call to artists request for proposals (rfp)
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CALL TO ARTISTS Request for Proposals (RFP)
Project: Temporary Public Art Erindale Park
Project Budget: Up to $7,000.00
Proposal Deadline: Monday, May 11, 2020 by 4:00 p.m.
1. Project Brief
The City of Mississauga Public Art Program, in partnership with the Parks, Forestry,
and Environment Division, invites Canadian professional artists or artist teams to
submit proposals to create an original public artwork for Erindale Park (1695 Dundas St
W.). The commissioned artist(s) will be expected to complete the project by August
2020.
The goals of the project include:
Create an artwork that responds to the connection between land and water,
focusing on aquatic ecosystems and how actions on land can affect (positively
and negatively) the aquatic ecosystem.
Promote arts-based approaches to conserving, celebrating, and enhancing
;
Inspire eco-friendly actions and values by demonstrating responsible
stewardship of urban ecosystems;
public art.
Please refer to the City of Mississauga Public Art Master Plan for additional details
about the goals of public art in Mississauga. This project aligns with the City of
Mississauga Strategic Plan, Culture Policy, and Culture Master Plan, as well as the
Parks and Forestry Master Plan, Natural Heritage and Urban Forestry Strategy and
Urban Forest Management Plan.
2. Eligibility
This is a public competition open to professional artists and artist/artist-led teams*
residing in Canada.
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* The City of Mississauga defines a professional artist as an individual who earns all or a sizable
portion of their livelihood through remuneration for artistic performance or creation and is
recognized by their peers as an artist.
3. Considerations for the Artwork
Artwork Goals and Themes: Artists are asked to propose artwork that considers the
local ecosystem and natural environment.
residents and park users in a dialogue about the connection between land and water,
focusing on aquatic ecosystems and how actions on land can affect (positively and
negatively) the aquatic ecosystem.
Background: The City of Mississauga is committed to promoting green initiatives and
environmental conservation. The Credit River runs through Erindale Park - one of
river is an important aquatic linkage for Lake Ontario and a major migratory corridor
from Lake Ontario to the interior of the province. The Credit River Valley is home to
many species of flora not found in any other part of Canada. The area of the Credit
River in Erindale Park supports runs of Rainbow and Brown Trout, Chinook, Coho and
Atlantic Salmon, migrating upstream to spawn. Notably, the seasonal salmon run is a
popular attraction, enticing visitors to come to the river to witness the large numbers
of salmon heading upstream.
These river-mouth ecosystems are complex and unique environments that are easily
affected by activities on the riverbanks. With a large and growing urban population,
the watershed is indispensable to the wellness of its residents and provides
important reservoirs of groundwater for the whole area. With issues such as climate
change and waterway pollution, we need to ensure that we protect the many
ecosystem services that biodiversity and natural areas provide. With this context in
mind, artists are asked to develop work that explores the connection between land
and water.
This project is a partnership between The City of Mississauga Parks, Forestry, and
Environment Division, and The City of Mississauga Culture Division.
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Design Parameters: There are several locations throughout Erindale Park which
would be well suited to hosting a temporary public art installation, including but not
limited to:
Along the walkway leading to the pedestrian bridge beside the Dundas Street
parking lot;
Nearby one or more of the five picnic areas located throughout the park; and
Along the trails located in Erindale Park
While there is some flexibility based on the proposals received (i.e. one standalone,
or multiple pieces), it is important that the artwork does not negatively impact the
surrounding area and ecosystem. In their proposals, artists must demonstrate their
understanding of the correct design choices to ensure the artwork is not disruptive
to surrounding flora and fauna populations, or to the Credit River fish migration runs.
Other location restrictions include:
Installations located in the river would not be supported due to impacts to the
ecosystem, or with flood control;
Installations located immediately adjacent to the river would need to be
reviewed to determine if there would be impacts to the ecosystem or flood
control;
Installations located on or fastened to the pedestrian bridge would not be
supported due to structural engineering requirements; and
Installations cannot restrict the flow of pedestrians or Park vehicles and
equipment over the pedestrian bridge.
Location Details: The installation will be situated in Erindale Park, the largest park in
the City of Mississauga. This family-friendly park is an ideal location for a public art
installation, as it encompasses almost 95 hectares and includes multiple facilities to
accommodate picnicking, fishing, passive and active recreation. Visitors come to the
park to witness the large number of salmon migrating upstream to spawn, which
typically starts in early September and peaks around early October. A pedestrian
bridge beside the Dundas Street parking lot allows for viewing directly over the river.
The City of Mississauga acknowledges that Erindale Park is located in the treaty
territory of the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation, and before the traditional
territory of the Haudenosaunee, Huron and Wendat. We also acknowledge the many
First Nations, Metis, Inuit and other global Indigenous people that now call
Mississauga their home.
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The specific location of the public artwork will be determined in consultation with the
City of Mississauga during the technical design phase. See Appendix A and Appendix
B for a site map and photos.
