TOURO INFIRMARY FOUNDATION SCULPTURE COMMISSION
CALL FOR ARTISTS: REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS
ANNOUNCEMENT DATE: Thursday, April 22, 2021.
PHASE I SUBMISSION DEADLINE: Thursday, May 13, 2021, 11:59 pm CST.
ELIGIBILITY: Experienced Louisiana-based artists, artist teams, and design teams Artist must reside in Louisiana or have strong connections to the area.
BUDGET: $130,000 artwork commission
INTRODUCTION
Touro Infirmary Foundation and The Arts Council New Orleans, cordially invite artists, artist teams, and design teams to submit qualifications for a permanent public art installation to be commissioned for the Touro Infirmary entrance. The commission will activate the public space of Touro’s main building entrance and celebrate the outstanding achievements of the employees whose mission it is to heal and help those who entrust Touro for their care.
This artwork commission is made possible through a memorial fund to honor Dr. Irving Redler. The artwork commission is intended to honor his professional achievements and creative spirit while also recognizing the Touro Infirmary team’s collective efforts during the COVID-19 Pandemic which were recognized with the 2020 Judah Touro Society Award.
This Call for Artists is a request for qualifications only. A short-list of artists will be invited from this Request for Qualifications (RFQ) to participate in a funded Request for Proposals (RFP) round. The final commissions will be selected and awarded from the proposing artists.
ABOUT DOCTOR REDLER
All of his life, Irving Redler respected both the structure and the art of the human hand. The hand was both utilitarian, allowing him to perform surgery, and creative, allowing him to work in clay. His work as a surgeon and Chief of Orthopaedics at Touro Infirmary in New Orleans was well-known and respected long after his death. His work in sculpture, tall, grey, majestic figures make lifelike by his manipulation of grey clay, remained hidden under canvas in closets in his home.
Throughout his career, Dr. Redler spoke with great respect for, and appreciation of, the Touro family – nurses, laboratory, and x-ray technicians, physical therapists, orderlies, dietitians – who tirelessly assisted him in accomplishing miracles for his patients with his hands. He was known as a perfectionist but respected everyone who scrubbed in with him for that perfectionism.
Dr. Redler would be honored to demonstrate that respect for the Touro Family by being part of the sculpture for the 2020 Judah Touro Society Award.
ABOUT JUDAH TOURO SOCIETY AWARD
Named for the 19th century philanthropist and founder of Touro Infirmary, the Judah Touro Society is composed of benefactors whose generosity and dedication to the values and mission of Touro Infirmary place them among the hospital’s strongest and most committed supporters. The Judah Touro Society Award is given annually to a living individual who has made an outstanding contribution to the welfare of Touro Infirmary. The award may be given to an honorary board member, a past chairman, a member of the medical staff, a volunteer, or an employee.
In 2020 the Judah Touro Society award was given in recognition of the entirety of the Touro Infirmary team and their heroic efforts in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic.
View 2020 award video here: https://link.zixcentral.com/u/8e2f3909/7kj_9byi6xGZxA- EIYY8jw?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.touro.com%2Ffoundation%2Fevents%2Ftouro-foundation-gala%2F
SCOPE OF WORK AND SITE DESCRIPTION
A medium to large-scale public artwork will be installed within the lawn area to the immediate left of Touro Infirmary’s main entrance at the corner of Prytania and Aline streets.
A standard electrical outlet exists on site. The artwork area currently contains a small fountain (which will be removed from the site upon artwork installation) and bench. The fountain is situated on a small concrete base, which will not support a significant artwork. It is expected that a replacement and engineer-approved foundation for the selected sculpture will be determined by the artist. All costs associated with the existing base removal and artwork foundation are to be included into the artists project budget.
Additionally, artists will be responsible for repairing any damage to the existing landscape design and/or replacing the existing landscape design as part of their project budget. Touro landscape contractor details will be provided in Round 2 of the application.
