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CITY OF TORONTO: CALL FOR ARTISTS 
PROPOSALS, (RFP)
 PERMANENT PUBLIC ART WORK FOR THE NEW KING-LIBERTY BRIDGE
Aerial view of proposed bridge. Artist’s Fee: $20,000.00 (+HST) CDN Deadline for Submissions: Monday, February 4th, 2019 The...

Aerial view of proposed bridge.

Artist’s Fee: $20,000.00 (+HST) CDN
Deadline for Submissions: Monday, February 4th, 2019

The City of Toronto invites professional artists to submit proposals for a public art work as part of the construction of the King-Liberty Bridge, which will span from Douro Street to the western leg of Western Battery Road, providing a more convenient and direct route from Liberty Village to King Street West, between Atlantic Avenue and Strachan Avenue.

This new bridge for pedestrians and cyclists will include a project by a professional visual artist or an artist-lead team to be integrated into the glass panels of the elevator towers at both ends of the bridge. The art work will be selected through an open, international competition.

The bridge, with a five metre-wide covered and mostly-enclosed deck, will span the 55 metre-wide Metrolinx Kitchener / Milton Rail Corridor. Access to the bridge will be provided by a staircase (with a bicycle channel) on each side, as well as elevators for barrier-free access. All passageways and approaches will be illuminated for 24 hour access.

This is a site of movement, transition and connection: it will be used by pedestrians and cyclists, walking and riding but also descending and ascending through the site by stairs and elevator. It will link two neighbourhoods currently divided by railway tracks, and the bridge and the artwork will also be visible to those travelling by train. Both sides of the tracks are also areas of rapid development, with a long history prior to its current primarily residential and commercial use.

The design of this new bridge and adjacent public spaces is a project by the City’s Transportation Services, Engineering and Construction Services (ECS), and the general contractor Grascan Construction Ltd. / Torbridge Construction Ltd. with the aim of completion by September 2019.

PUBLIC ART OPPORTUNITY

The experience of this new public infrastructure will be enhanced by a project by a professional visual artist or an artist-led team, selected through an open competition. The budget of $20,000.00 (+HST) artist fee is for design and consultation services (including contract administration, travel and other incidental expenses) for the duration of the project. Fabrication, printing, installation and other costs related to installation will be the responsibility of the general contractor.

The art work will be printed on the glass panels in the north and south elevator towers. The span of the bridge is not included in the art work site. The selected artist or artists will be responsible for providing digital files of their work to the printer (to be contracted by the general contractor), overseeing production quality, and signing off on samples. This work will take place in February and March of 2019.

The printing process allows for full-colour images and photographic resolution.

The commissioned artist will work closely with the City’s Economic Development and Culture, Transportation Services, and ECS divisions, and other partners to develop and complete the project.

ONE-STAGE COMPETITION
This is a one-stage, open, international competition for professional artists.

Per the Canada Council’s guidelines, a professional artist is defined as someone who:

  • has specialized artistic training (not necessarily in academic institutions)
  • is recognized as a professional by their peers (artists working in the same artistic tradition)
  • has a history of public exhibitions
  • has produced an independent body of work

Stage 1: Request for Proposals
Professional artists are invited to submit proposals to be reviewed by the specially appointed Selection Panel. Proposals will be reviewed by City staff for eligibility and will be presented anonymously to the Selection Panel. The Panel will select one (1) proposal to be executed, based on artistic excellence and the proposal’s suitability to the overall design scheme and context.

The contract will be awarded in February 2019.

SUBMISSIONS
The City of Toronto’s Economic Development and Culture Division invites local, national and international artists to respond to this RFP by submitting two (2) files in pdf form:

File 1:
This document must be labeled with the name of the artist or artist-led team and include:

  • CV (one for each team member, if applicable)

File 2:
This document must not include the artist’s name (as this file will be shared with the selection panel), and include:

  • Title and description of the proposal concept (1 Page).
  • Proposal images, showing the proposed artwork on the design drawings provided, as well as details of the art work as necessary.

The full Terms of Reference and Design Drawings required to apply to this competition can be accessed at: www.toronto.ca/publicartcompetitions

Additional Site Information:

Deadline: submissions must be received by 4:00 PM, Monday, February 4th, 2019.

Email submissions to: publicartcompetitions@toronto.ca

  • Please use subject line: [last name], [first name]_KingLiberty
  • Submissions must not exceed 10 MB total size
  • Files must be .pdf and must not be compressed.

Incomplete or late submissions, or those not in the required format will not be accepted.

We thank all respondents for their submissions but only the selected applicant will be contacted.

Contact
Catherine Dean
Public Art Officer
(416) 395-0249
catherine.dean@toronto.ca