RFQ: Central Subway Temporary Art Program Call for Grant Proposals

Posted on May 6th, 2010

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CENTRAL SUBWAY TEMPORARY ART PROGRAM

CALL FOR GRANT PROPOSALS

For Community-based Art Projects,

July1, 2010 to June 30, 2012

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PROPOSAL DEADLINE: JUNE 7, 2010, at 5 p.m.

The San Francisco Arts Commission (SFAC) seeks proposals from nonprofit organizations with existing arts or cultural programs to develop a community-based outdoor art project inspired by the history and culture of San Francisco’s Chinatown, as part of the Public Art Program for the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency’s Central Subway Project. One organization will be awarded a contract of up to $80,000 to implement a project to begin in July, 2010 and continue through June, 2012.

Arts Commission contact: Judy Moran at 415.252.2586 or judy.moran@sfgov.org

Project Timeline (subject to change)

  • Application Deadline                                       June 7, 2010
  • Project selection panel meeting                       Early June, 2010
  • Arts Commission approval                              June 16, 2010
  • Contract Issued for selected organization         July, 2010
  • Project period                                                July, 2010 to June, 2012
  • Outdoor public events                                     No later than Spring, 2012

1. OVERVIEW OF THE CENTRAL SUBWAY TEMPORARY ARTS PROGRAM

During the eight-year final design and construction phase of the Central Subway Project, the Arts Commission will commission a series of temporary community-based outdoor art projects in the three neighborhoods along the Central Subway transit corridor route: Chinatown, Union Square/Market Street, and the Moscone/Yerba Buena area.

The goals of the art projects are to engage community members in art works/projects that reflect the neighborhood’s life, history and culture in relation to transit. Significant events or displays of new artwork may be created in outdoor areas of each station neighborhood that are free and accessible to a broad general public. Some activities may also be presented at additional outdoor sites outside of the project neighborhood along the Central Subway corridor route, if appropriate.

This Central Subway Temporary Art Program pilot project in the Chinatown District will begin in July 2010 and continue through June 2012.  The first two year project cycles in the Union Square/Market Street District and the Moscone/Yerba Buena District will begin simultaneously in mid-2011 and continue through mid-2013.  One organization will be selected by an independent panel for each project through an open application process to develop and implement the art projects in collaboration with the Arts Commission.

II.         CHINATOWN STATION TEMPORARY ART PROJECTS

The Central Subway Temporary Art Program supports new and original projects only. Projects already in progress or pre-existing artworks will not be considered and cannot be included in an organization’s project proposal.

The organization must provide free outdoor public access to artworks that result from art activities that are also free, and include community engagement in the development of the artwork concepts.

Organizations may apply to develop and implement a two-year art project with a total budget not to exceed $80,000.

A. Two Project Phases

Projects must include two phases as described below.  For the first phase the organization must develop a series of activities with community members that lead to the creation of the artworks, and for the second phase the organization must display the artworks or present a series of art performances or other public events created in the first phase at publicly accessible outdoor locations in Chinatown, and possible at other locations along the Central Subway corridor, if appropriate.

1. Phase One: Creation of the Artworks with Community Participation

Activities that involve direct community participation, and may include educational activities, must lead to the creation of artworks.  Community members do not necessarily have to make the artworks, but must be included in the creative process that leads to the creation of the artwork.  Community activities are expected to engage community members in significant, imaginative and novel ways.  Activities might include a series of workshops, educational activities, or interviews, among other possibilities, or a combination of several types of activities, all of which must be free to participants.

The organization itself may determine  community members or groups that it wishes to engage in the development of their art project, based on its current mission and resources and the nature of the proposed project, provided that the organization does not exclude participants based on their residential or business address. A specific community group may be targeted for direct involvement in the creation of the project; project participants may include individuals or groups with whom the organization is currently, or would like to be, working.  For example, the targeted community might be a youth group, a senior group, or groups designated by location, histories, or other categories. Organizations wishing to work with a broader public must include a specific plan for identifying and engaging individuals they intend to involve in the project as part of their proposal.

2.  Phase Two: Project Outdoor Public Displays or Events

The outdoor public displays, performances, and/or events may happen toward the latter part of the term of the project, or may occur more than once during the project timeline. Some artworks or events may be publicly displayed or performed while other project artworks are still being created. Please note that the quality of the community process of creating the artworks is as important as the culminating outdoor public artworks or events.

To stimulate ideas and to help interested applicants understand the basic nature of projects that the Arts Commission is seeking, below is a list of three examples of public displays or events.  The Arts Commission encourages organizations to develop their own project proposals based on their mission, constituency and resources.

Examples of Projects

Below are descriptions of several possible types of projects, including examples of both Phase I and Phase II activities.

