The Annapolis Arts in Public Places Commission (AiPPC) is seeking an artist or team to design and execute a major sculpture that will be a visual focal point for Westgate Circle (the intersection of Spa Road, West Street and Taylor Avenue) in Annapolis. AiPPC is supported by the Arts Council of Anne Arundel County (ACAAC), which will execute the Request for Qualifications (RFQ) and, later, the Request for Proposal (RFP).
NOTE: The event below, Arts Alive 25, was held on September 8, 2023.
RFQs are currently being accepted on the ACAAC website. The deadline to submit for RFQ is Saturday, Sept. 2, 2023.
Artists and teams from the Mid-Atlantic region are eligible to respond. Preference will be given to Annapolis or Anne Arundel County residents. Applicants should submit biographical information, qualifications, and an initial design concept through the submission platform.
A six-member selection committee will review initial proposals. Three finalists will be selected and paid stipends of $2,500. Finalists will be selected by October 1. Artists will then have until November 1 to submit revised proposals. The final selection will be made on December 1.
The Westgate Circle site is adjacent to the City’s design and designated arts districts. Businesses, hotels, and restaurants thrive along this corridor. A low stone knee wall elevates the space for the artwork. The surface atop the circle is gently mounded turf grass. A footer and possibly pilings may be needed to stabilize the sculpture during installation. Dimensions are available in the paperwork for the RFQ, available HERE.
The previous work, a semi-abstract piece, “Shoal” by sculptor Bobby Donovan was installed in 2011. The work was a nod to Annapolis’ maritime past, evoking the ribs of a sunken ship as fish hovered above. The sculpture was removed in March 2020.
