In September 2017, the City of Alameda released a Request for Proposals (RFP) for $262,500 in physical public art in Alameda from funding contributed by residential and commercial development projects. The RFP included 5 award categories:
- One $150,000 award
- One $50,000 award
- Two $25,000 awards
- One $12,500 award
In February and March 2018, a Selection Panel appointed by the Public Art Commission reviewed applications and ranked them according to the selection criteria established in the RFP. Finalists in the $150,000 and $50,000 categories were given 10 weeks to put together a more detailed proposal, including a scale model or rendering of the proposed work.
Finalist proposals in the $150,000 and $50,000 categories will be on on display on the 2nd floor of the Alameda Main Library (1550 Oak Street) May 21, 2018 through June 4, 2018.
Proposals in all award categories will go before the Public Art Commission at a meeting on June 18, 2018. The Commission will choose the top proposal in each category, subject to approval and appropriation of funds by the City Council.
Members of the public are encouraged to submit comments on the finalist proposals by email to agehrke@alamedaca.gov. Please note that all comments received will be made public.
Finalist proposals are summarized below:
$150,000 award category (three finalists)
Rockspinners
Artist: Zachary Coffin
A Rockspinner is a multi-ton boulder, which can be spun easily and silently with a single push, compelling viewers to interact and explore while creating a sense of place and an opportunity for fun.
Proposed Location: This artwork, which includes two Rockspinners, is proposed for one of two possible locations:
- Alternative #1: One Rockspinner on each side of the Bay Farm Bridge
- Alternative #2: Two Rockspinners at the natural playground at Jean Sweeney Park
Please click here to download the Rockspinners proposal.
Bronze Squid
Artist: Rossella Scapini and Luke Heimbigner
Tall and sleek, this 12 foot tall bronze squid sculpture is envisioned as a design object rather than a realistic animal, with the tentacles working as arches/columns, allowing people to walk between the inner/outer space they create.
Proposed Location: Bay Trail at West Hornet Avenue
Please click here to download the Bronze Squid proposal
Dragon Dance
Artist: Dmitrii Volkov
"Dragon Dance“ represents two dragons as if dancing and playing with each other. Dragons will be looked from afar as if hovering over the water against the backdrop of the water horizon.
Proposed Location: Main Street Ferry Terminal
Please click here to download the Dragon Dance proposal
$50,000 award category (two finalists)
Mosaic Seatwall Insets
Artist: Denise Hart
Custom glass mosaic insets with themes corresponding to flowers, compass, rails, and the ocean.
Proposed Location: Four medallion seatwalls located in plazas throughout Jean Sweeney Park
Please click here to download the Mosaic Seatwall Inset proposal
Gateway Columns
Artist: Norman Moore
Two columns that form a gateway symbolizing the island of Alameda as the gateway for prospectors and the railroad heading east. The sculpture would celebrate Alameda as a biological gateway as well as an historic one.
Proposed Location: Western medallion plaza at Jean Sweeney Park
Please click here to download the Gateway Columns proposal
$25,000 and $12,500 award categories
In addition, the Selection Panel recommended one finalist at the $25,000 level, and one finalist at the $12,500 level. These award levels were not required to submit detailed final proposals or models. Please click here to review the finalist proposals at these levels.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the Public Art Commission have to make an award in each category?
The City of Alameda and the Public Art Commission retain the right to not award any funding in any or all categories. Any funds not awarded will be returned to the Public Art Fund, to be re-released for Physical Public Art at a future date.
How can I find out about future RFPs, and other public art happenings in Alameda?
Enter your email address below to join our public art mailing list, which will include notice of any future RFPs
Have any grants for Cultural Art and Arts Programming been awarded?
On April 17, 2018, City Council approved grant funding for the following three proposals:
Rhythmix Cultural Works
Island City Waterways 2018 is a free multidisciplinary public art event that combines theatre, dance and music. On May 18 -20 2018, the Island City Waterways team, along with 45 artists and 50 volunteers, will present 11 performances (2 specifically for Alameda Unified School District school groups) for a projected audience of over 1,500. The audience will be guided on a historic journey through a site-specific performance that tells the story of Crab Cove. This event will provide intergenerational audiences the opportunity to experience a free interactive public art event that enlivens the history of the land in their own backyard, and reveals how it was shaped by the water that surrounds it.
For more information or to reserve your ticket, click here to visit their website.
West End Arts and Entertainment District
The Animate Dance Festival will be a celebration of dance in all its forms, bringing together free performances by professional dance companies and local youth groups, trial classes in a variety of dance/ circus and martial art techniques, as well as a children’s play area and food trucks located at the festival hub. The festival will allow Alamedans to experience world-class dance on their doorstep, and will also bring dance enthusiasts from around the Bay Area to Alameda. Animate Dance Festival is a collaboration between the West End Arts and Entertainment District and Tara Pilbrow, who has over 20 years of experience as a dancer, choreographer and teacher. This event will be held in October of 2018.
For more information, click here to visit their website.
The American Landscape
Sacred and Profane
"The American Landscape" will be a free, multidisciplinary choral event bringing together both visual and performing arts on the theme of the American Landscape. The choral concert will feature music by American composers such as Paul Chihara, Shawn Kirchner, Stacey Gibbs, and Moses Hogan among others that encompasses a wide variety of American Folk styles and traditions. These explorations of Americana will be accompanied by visual art celebrating the diverse traditions, landscapes, and points-of-view of American culture, history, and geography through the lens of local artists, including members of the Alameda art community. These new works will embody the American experience through diverse methods, creating an immersive and collaborative event for a broad range of audiences. The event will be held in March 2019.
For more information on Sacred & Profane, click here to visit their website.
No funding was awarded in the $15,000 and $5,000 award categories. This money will return to the Public Art Fund, to be re-released for Cultural Arts and Arts Programming at a future date.