  • Posters or banners

Commission an artist or artist team to work with staff in the organization’s existing arts and cultural programs to develop a story or stories reflecting Chinatown culture, possibly related to travel.  Drawings, paintings, photographs, or prints can be created in community workshops with youth or adults, to be combined by a professional graphic artist into a series of posters or banners by a professional printer to be posted outdoors in bus shelters or on light poles throughout Chinatown and possibly in other areas along the Central Subway corridor.  All expenses, including personnel, artist fees, graphic design fees, and professional printing, as well as the costs of the posters or banners and attachment apparatus, and all other project expenses, must be included in the project budget.

  • History Stories and Documentation

Commission an historian, photographer, poet or writer, or other appropriate project participant, to document changes in Chinatown, using both historical and new photographs, possibly interviewing members of the public of various ages about their personal experiences in Chinatown.  A website might be created with the photographs and interviews, and a series of public presentations.  Posters might also be created by a graphic artist from the information gathered for public display in storefront windows or bus shelters in Chinatown, or published in a brochure.  All expenses, including, but not limited to the fees of the historian, photographer, or other temporary project personnel,  website, publication, poster or banner production costs, and all other project expenses must be included in the project budget.

  • Series of Performances

A choreographer and performers might be commissioned to develop a new performance, based on a series of discussions, research, workshops and other activities with a community group or groups, reflecting an aspect of Chinatown culture or history, or travel and transportation, to be performed out-of-doors in several locations in Chinatown and possibly along the Central Subway corridor. All expenses for the project, including personnel, materials, artist fees, permits, and all other project expenses must be included in the project budget.

III.        ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS

A. General Organization Requirements for the Chinatown Temporary Art Project

  1. Only one application will be accepted per organization.
  2. The organization selected for the 2010/2012 Chinatown Temporary Project will be ineligible for all future Central Subway Temporary Art Projects.

B. Eligible organizations must meet the following criteria:

  1. Be a registered 510 (c) (3) nonprofit organization with a functioning Board of Directors
  2. Must have an arts or culture related program
  3. Comply with federal regulations pertaining to federal grant recipients by meeting the provisions of Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1963; Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964; Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972; Americans with Disabilities Act and Age Discrimination Act of 1975
  4. Organizations proposing to work with youth under 18 years of age must have an active youth program within their organization with a minimum of two years of activities, and staff who are trained and authorized to work with youth.

C. If Awarded: Policies and Requirements

  1. The selected organization will be required to register as a City vendor and enter into contract with the City and County of San Francisco prior to commencing work and for the duration of the Temporary Art Project.
  2. Depending on the specific scope of the project, prior to the issuance and throughout the duration of the contract, the contracted organization will be required to maintain and provide current certificates for various types of insurance, including Automobile Liability, General Liability, and other insurance as required by the City.
  3. Additional permits, engineering drawings, and building code and other requirements must be met as required for any project in order for implementation of the project.
  4. All proposed Project locations, concepts, activities, displays, events, artworks, publications, expenses and all other aspects of the Project are subject to approval by the Arts Commission throughout the term of the project.
  5. Projects continue at the discretion of the Arts Commission and may be cancelled at any time.
  6. Equal Benefits Ordinance: The City and County of San Francisco, in its effort to provide equality of opportunity and equality of benefits, requires that all entities receiving public monies comply with Section 12B of the Administrative Code, relative to provision of equal benefits to registered domestic partners.
  7. Americans with Disabilities Act: The selected artist(s) will be required to comply   with American with Disabilities Act requirements in addition to related federal, state and local codes and will be encouraged to develop artwork(s) sensitive to programmatic as well as physical accessibility issues in cooperation with the Arts Commission and disabled communities.
  8. Minimum Compensation Ordinance (MCO): The MCO requires City grantees to provide the following to their employees: minimum wages, paid and unpaid time off. The MCO applies to nonprofit organizations which have at least $50,000 in cumulative annual business with the City, and have more than 20 employees,  including employees of any parent, subsidiaries and subcontractors. Additional information regarding the MCO is available on the web at www.sfgov.org/mco. You can also contact MCO_Public_Office@ci.sf.ca.us or 415.554.6269.

IV.        FUNDING POLICIES AND BUDGET

A. General Funding Policies

  1. Applicants cannot receive funds from other Arts Commission grant or funding programs for their Central Subway Temporary Arts Project.
  2. Organizations currently under contract to, subcontracting to, or receiving funding from, the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency for the Central Subway Project, are not eligible for the Central Subway Temporary Arts Program.
  3. The award of funds does not imply that the Arts Commission or any other City agency will produce, fabricate, design, exhibit, publish, print, obtain permits for property use, or display or sponsor the artworks or any other aspect of the project.  The selected organization is entirely responsible for all approved personnel, activities, products and all other aspects of their project. The Arts Commission will provide general project oversight, including review and approval of all aspects of the project, including project expenditures.
  4. The Central Subway Temporary Arts Program does not fund gallery or indoor exhibitions, installations, and performances. The Program is intended to sponsor free outdoor public artworks and events along the Central Subway corridor route to sustain community interest and awareness of the Central Subway Project throughout the design and construction phases.

