The Norman Public Arts Board (PAB), on behalf of the Norman Arts Council and the City of Norman, seeks artists (or teams of artists) to design and enhance/paint fabricated fiberglass sculptures of ducks. These sculptures will be placed in three City of Norman Parks intended for children. It is the future intent of the Public Arts Board to produce additional fiberglass sculptures in other Norman parks. This RFP is for three separate ducks, for which three submissions will be selected.

Submissions are due by 4 p.m. Monday, March 29, 2021.

Each duck stands 44” tall and is made from the original Samo Ducky sculpture by Douglas Shaw Elder, which resides in Lions Park on Flood Avenue. In addition to Samo Ducky, there are 20 ducky installations currently located in Norman. To view the ducks and their locations, please visit samoducky.com.

Although the surface design is open, applicants should keep in mind the sculptures’ interaction with children, weather, and other factors. The design should consider visibility by vehicles driving by the parks and the sculpture’s role as a functioning activity for children in the parks.

This project aims to create and install sculptures that encourage creativity from the viewers and users of the park. The theme, including an appropriate name, is entirely up to the artists.

The completed sculptures will be installed and dedicated by Summer 2021. Sculptures must be coated with multiple layers of clear topcoats, appropriate for the medium used, and three coats of paste wax before the artist delivers their completed painted/enhanced sculpture. This step is to improve the longevity of the finished design and ease the removal of potential surface markings.

ALL PROPOSALS MUST BE SUBMITTED VIA SUBMITTABLE

Pictured: Ahoy, Ducky by Don Schooler

ARTIST HONORARIUM

The artist’s honorarium for each of the sculptures is $500, payable upon completion and delivery. The fiberglass form will be available for pick up from the Firehouse Art Center; upon completion, ducks will be delivered back to the Firehouse before installation.

ARTISTS ELIGIBILITY

Open to all artists living within the city limits of Norman, Oklahoma.

TIMELINE

Application Deadline: March 29, 2021, 4:00 PM
Notification to Artists: no later than April 16, 2021
Artist Pick Up of Fiberglass Forms: no later than April 23, 2021
Deadline for the Delivery of Completed Sculptures: June 1, 2021
*Artists will pick up and drop off duck sculptures at the Firehouse Art Center, 444 S Flood Avenue.
Installation of Sculptures in Parks: Summer 2021

THE PROCESS

Artists submit proposals using the provided sketch, with any additional sketches the artist may deem necessary.
Proposals are reviewed by the Public Arts Board and select community members.
All previous submissions will be considered, if resubmitted.
All artists who previously submitted may submit new proposals, if desired.

SUBMISSION OF PROPOSAL

A. One page, maximum, typed letter explaining the proposed enhancement.

Please consider the following questions when developing your proposal:
Why do you want to work on this project?
How does your proposal fit the project - child friendly, safe, and creative?
What materials will you work with to achieve your enhancement?
Have you worked on similar projects? If not, what relevant experience do you have?

B. Include your resume (not exceeding three pages).

C. Include proposed design on the official PAB sketch of duck.

All submissions may be used for promotional activities of the Public Arts Board.

ALL PROPOSALS MUST BE RECEIVED BY 4:00 PM, March 29, 2021
SUBMIT HERE

For questions or more information contact the Norman Public Arts Board via email at nac@normanarts.org. For technical questions please contact Douglas Elder via elder@normanfirehouse.com. Please include PAB in the subject line.

SELECTION PANEL & SELECTION CRITERIA

Artists will be selected based on the materials submitted - please see Submission of Proposal guidelines. The Norman Public Arts Board will select this project with an advisory panel of experts in public art and community-at-large representatives. The panel will consider the merit of the proposal, audience appropriateness, and the proposed concept’s maintenance requirements. The panel will also consider artists who can demonstrate sensitivity to the sites, surroundings, and the theme, as described on page 1 of this document. Artists must commit and effectively work within the project timeline and collaborate with the Public Arts Board staff.

Commissioning of artists by the Norman Public Arts Board is implemented without preference to racial or ethnic origins, gender, sexual orientation, religious affiliations, disability, or age.

The Norman Public Arts Board reserves the right to modify this solicitation and to request additional information or proposals from any or all participating artists. Norman Public Arts Board reserves the right to accept or reject, at any time prior to the commissioning of a work, any or all proposals when the acceptance, rejection waiver, or advertisement would be in the best interest of the project. In addition, Norman Public Arts Board may solicit proposals from artists not responding to this call and reserves the right to select an artist outside of the pool of artists responding to this call.