Call for Artists: UNF Art in State Buildings Program

Through the State of Florida's Art in State Buildings program, the University of North Florida is seeking submissions for artwork to be installed in its newly renovated Skinner-Jones Hall. The College of Computing, Engineering and Construction will be the primary occupant of the new building.

Budget: $44,000

Entry Deadline: 04/06/2018

Located in Jacksonville, this comprehensive urban university serves not only Florida residents, but an increasing number of students from across the nation and beyond.  The 1100+ acre main campus is located in the southeast quadrant of Duval County, in a natural setting of upland ridges, wetland valleys, and man-made lakes, and is approximately 12 miles from the Atlantic Ocean. The academic core of the campus is situated at the inner central ridge; thus buffered from South, West, and East expressways, the location provides an ideal setting for higher learning. The natural woodlands of the campus are accessible through a triad of trails situated at the southwest quadrant of the campus. 

The new Skinner-Jones Hall is located in the campus core, adjacent to the Biological Sciences and the Science & Engineering Buildings. The project is a culmination of the complete renovation of the former Skinner-Jones Hall North and Skinner Jones-Hall South (previously Buildings 3 and 4), combined with a new four-story addition and entrance lobby.  The transformation of these two buildings, which were part of the original footprint of the 1972 campus, was completed in December 2017.  The total building area is approximately 116,000 gsf.  The Skinner-Jones Hall project will be seeking LEED certification through the U.S. Green Building Council, a private non-profit organization that promotes environmentally-responsible building practices.  

In addition to modernizing the facilities, the project provides space for the School of Engineering and the Department of Construction Management, which will occupy nearly 65 percent of Skinner-Jones Hall.  This includes space for the Taylor Engineering Research Institute; state-of-the-art classrooms and labs for civil/construction, electrical, and mechanical engineering; simulation labs; geotechnical and material sciences labs; teaching and research labs; a microscopy research facility; the Dean’s Suite; general purpose classrooms and common spaces. 

The vision of the College of Computing, Engineering, and Construction is to educate professionals who impact the lives of adults and children. The faculty of the College desire art inside the building that is welcoming to a diverse group of individuals. 

The College is founded on the principles of collaboration, engagement, and partnerships. Students, faculty, area professionals, and community volunteers work synergistically to promote student learning and to enhance the quality of education and provide real-world, engaging experiences.  They are committed to developing life-long learners who contribute to their communities and succeed in a changing world.

The project's Art Selection Committee, in coordination with the Architect, has selected a potential site for the placement of artwork. The Art Selection Committee is open to commissioning site-specific work and/or purchasing existing artwork. The Committee strongly encourages submissions that relate to field of engineering and/or construction in a non-gender biased manner. 

Eligibility
This Call to Artists is open to professional artists or designers, age 18 or over, who are eligible to work in the United States.

Requirements:
A current professional resume, emphasizing public art experience, public collections and public commissions. Resumes should illustrate that the artist has met at least two (2) of the following:
The artist has completed public commissions similar in budget to the proposed project;
The artist’s works are included in major public, private, corporate or museum collections;
The artist has received awards, grants or fellowships;
The artist has had a one-person exhibition in a museum within the past five years.
​Statement  

A brief letter of interest that explains why your artwork is relevant for this project and how your submitted images relate to the project requirements.  However, this should not yet be a site-specific proposal.

Images 
Send a minimum of 1 and a maximum of 20 digital images via CaFE.
It is important to include the prices of your works.  If the committee is unable to determine that a particular piece of artwork is within the project budget, they tend to bypass the artist.
Prices for existing works must include delivery or shipping costs, and works must be framed or ready to install.  The committee has no extra funds for framing or shipping.

Selection Process
Three (3) finalists will be selected and notified no later than April 30, 2018.
The Finalists will receive a $1500 design stipend upon selection as a finalist to develop a site specific artwork design.

For additional information, please contact:
Campus Planning, Design & Construction at 904.620.2016