B. Project Budget

  1. Funding for the selected organization will be allocated in interim payments periodically throughout the duration of the project, at pre-designated points in the process, as approved in advance by the Arts Commission, and included in the contract, for a total project budget not to exceed $80,000.
  2. For this Project Grant, up to 25% (not to exceed $20,000) of the project budget may be allocated for approved administrative costs directly related to the project. 75% (not to exceed $60,000 per year) of the project budget is for other reimburseable expenses pre-approved by the Arts Commission and directly related to the project.

C. Eligible Expenses

Project budgets must be reviewed and approved in writing in advance of any expenditures by the Arts Commission. All administrative fees and expenses charges must be justified and documented as directly related to this project.

  1. The not-to-exceed 25% administrative fee designated for project overhead, and for the pilot project only, is restricted to such expenses as staff salaries, office rental, telephones, general supplies and other expenses directly related to the Central Subway Temporary Art Program Pilot Project and must be approved by the Arts Commission.
  2. The 75% project allocation designated for project expenses is restricted to such project expenses as:
  • Participating artist and consultant fees
  • Project supplies and materials
  • Artwork production and display costs
  • Temporary equipment rental (equipment purchase is ineligible)
  • Project related insurance and project permits

Organizations must submit receipts and proof of payment for all project expenses in order to receive the Project Final Payment. Expenditures not approved in advance in writing by the Arts Commission may not be reimbursed.

D. The Central Subway Temporary Art Program does NOT fund:

  1. Projects that will not be presented outdoors along the Central Subway corridor in San Francisco.
  2. Activities that are not free to the public
  3. Ongoing organizational operating expenses or administrative costs not associated with the proposed Project.
  4. Deficit reductions
  5. Food and beverage expenses
  6. Development or fundraising expenses
  7. Existing programs or projects
  8. Religious activities
  9. Social functions such as parties, receptions or fundraising events

10.  Capital improvements and/or acquisitions

11.  Purchase of equipment

12.  Exhibitions or performances in galleries or traditional art venues

13.  Existing artworks or projects or artworks or projects already in progress

14.  Projects that restrict participation by artists, businesses or community members based on residential or business address

V. APPLICATION AND REVIEW PROCESSES

A. General Information

  1. High quality projects that reflect history and culture of San Francisco’s Chinatown, make reference to transit or travel, engage community members in a series of meaningful activities, and provide access to the results of the project to a broad general public are most appropriate for the Central Subway Temporary Art Program in Chinatown.
  2. The Arts Commission will convene a panel of community representatives, arts professionals, and an Arts Commissioner, to review applications in June, 2010.  The panel will recommend one organization for final approval by the Arts Commission.  The panel may select one finalist at the panel meeting, or may request to interview a short list of applicants to obtain additional information at a second meeting prior to selecting one organization.
  3. The selection of the organization, and authorization for the organization to proceed with implementation of the project at any point in the process, is entirely within the discretion of the Arts Commission. The Arts Commission reserves the right to decline any and all of the applications submitted and to solicit new applications at any time.
  4. The selected organization may not alter its proposal, timeline or budget, or any other aspect of its approved proposal without advance written approval by the Arts Commission.  Throughout the duration of the project, changes not approved by the Arts Commission in writing in advance may result in termination of the project.

B. Evaluation Criteria

  1. Artistic merit of the proposed project
  2. Quality of the community engagement in the creation of the artworks.
  3. Relevance of the proposed project to the Chinatown District community, culture and history
  4. Public impact of the culminating outdoor public artworks, events, and activities
  5. Professional qualifications and evidence of relevant experience of all organization staff working on the project, artists, and all other additional team members participating in the project
  6. Feasibility of the project based on the proposed project budget, timeline, scope of work, activities, locations, materials and supplies
  7. Organizational history of consistent and successful execution of the same or similar projects
  8. Current capacity of the organization to successfully produce the project within the budget and within the projected timeline, based on information provided in the application.
  9. Projects that demonstrate a relationship to the Central Subway, or travel and transportation, are encouraged

C. Proposal Application Procedures:

Review the Evaluation Criteria before drafting your proposal narrative.  These are the criteria upon which your Project proposal will be reviewed. Provide adequate project details addressing each criterion in your application.

1. General Application Instructions

  • Complete the single page application form. Click Here to download the application form.
  • Number and mark each page of your application materials with the name of your organization in the upper right hand corner.
  • Use12 point type on white paper.
  • Use 1 inch margins at a minimum.
  • Use headers to identify the specific sections to aid the panelists in reading your materials.
  • Submit one hard copy of all documents.
  • Submit all of the following items, including digital copies of all written materials on a PC compatible CD (CDs must be clearly labeled with the organization’s name).