View site conditions here: Touro Site Conditions.pdf http://www.artsneworleans.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Touro-Site-Conditions.pdf
Thematic Opportunities: applicants are encouraged to consider the following themes:
• Healing – explore a sense of restoration and wellness • Heroism – illustrate the courageous efforts of the Touro team in both the face of the COVID pandemic and in their everyday interactions to save and improve lives • Connectivity – highlight both the power of connection between caregiver and patient • Community – celebrate the collective Touro community and its role in enhancing public health and civic life • Creativity – cultivate a sense of inspiration and innovative to celebrate Touro and its inhabitants • Strength – homage to the ongoing heroic efforts and fortitude of the Touro team
ELIGIBILITY
This call is open to experienced artists, artist teams, and design teams. To qualify, applicants must:
• Be 18 years of age or older. • Have at least 5 years of experience as a professional artist. • Have experience with projects of the proposed scale or resources available for completing the project. • Carry personal liability insurance for the duration of the project until installation is complete and accepted. • Meet all contractual obligations and adhere to the timeline provided. • If selected, be prepared to present their concept to a selection committee. • Experienced Louisiana-based artists, artist teams, and design teams • Artist, artist teams, and design teams must reside in Louisiana or have strong connections to the area.
Selections will be made regardless of race, sex, color, religion, gender, age, physical or mental ability, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, creed, culture, or ancestry.
BUDGET
A total of $130,000 will be awarded for the artwork commission. The amount is inclusive of all costs associated with the project, including, but not limited to artist fees, materials and equipment, insurance, permitting, foundation, fabrication and installation, travel and lodging, professional consultation including consultation from licensed structural and electrical engineers, and documentation. Artists who are invited to participate in Phase II of the Call will be required to submit an itemized budget as part of the proposal submission.
SELECTION PROCESS & CRITERIA
Phase I: Call for Qualifications Applications that meet the eligibility requirements will be evaluated by a qualified artist selection committee composed of Touro Infirmary representatives and professionals from the art, design, and architecture fields.
The following criteria will be used to evaluate qualification submissions:
• Artistic Merit: the applicant's experience should represent a professional history and successful body of site-specific public art projects of a similar scope as demonstrated by the application's resume/CV and the quality, creativity, and uniqueness of the applicant’s past work as demonstrated by the work samples. • Demonstrated proficiency in craftsmanship and technical knowledge of the materials and techniques in the artist’s chosen medium. Artists should demonstrate an understanding of material durability to eliminate or minimize long-term maintenance needs in a highly used public space. • Success with prior work of similar scale and scope on budget and within the provided timeline. • Ability to work with the Touro Infirmary and Arts Council staff, project teams (architects, architects and general contractors) and other stakeholders to meet any design/construction requirements, schedule, and deadlines. • Overall quality and comprehensiveness of the submission package.
Applications must be submitted by 11:59 PM (CST) on Thursday, May 13, 2021.
Phase II: Design Proposals A minimum of six finalists will be invited to develop and present design proposals to the selection committee. Finalists will receive a honorarium to produce the proposals. The presentation and interview will be conducted in person or through video conference. Design proposals will be required to include a detailed narrative, conceptual design images, a budget outlining the items discussed in "Budget", a schedule and workplace for the fabrication, transportation, and installation of the work, and a long-term maintenance plan. Proposal requirements will be discussed in more detail at Phase II.
APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS Applicants must prepare and submit the following requirements using the Arts Council’s Submittable platform by the application deadline. (https://artscouncilofneworleans.submittable.com/submit/193391/touro-infirmary-foundation- sculpture-commission) Incomplete or late applications will not be considered. Design proposals, sketches and maquette are not required. Submissions must include:
1. Brief Letter of Interest: (Max. 500 words) discuss your interest and an introduction to your work. Be sure to discuss the concepts/ideas you explore in your practice. Team applications should clearly describe the contribution of each collaborator. Letters must include address, email, phone number, and artist website, if applicable. 2. Resume: (Max. 2 pages) Tell us about your professional experience and accomplishments as an artist. If applying as a team, the team may submit a maximum of four one-page resumes. 3. Work Samples: (Max. of 10 images) Provide digital images (jpeg) with corresponding titles to match the Work Sample Description list. If working as a team, please submit 10 total images, not per team member. 4. Work Sample Description List: For each image submitted, list the work sample’s title, date, dimensions, and medium. You may also list the location of works currently on exhibition in galleries and/or public spaces. 5. Preliminary Proposal: (Max. 500 words) Tell us about your concept for the project. This is an opportunity to discuss the potential themes, subject matter, vision, and/or process for creating the work. Proposals should discuss the types of materials you intend to use in your work. A sketch is optional and not required. 6. Professional References: A list of three references related to similar projects with contact information (name, title, organization, mailing address, phone number, and email address) and a brief description of the relationship to the applicant.
SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS
• To apply by the deadline, please begin the application located at the end of this announcement. You must be logged into Submittable to begin. You may also click: https://artscouncilofneworleans.submittable.com/submit/193391/touro-infirmary- foundation-sculpture-commission to be redirected to our Submittable page, which contains our current artist opportunities. • Click the Submit button next to the opportunity that you wish to apply for, or if you are already within an opportunity, scroll down to the “Create your account / Have an account?” sign-in form. • If you already have a Submittable account, click the “Have an account? Sign-in” tab to sign-in. If you don’t remember your password, use the “Forgot?” link on the login form. • If you don’t have a Submittable account, you must create one to apply. Create your free account by filling out the “Create your account” form. Fill in all information and click the “Create Account and Continue” button to continue with the submission process. You can now use this account login when submitting to all future Arts Council opportunities. TIMELINE The project timeline is as follows: Artist Selection Phase I: Call for Qualifications
• Call for Qualifications: published April 22, 2021 • Submission Deadline: Thursday, May 13, 2021, 11:59 pm CST • Selection Committee Review May 14 – May 20, 2021 • Finalists Notification May 24, 2021
Artist Selection Phase II: Concept Proposal
• Site Visit(s) May 2021 • Concept Proposal Submission Deadline Jun 16, 2021 • Final Interviews & Presentations Week of Jun 21th
Announcement of Winner July 1, 2021
Artwork Installation and Celebration November 2021
Timeline may be subject to change.
QUESTIONS Questions about the project should be addressed to:
Lindsay Glatz Creative Director, Arts Council New Orleans [email protected] P.O. Box 58379 New Orleans, LA 70158
ABOUT TOURO INFIRMARY Touro has been serving the New Orleans community for over 165 years, and today we are the city’s only community-based, non-profit, faith-based hospital offering comprehensive healthcare services at every stage of life, from delivering babies to providing cardiac, cancer and rehabilitation care. Touro is a proud member of LCMC Health, a Louisiana-based, not-for-profit hospital system which also includes Children’s Hospital, New Orleans East Hospital, University Medical Center New Orleans, West Jefferson Medical Center and East Jefferson General Hospital. (www.touro.com)
ABOUT TOURO INFIRMARY FOUNDATION The Touro Infirmary Foundation was established in 1991 to support the mission of Touro Infirmary and the hospital’s commitment to patient care, health education and community service through leadership, resource development and financial stewardship. Judah Touro, a Jewish philanthropist, founded Touro Infirmary in 1852 with a mandate to care for the indigent sick regardless of race, color, creed or religious affiliation. His vision continues to this day, serving the community as a premier, diverse, multi-specialty hospital. Today, Touro Infirmary is a 564 licensed-bed, non-profit teaching and research comprehensive medical center providing healthcare services to meet a wide range of diagnostic, treatment and recovery needs. The medical staff includes more than 500 physicians representing a variety of medical specialties. As stewards of the financial contributions to Touro, the Touro Infirmary Foundation connects our donors' desires to our patients needs. We strive to remain transparent and open to new possibilities. A gift to Touro ensures the legacy of Judah Touro lives on. (www.touroinfirmaryfoundation.com)
ABOUT ARTS COUNCIL NEW ORLEANS The Arts Council New Orleans is a private 501(c)3 nonprofit organization designated as the official arts agency for the City of New Orleans. The Arts Council's mission is to improve the quality of life in New Orleans by supporting, activating, and investing in our city’s greatest natural resource: our artists, cultural producers, and creative community. Programs include Unframed presented by The Helis Foundation, Arts Market New Orleans, Young Artist Movement (YAM), LUNA Fête, and grantmaking, as well as commission and community projects. Visit artsneworleans.org for more information. (www.artsneworleans.org)