Proposal Instructions (All this in one PDF)
Include your full proposal in this document, including project details, materials, ideas, context, the look and feel of your piece, and a full project budget. Please address plans for the creation and installation of the piece, including any outside collaborators. Address how you are placing PWC’s mission, values, and shared ownership of land at the forefront of your project as well as which communities you will be centering in your process or piece. Please keep in mind that the art must be permanent (lasting a minimum of 20 years), include lighting or be created with lighting in mind, and be structurally sound and conform to any city or governing regulations. The project budget must also be all-inclusive and cover artist compensation, fabrication, engineering consultations, installation, contingencies, and any other expenses related to the design and construction of the beacon.
Main Image - The PWC Beacon
The PWC Beacon is constructed with core-ten steel and stands 20 feet tall. The top 4 feet rotate with the wind. Inside the windmill is a 4 foot by 1 foot diameter light assembly made of 960 LEDs, programmed to change color in response to pedestrian movement.
PWC Beacon Proposal
The beacon is fabricated with 6, core-ten steel blades welded to a 2″ steel pipe, which continues through the 4-foot tall light assembly. The total height of the sculpture is 20 feet.
The LED light assembly is fixed to the pipe and does not move. The top six blades rotate around the pipe and are activated by the wind. The windmill does not generate electricity. It’s end product is movement. A governor will prohibit the windmill from rotating too fast in high wills.
The imagery cut into the steel blades are asemic writing, letters and words without a specific meaning. What actually gets cut into the steel will be determined by a select group of writers from the PWC, through a creative engagement process.
The LED light assembly will be made of 960 neo-pixel LEDs. Each LED is individually addressable, which means that we can control the color, brightness and duration of each point of light. We will be designing programs that choreograph the dance of pixels in response to a series of inputs and situational. The possibilities are endless. With the default being white light, here are a few:
- At certain times of day a preprogrammed light show would start.
- When the temperature reaches a specific high or low it could change to an appropriate color or animation.
- When a person approaches from a specific coordinate it can change colors.
- When a person is in a specific location, hand gesture can throw slashes of color into the white light.
How it actually gets programmed will be determined by a group of people from the PWC organization through a series of creative engagement sessions with staff and the artists.
Note, these sketches are not meant to explain the engineering, just the concept. Full engineering details will be provided as part of the planning process.
With this proposal, we have an idea for two companion sculptures that would be located at the entrance of the Playwrights Center. They would be 5 feet tall replica lamp posts that would tie the beacon we are proposing into the complex. People would first notice the larger beacon and then see the two smaller beacon lamp posts and know that’s where they should go to enter your complex. The current budget does not allow for these, but we felt compelled to bring this up as a possibility for something that could be done in the future. As you can see by this rendering, it really ties the concept in, and it tells the community that they are welcome. “You are welcome here, just follow our beacons to the entrance”
These closeups are rough sketches depicting the windmill and how white light might appear. It illustrate the concept, not the engineering. The light assemble may look more like the sketch below.
Design Directive
While you are creating your final proposal and this particular art piece, we ask you to consider the following. The answers to these questions should be included in the written proposal.
● We are interested in how this piece can embody aspects of new work, including but not limited to the uniqueness of artists, the power of storytelling, curiosity, energy, a sense of humor, trial and error, risk, experimentation, and/or movement. How might your piece be informed by these ideas?
We are proposing an idea that has a lot of room for community input, both by writers and staff. It’s first an foremost, a beacon. It calls out and beckons in. Its bold in its size but comforting in its demeaner. It says, we are here and you are welcome.
● How will you utilize light within the piece?
The center piece of the beacon is a bright white light created from 960 LEDs. When at rest (no one around) it shines pure white light.
● How will your piece engage the public or have an interactive element?
When you walk near the beacon your presence triggers the LEDs to change to colored light. The colors are determined by your approach. From the north they may be red; from the southeast, yellow; from the southwest, blue. All angles of approach can create a full spectrum of colors. When people realize how it responds, they will start painting your beacon with color.
● How will this piece communicate with the building and neighborhood? Is the piece in conversation with the already hard lines and right angles of the building? Is your intent that they are in harmony or in opposition?
The gentle curve of the beacon softens the hard lines of the existing architecture, as it widens at the top in a gesture of openness and inclusion.
● What is the relationship between this piece and the green space that is part of our building design?
Shaped like a tree trunk it references life, almost as if the beacon grew out of the landscape.
● How are you using color within the piece?
Our original concept was to use stainless steel as the primary material. That was before we saw the building renders. In order to harmonize with the brick and wood textures we switched to core-ten steel to match the look of your future home.
● Does the artwork change or is it perceived differently depending on season, or time of day?
The beacon changes in many ways. Below are a few possibilities.
- The top of the sculpture rotates at various speeds depending of the wind.
- Your visitors will be constantly changing the color of the beacon’s lights with their movements.
- The lights can be pre-programmed in many configurations. Your staff can select from a series of light shows with the use of a private smartphone app.
● How is the artwork viewed from across the street, up the block, right next to it, from the inside looking out?
The beacon can be as tall as 20 feet. With that height, the PWC beacon will be prominently seen from University Avenue. The animated lights and movements will ensure maximum visibility.
If your proposal includes a process that seeks engagement with Playwrights’ Center’s community, please detail that process.
This artwork is designed to be flexible and to invite your community to make it their own.
