Soscol Medians Public Art Project

Request for Qualifications

Submission Deadline

Deadline extended to 5pm Friday March 17th, 2023

The City of Napa is seeking qualified artists for the Soscol Medians Public Art Project.

This Request for Qualifications (RFQ) is open to professional artists or teams with experience in the design, fabrication, and installation of public art.

This RFQ is part of a multi-phase process by which the City of Napa seeks to identify and select a qualified public artist to create and install a site-specific artwork in the Soscol Avenue medians. The City seeks qualifications from experienced public artists (or artist teams) who specialize in site specific sculpture. This individual or team of individuals must be able to:

a) design a unique artwork

b) work within multiple, complex physical constraints (e.g., structural considerations, environmental restrictions, and various permitting requirements); and

c) collaborate with agency staff to ensure the pragmatic design and successful installation of the project; and

d) design and implement the project within a budget.

About the Project

In 2018, the City of Napa completed adding medians along Soscol Avenue between Gasser Drive and Sousa Lane with the additional development along this corridor to enhance safety and overall traffic flow (see project site maps Attachment 1 and Attachment 2 in RFQ).

The Public Art Steering Committee (PASC) and City Council identified the the Soscol Avenue medians as a priority and the project was approved in April 2022 .

The south Soscol Avenue is an important corridor within the City of Napa and is a significant roadway into the City from the south entrance from Highway 221/121. With the gateway project at the 1st Street and California Street Roundabout under development, this project would complete another important public art project in the community. This project will be adding to other public art projects along this corridor including projects under development at Chrysler and Soscol Square properties (see Attachment 3 in RFQ). The proposed City project will augment and strengthen the other public art installations nearby and continue to enhance the aesthetics along this commercial corridor.

In addition to diversifying more projects within the overall public art program, this project would also support one of the overall goals of the Public Art program which is to support more projects outside of the downtown area as well as provide more access and equity to public art throughout.

Project Budget

The budget is a not-to-exceed figure of $200,000. This amount includes all costs related to the artist’s design and project management fees; all subcontracted and consultant costs, including engineers, electricians, fabricators, studio and overhead costs; fabrication, transportation, delivery, storage and installation of all art components; liability insurance and bonds as required; and all other costs associated with the art project including a minimum budget contingency of 15%.

Public Art Fund

The City of Napa has a dedicated Public Art Fund.  This fund was created in conjunction with the City’s Public Art Ordinance that requires commercial developers to dedicate 1% of the project construction costs (over $250,000) to public art on their site or to pay the 1% into the Public Art Fund. This fund is used to support permanent public art throughout the community on city property.  The City created a Public Art Master Plan in 2014 to help identify goals and priorities for the Public Art Fund. 