Deadline for Women's Suffrage Public Art applications

5:00 PM Monday, September 30, 2019

Location:
Cambridge Arts

Contact:
cambridgearts@cambridgema.gov, 617-349-4380

CALL TO ARTISTS: REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS

The right of the citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex.

The City of Cambridge invites artists to submit qualifications for a $300,000 public art commission to commemorate the passage, in August 1920, of the Nineteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution, which granted women the right to vote and resulted in the largest one-time addition to the American electorate, yet also left most women of color without access to the ballot box. A successful project will acknowledge the amendment’s complex history, its ongoing work in the shaping of American democracy, and the role of Cambridge women in the women’s suffrage movement.

Cambridge Arts, the official arts agency for the city, is managing the artist selection process. To be considered for this commission, submit your qualifications online to the Cambridge Arts artist registry by 5:00 p.m., September 30, 2019. For details see: https://www.cambridgema.gov//arts/News/2019/08/nineteenthamendmentpublicart


The Cambridge Nineteenth Amendment Centennial Committee, under the direction of the Cambridge City Council, was established in spring of 2019 with the purpose of guiding the process for this important project.

From the Request for Qualifications (RFQ), three or four finalists will be selected by the Art Jury and paid to develop concept proposals for a permanent installation based on criteria and guidelines established by the Committee and in consultation with city staff. All finalists’ proposals will be displayed for a period of public feedback. Final selection of one proposal will be made by a selection committee of stakeholders based on the finalists’ in-person presentations and interviews. The City will announce the selected proposal at a centennial celebration in August 2020, after which implementation of the selected proposal will begin.

The City is seeking qualifications from artists with demonstrated public art experience. The $300,000 commission must cover all services from detailed design development through final installation/implementation, including but not limited to artist fee, travel, community meetings, research, engineering, fabrication, insurance, transportation, installation, and coordination with consultants and City staff.