Currently, the steel structure is perforated with asemic writing. We want to lead a conversation with your community to replace this writing with something more meaningful and appropriate to who you are.
Another area we would like to work with you is in the programing of the lights. Tell us how you want the colors to change and under what conditions. We know HOW to do it, and together we’ll figure WHAT to do.
It’s amazing what is possible with LED lighting these days.
● What is your preferred process to connect with our community?
Nothing is better than sit-down meetings when possible. However, it might be more practical to incorporate Zoom meetings as well. To keep everyone on the same page, we can set up a private space inline to share ideas.
With many years of experience engaging with communities, we will have no problem setting up an effective creative engagement component for the development of the Beacon.
● What is the timeline to complete this work?
We are fortunate to have 18 months to complete the beacon project. This will allow us plenty of lead time to work out all the details with staff, community stakeholders, engineers and contractors. We should be able to install as early as the spring of 2024.
● What is the process for integrating that feedback into the design of the final piece?
The process of consensus building can be a little slow, but preferable when possible. There will most likely be several groups that will be providing feedback. Early on, those groups need to be identified and a vehicle for communications implemented. A clear set of goals will be outlined in a timeline and responsibilities allocated. When conflicts occur it will be the lead artist and a designated person of PWC that will make the final decisions.
If you are an artist team, please answer the following questions.
● Have you worked together on a public art piece before?
Willis Bowman (Bow) and I have worked on several projects together over the past ten years. I ran an XYZ club (artists using technology to make art) and Bow was my go-to guy for the electronics and programming. He’s a wizard. This will be our first public art collaboration.
Lisa Roy is not listed as a collaborator, however, she will be an integral part of this commission. We’ve shared a studio in the California Building for the last 3 years. Lisa and I have have worked on the Urban Cattails commission and are currently building the JROW public art commission in Northeast.
● If not, why does this particular project lend itself to this partnership?
It’s in my nature to be inclusive as an artist. I asked Bow to collaborate with us on this project because of his skill set.
● Please explain the specifics and logistics of the partnership.
Here we describe what we bring to the partnership.
Remo brings
Bow brings to the team structural and electronics knowledge
Lisa brings
Note: The rest is more directive from them.
Application
Proposal (Word Doc or PDF) *
Include your full proposal in this document, including project details, materials, ideas, context, the look and feel of your piece, and a full project budget. Please address plans for the creation and installation of the piece, including any outside collaborators. Address how you are placing PWC’s mission, values, and shared ownership of land at the forefront of your project as well as which communities you will be centering in your process or piece. Please keep in mind that the art must be permanent (lasting a minimum of 20 years), include lighting or be created with lighting in mind, and be structurally sound and conform to any city
or governing regulations. The project budget must also be all-inclusive and cover artist compensation, fabrication, engineering consultations, installation, contingencies, and any other expenses related to the design and construction of the beacon.
1. References (Word Doc or PDF) *
Please attach a document that includes the names and contact information (phone and email) of two references who are familiar with your work in your proposed medium(s) who we may contact during the selection process.
2. Artist 1: Resume (Word Doc or PDF) *
maximum of 2 pages
3. Artist 2: Resume (Word Doc or PDF)
maximum 2 pages
4. Artist 3: Resume (Word Doc or PDF)
maximum 2 pages
Applicant instructions:
ARTIST TEAMS: Please upload one resume or one for each team member.
INDIVIDUAL ARTISTS: Please attach your resume under “Artist 1.” You are not required to upload additional media, but we are making space available on the next step if you’d like to include images, video, or audio. Media can include sketches, models, inspiration, and anything else that you would like to include to go along with your proposal document.
Media
Provide 1-15 items.
Allowed Media Types:
○ Images (up to 10MB each)
○ Video (up to 500MB each)
○ Audio (up to 60MB each)
○ PDFs (up to 20MB each)
○ External media from YouTube, Vimeo and SoundCloud
Applicant instructions:
Feel free to upload any media in support of your proposal—sketches, inspiration, models, etc. This is not required. You may upload a maximum of 15 media files.
710 Beacon Art Finalist Proposal Requirements and Design Directive
Apply Here: https://pwcenter.slideroom.com/#/permalink/program/70833
Playwrights’ Center (PWC) is looking to commission an artist or artist team who live, work, or
have an ongoing residency in Minnesota to create permanent public art for PWC’s new
home at 710 Raymond Ave in St. Paul.
Project details: Design installation is to take place in spring 2024, and the all-inclusive
project budget is $35,000. The art piece will live on the corner of Myrtle and Raymond
Avenue in St. Paul, acting as a physical beacon to guide people to PWC. The art should be
visual/sculptural and include lighting and/or be created with lighting in mind. The piece may
also include signage/text or other visual interpretations. The art must be permanent (lasting
a minimum of 20 years), be structurally sound, and conform to any city or governing
regulations. The budget includes artist compensation, fabrication, engineering, installation,
contingencies, and any other expenses.
If your proposal is conceptual in nature please clearly outline the process you will take to
move it from concept to final form.
It is imperative that the creative process and final product of the art piece is informed by
PWC’s mission, the communities we serve, our values, and the impact of sharing stolen land
(please see the RFQ document for these details).
The final proposal will be submitted via SlideRoom and include a written proposal,
references, resume(s), and media to demonstrate the look and feel of your proposed
artwork – sketches, drafts, inspiration images, comparable projects, etc.
Please contact Emily Matthees at emilym@pwcenter.org with any questions or if you need
assistance with an application.