The Orange County Register of Deeds (OC RoD), in collaboration with Safe Kids of Orange County (Safe Kids) and the Orange Rural Fire Department (ORFD), is seeking qualifications from professional artists, or artist teams, to design and paint a mural inside the lobby of the Vital Records section of the OC RoD office. The office is located on the third floor of the Gateway Center at 228 South Churton Street in Hillsborough.
The goals of this indoor mural project are:
- To introduce guests to a brief history of the ORFD.
- To provide child safety tips and the web site, SafeKids.org
- To memorialize ORFD Assistant Chief Jeff Holden, who died unexpectedly after responding to a trench rescue Aug. 13, 2018.
The project should meet the following objectives:
- To create a mural that is entertaining and educating for children and adults.
- To create a mural that is in the style of “superhero comic book” panels as it should catch the attention of children and as firefighters are superheroes.
The mural wall commands a unique location as the two windows overlook the ORFD Hillsborough station. The mural wall is indoor and on the north side of the building; therefore, it will not receive direct sunlight. The mural wall is twenty feet long and nine feet tall; however, the mural will be no lower than four and a half feet from the carpet (above the lobby chairs). As well, it is not expected that the mural will encompass the entire length of the wall. Plus, there are two full windows in this wall.
Artist Eligibility & Submissions
Preference will be given to North Carolina and local/regional artists or artist teams that have prior experience in in the creation of public art and mural and large-scale artworks. Submit application to:
Orange County Register of Deeds
Attention: Deputy William Madden
PO Box 8181
Hillsborough, NC 27278
Applications will also be accepted in-person at 228 South Churton Street, Suite 300, or via e-mail to WMadden@OrangeCountyNC.gov.
Application deadline: Oct. 3, 2019, 5 p.m. EST
Submission Guidelines
- An artist statement of interest in the mural project
- Three references with e-mail and telephone contact information
- Artist resume or Bio
- Examples of other relevant works and/or reviews of similar work. Maximum of five (5) images. Each image submitted as a .jpg and label with the artist’s last name, image number, and image title. For example: Smith_01.jpg, Smith_02.jpg, etc. Images must be 1028x728 pixels (or smaller) and at least 72 dpi.
Budget
The total amount to be paid to the artist is a stipend is $1,000 from Safe Kids of Orange County, inclusive of the design and installation/painting process. This is inclusive of any primer, paint, brushes, lifts, installation materials necessary to complete the mural. Artist will need to provide scaffolding/equipment for painting mural and insurance. As the mural will be touched by children on a daily basis, artist will need to provide a clear, protective coat upon the finished mural. Copyright of the final mural will remain with the artist and must be permitted to use images for educational and promotional purposes of Orange County government, Safe Kids of Orange County, and the Orange Rural Fire Department.
Artist’s Responsibilities
Primary responsibility of the selected artist is to create a detailed color drawing/design for the mural wall that reflects the artist’s proposal for final approval by the OC RoD, Safe Kids, and the ORFD.
- Artist will consult with the OC RoD prior to making changes to approved artwork proposal or artwork specifications.
- Artist will coordinate with OC RoD on painting schedule. Owing to the required security of the documents within the office, all work must be performed ONLY during office hours: Monday-Friday, 8 a.m.-5 p.m.
- Artist will use materials as specified in proposal or adjusted with prior approval by OC RoD.
- Artist will collaborate with mother of ORFD Assistant Chief Holden to allow her to brush one stroke of paint on her son’s memorial.
- Artist will apply a final sealant at the completion of the painting.
- Artist will attend mural dedication.
Selection Process and Schedule
This project has a two-step selection process. After applications are received, the selection panel will invite up to two artists to submit a proposal.
Evaluation Criteria – Step #1
Up to two finalists will be selected based upon:
- Artistic accomplishment as demonstrated by images of previously completed artwork.
- Technical competence and comparable scale of past works.
- Experience with collaboration with multiple stakeholders, working on design teams, and with projects in urban settings.
- Demonstrated ability to create artwork that reflects the distinctive characteristics of place.
- Demonstrated ability to complete projects on-time and within budget.
Evaluation Criteria – Step #2
The selection of an artist, or artist team, will be based upon:
- Artistic merit of the design
- Appropriateness of the design for the location, including the scale, content, color and design in relation to the site
- Concept reflects stated goals of the project
- Artist’s qualifications
- Originality of the design
Timeline (subject to change)
- Oct. 4-RFQ submission deadline
- Oct. 11-Finalist artists selections
- Oct. 18-Finalists submit mural proposal
- Oct. 25-Notification of selected artist
- Oct. 28-31-Painting of mural
Artist Selection Committee
The committee comprises the OC RoD, Safe Kids, and the ORFD. The selection committee will review all material properly submitted. Finalists will be selected based upon the competitiveness of the applicants’ qualifications.
For additional information on this project, contact: William Madden, Deputy Register of Deeds at 919-245-2701.