations to The William Penn Foundation, The Fairmount Water Works and Habithèque Inc.

3 artists will be selected by the project leadership to submit detailed concepts and test them with

4 the public. Based on audience feedback and additional selection criteria, the project partners will work with the project leadership to identify a single idea for further prototype development and formative evaluations.

To Apply Please submit the following information via email to Karen Young ([email protected]) AND Victoria Prizzia ([email protected]) on or before Monday, September 8, 2014.

Contact Information including Website Include full name, mailing address, telephone number, website and email address.

Project Title

Physical Project Description 50 words maximum A description of the proposed work in the most literal sense, naming materials and approach. Use language that is as clear and direct as possible.

Images of Related Work Proposals must contain between 3 to 5 images of completed or in-progress artwork that relates to your proposed piece.

Artist Biography and/or Artist Statement

Professional Resume or Curriculum Vitae

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