2. Narrative Application Materials

  • Project Description (3 page maximum)

Describe the proposed project in detail, clearly articulating the intent of the  project and how it relates to the Central Subway Temporary Art Program guidelines. Clearly outline the two project phases of your proposed project, as follows:

  • Phase One: development of the artworks, including the specific activities that will include community members.  Where will the activities take place, what will be their purpose and results, what will be the impact? How will the activities lead to the artwork?  How often will the activities happen?  What staff or commissioned artists will be involved and how will they interact with community members in the creation of the artworks?
  • Phase Two: Describe the nature and quantity of the completed artworks, performance, or events. At what public outdoor locations will the artworks be presented?  If the artwork is a series of events, or a variety of artworks, please describe each in detail, how each artwork contributes to the overall project, and how it will impact a broader public.
  • Project timeline and work plan (2 page maximum)
  • Community outreach plans (2 page maximum)
  • Identification of the types of community members and community groups to be involved in the Project.
  • The outreach methods to identify and engage the community members in the development of the artworks.
  • The specific outreach methods to reach the targeted audience for the public Project displays and events.
  • Organization Information
  • Organizational history and qualifications (3 pages maximum), including the organization’s history and major accomplishment relevant to the Central Subway Temporary Art Program.
  • Description of the resources necessary for the implementation of the project, if they exist within the organization, and, if not, how they will be obtained.
  • Description of the organizational capabilities that demonstrate the ability of the organization to successfully complete the proposed project. List all staff and additional personnel who will be participating in the project and their qualifications, including commissioned artists, designers, photographers, and other project participants outside of the organization.
  • Describe the role each participant will perform in the project. Provide a participant list, providing the name, address and brief summary of relevant experience for each participant.
  • Describe how the project will affect the organization’s normal operations and resources.
  • Artist documentation

Include resumes for each proposed artist participant and 10 images of  past artwork relevant to the proposal on CD or DVD, with artist’s name.   Each image should be no larger than 1000 X 1000 pixels, 72 dpi and 1 MB JPEG ONLY. (Each JPEG must be titled with the artist’s name and a number that corresponds to the annotated image list. For example- JenJones 001, JenJones 002). Performing artists’ documentation must be on a PC compatible DVD.

3.  Project and Proposal Organization Budgets and Budget Notes

Please complete a project budget following the guidelines below as part of your application.

    • Preliminary estimated project budget.
    • The project budget is an important part of your application and it will help the Arts Commission determine your organization’s ability to successfully manage and complete the proposed Project.
    • Project must be completed within the total Central Subway Temporary Art Program budget from the Arts Commission.  Please do not include soft costs, donations, or other funding sources in your project budget. Total budget must not exceed $80,000.
    • Your project proposal will not necessarily be judged on the quantity of activities you are proposing for your project, but on the quality of the activities and how feasible your project is within the established project budget of $80,000.
    • Provide a preliminary budget summary that includes line items of estimated costs of overhead cost, staff salaries, materials, supplies, implementation, insurance, permits, artist fees, and all other expenses associated with the proposed project.
    • Budget notes are strongly encouraged as they will help the panel determine the internal and external factors that may impact your ability to administer the project. Be as detailed as you can in your budget notes and explain how the numbers were determined.
    • Do not include in-kind support as a line item in your budget.
    • The Arts Commission must approve, and may ask for a revision, of the proposed project budget, which may be less but not more than $80,000.
    • Provide an organizational financial statement, audited if possible, including both and income and expense statement and a balance sheet for your last completed fiscal year.
    • The income and expense statement includes the organization’s year-to-date budget showing annual projects and actual income/expenses.
    • A balance sheet is the same as a Statement of Financial Position.
    • Use budget notes to explain circumstances that might appear problematic or confusing.

All information contained herein does not constitute either an expressed or implied contract and these provisions are subject to change.

PLEASE SUBMIT A COMPLETED PROJECT APPLICATION FORM/CHECKLIST WITH YOUR OTHER APPLICATION MATERIALS

APPLICATION DEADLINE: JUNE 7, 2010, at 5 pm

Submit Central Subway Temporary Art Program applications to:

CENTRAL SUBWAY TEMPORARY ART PROGRAM

San Francisco Arts Commission

25 Van Ness Avenue, Suite 240

San Francisco, CA 94102

All applications must be received in the San Francisco Arts Commission offices on June 7, 2010 by 5 pm.  Postmarks are not acceptable.  LATE APPLICATIONS WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED. INCOMPLETE APPLICATIONS MAY BE DEEMED INELIGIBLE.

For questions, contact Zoe Taleporos, Public Art Program Associate, at 415.252.3215 or at zoe.taleporos@sfgov.org.

Applications are not accepted via fax or email.