DC Releases an RFP Specifically for Artists

• February 2, 2017

by Nena Perry-Brown

Rendering of the future Buzzard Point Pepco substation

Last fall, the city solicited the community’s feedback on how to encourage DC’s art scene in hopes of crafting a Cultural Plan.

A recurring suggestion was for the city to offer artists an early or separate opportunity to respond to requests for proposals (RFPs) on projects that are meant to include an arts element. Now, the city has released what may be its first request for proposals specifically for artists: an art project for the new Pepco building slated for Buzzard Point.

On Tuesday, Pepco and the Commission on the Arts and Humanities (CAH) put forth the call for local artists to submit proposals to design and install a permanent public artwork on the new electrical substation.

The submission deadline is March 3rd; an Art Selection Panel will review the applications and notify the winner on March 31st. The artwork is expected to be installed starting in October and publicly dedicated in December.

The competition is open to DC residents and will be featured on the facade of the building at Second and R Streets SW (map). A sculpture by David and Eli Hess, inspired by Nicola Tesla’s electrical experiments and entitled “Flash Points”, has already been commissioned for the site as well.

This article originally published at https://dc.urbanturf.com/articles/blog/dc_releases_an_rfp_specifically_for_artists/12115