4. Technical Requirements
The Erindale Park Installation will combine artistic excellence and creativity with a
strong understanding of the local ecology. The installation must adhere to the
following specifications:
Shall be designed and constructed within budget;
Shall be appropriate for the site in scale, execution, materials and creativity;
Shall be constructed of durable materials;
Shall not require plumbing or electrical services;
Shall not contain design content in breach of any intellectual property,
trademarks, brands, or images of vulgar, offensive, or illegal activity, and;
Shall be suitable for exhibition in a public space and should therefore avoid
sharp edges, points, projections, or pinch-points which may cause injury.
In addition, the City of Mississauga Public Art Program will create accompanying
statement may be incorporated. Signage text is subject to final approval by the City
of Mississauga.
Artists should be aware that the artwork may be subject to damage by the elements
and may become a target for vandalism. Therefore artists must accept the risk that
their artwork may be damaged, altered, and/or removed by the City of Mississauga
at any time following installation. The artwork will be installed for at least a one-year
period starting in summer 2020.
5. Budget
The total budget for all artist fees and expenses related to this project is a maximum
of $7,000 + HST Canadian Dollars.* Proposals indicating a total cost exceeding this
will not be considered. No further compensation will be made to the artist for costs
associated with participating in the selection process.
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* This fee includes (but is not limited to): artist fees, technical consultation, travel to the site and
project meetings, purchase of relevant materials, engineering fees (if applicable), fabrication
and artwork installation (including delivery to the site), insurance and/or permit fees as
required by the City of Mississauga, maintenance plan documentation, and attendance at
unveiling of the completed artwork.
6. Anticipated Schedule
It is expected that the commissioned artist
timeline dates, as highlighted below:
Date Project Phase
May 11, 2020 by 4:00 p.m. Deadline for Artist Proposals
Mid May, 2020 Art Selection Panel meets to review proposals and choose
finalist(s)
Late May, 2020 Finalist notified
June 2020 Technical Design Phase and Contract Execution
June July 2020 Artwork Creation and Development
August 2020 Artwork Installation
By September 2020 Artwork Unveiling
7. Selection Process
Proposals will be reviewed by an independent jury of arts and design professionals,
subject-matter experts, and members of the project team. The jury will recommend
an artist or artist team for the award of commission, based on the following criteria:
Artistic merit, including quality of work, originality, and design innovation;
environmental conservation;
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Qualifications and professional experience of the artist(s), specifically the
ability to execute a project of this scale within the budget, timeline, and
criteria developed, and;
Feasibility of fabrication and ability to meet budget and schedule.
The City of Mississauga reserves the right to select and retain the artist deemed most
appropriate for the project at its sole discretion.
8. Proposal Requirements
Please read all components of the RFP prior to completing your submission. A
complete submission package includes the following documentation in PDF format:
a) Artist declaration: use the form provided below
b) Artist statement (1 page maximum): a written description of the proposed
c) Detailed drawing(s): drawing(s) of proposed artwork and artwork concept,
including relevant information for each image
d) Proposed budget and timeline
e) : highlight relevant experience on
projects similar to or directly related to this project
f) References: include contact name, title, organization, telephone number, and
istic practice
and interest and/or experience in public art projects
Submissions must be sent by email to:
Subject: Artist Proposal Erindale Park Installation
If the file size exceeds 20 MB, artists are asked to use an external file share program.
Incomplete submissions or submissions received after the deadline will not be juried.
Artist(s) will retain copyright over their proposals. However, the proposals may be
used by the City of Mississauga in meetings with stakeholders and staff. Please note
that the proposals will not be returned.
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9. Reserved Rights of the City of Mississauga
The City of M , at its sole discretion, may request clarifications
or request additional information, as deemed necessary to evaluate the submissions.
The City retains the sole discretion to determine whether a submission is responsive
and if the prospective Artist or Artist Team is capable of performing the Work. The
City reserves the right, at its sole discretion, to determine the number of pre-qualified
Artists or Artist Teams. The City reserves the right to not proceed with awarding a
contract.
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10. Publication of Competition Information
The City of Mississauga shall have the exclusive right to issue all public
announcements regarding the competition.
11. Additional Information
For additional information or questions please contact: Philippa French, Public Art
Curator, City of Mississauga, [email protected].
12. Artist Declaration
The following Declaration is to be signed by the Artist or Artist Team and submitted
as part of their expression of interest package.
I/We hereby declare that the information provided herein is true and correct to the best of my/our
knowledge.
Name
Signature Date
Name
Signature Date
Name
Signature Date
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Appendix A: Location Map
Erindale Park - 1695 Dundas St W
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Appendix B: Location Features
These photographs highlight the landscape features of the suggest artwork locations.
An entrance to the pedestrian bridge beside the Dundas Street parking lot
The pedestrian bridge beside the Dundas Street parking lot
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The pedestrian bridge beside the Dundas Street parking lot
Image of the Credit River in near the Pedestrian Bridge entrance
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Image of the Credit River in Erindale Park
Image of someone fishing in the Credit River in Erindale Park
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One of the five picnic areas located throughout the park
Green space in Erindale Park
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One of the picnic shelters in Erindale Park