1. INTRODUCTION 

Southern Forest Arts are seeking Expressions of Interest (EOI) from suitably skilled artists (resident within the Southern Forest and Valleys region*) who wish to contribute to a public artwork that will add vibrancy to the Northcliffe town centre. The artwork will help create a sense of place and cultivate community pride and identity.

Seven metal rubbish bins will be painted in this commission series. It is anticipated that seven artists will be selected to paint the seven bins, one artist per bin. If a team of artist elects to paint a bin together, this would be acceptable. A team approach needs to be mentioned in the EOI.

The selection panel reserves the right to offer painting of numerous bins to one artist in order to ensure that only artists with sufficient skill and reliability are engaged. SFA also reserves the right to select a smaller number of artists to participate in this project, than the number of EOI applications received. In this instance, Southern Forest Arts will invite specific artists to join the project if additional artists are required.

2. PROJECT MANAGEMENT

Southern Forest Arts is managing this project. Southern Forest Arts (SFA) is based in the town of Northcliffe. SFA provides arts and cultural services to the broader Southern Forests and Valleys region (and beyond).

Project partners include: Shire of Manjimup, Northcliffe Community Development Inc and Northcliffe Visitor Centre.

 

3. SITE 

The site for this public art project is seven large metal bins located along Wheatley Coast Road in Northcliffe’s town centre. Six of the bins were installed during 2021. One is to be installed in early 2021. Some of the bins are for general rubbish and some are designated for recycling. All bins are in very good condition.

Approval was granted from the Shire of Manjimup Council for this project to proceed on Thursday 17th December 2020.

 

4. PROJECT DESCRIPTION 

The artwork is intended to create colour, connection to the natural environment and a welcoming statement of local identity within Northcliffe’s town centre.

The ‘Blooming Wild’ theme corresponds to existing branding strategies for Northcliffe, including the ‘Northcliffe Naturally’ brand, the annual ‘Blooming Wild’ festival organised by the Northcliffe Visitor Centre and pre-existing artworks depicting endemic floral species on numerous power poles within the town centre.

The ‘Blooming Wild’ theme for this project was determined at a Northcliffe Community Development meeting in mid-2020, when the seed funding of $2500 was pledged to the project upon the proviso that artworks reflect local native floral species.

Southern Forest Arts will purchase suitable sign-writer quality paints for the projects, to be used by all selected artist to ensure colour consistency and paint longevity across the seven bins. Selected artists will need to supply their own brushes, their own transport to and from the site and any other equipment they may require.

The artworks need to be painted between end of January and end of June 2021.

Southern Forest Arts’ Artistic Director/General manager, Fiona Sinclair, will provide 2 hours of mentorship to each selected artist to ensure there is a consistent baseline of support throughout the project to guide each artist in the design, development and completion of a public artwork.

Southern Forest Arts will arrange for each bin artwork to be professionally documented.

The project will be marketed by Southern Forest Arts via website, social media and print material.

5. INDICATIVE TIMETABLE

 

Selection of artists will be based on an initial Expression of Interest (EOI) process. The process will be as follows:

  • The EOI will be advertised through Southern Forest Arts email newsletter, upon social media, and printed posters/flyers in late-December 2020

  • Interested artists will be able to download the EOI information by contacting Southern Forest Arts directly on the email info@southernforestarts.com.au.au

  • The EOI deadline is 5pm, 8th January 2021

  • The Artwork Selection Committee will assess the EOI’s in mid-January based against Evaluation Criteria

  • Ideally seven artists will be shortlisted. Southern Forest Arts holds the right to select less than seven artists if there is not a sufficient number of artists submitting an EOI with the necessary level of skill and reliability to create a painted artwork of suitably professional quality. SFA can also shortlist a team of artists if there is a number of artists that would prefer to work together on a bin, instead of one bin per artist.

  • In the instance that there less than 7 artists shortlisted, SFA will instigate an ‘invitation’ process and artists of known skill and credibility will be invited to undertake the commission for each bin. These artists will not be expected to submit an EOI, however they will need to submit a concept sketch as per below.

  • All shortlisted artists will be advised of the selection decision in mid-January

  • Unsuccessful artists will be notified of the decision in mid-January

  • Shortlisted artists will be invited to attend a site visit and briefing session in late January. Artists will nominate which bin they prefer to paint. Southern Forest Arts holds the final right to allocate a particular bin to a particular artist

  • A fee of $100 (excluding GST) will be paid to each shortlisted artist (and invited artists, where relevant) to prepare a basic concept sketch for ‘their’ bin

  • If the design concept is approved by the Artwork Selection Committee the artists will proceed to the contract stage

  • The design sketch will be forward to the Shire of Manjimup as a record of the artist’s artwork intention

  • Following commissioning, the artist will proceed to paint ‘their’ bin between late January – mid June 2021

  • Blooming Wild Bins project launched end June

6. BUDGET 

Shortlisted Artists

Each artist short-listed by the Artwork Selection Committee will be paid $100 (excluding GST) to prepare a concept design sketch (this is just a basic design for the bin indicating the floral species to be depicted and an indication of composition and colour. One A3 page would suffice). If there are less than seven artists selected, each artist will receive $100 per design for ‘their’ allocated bin.

The budget for painting the commissioned artwork is $500 (excluding GST) per bin.

Therefore, there is a payment of $600 to be paid to an artist (or to be shared among an artist team) per bin. The payment will be paid in two amounts – $100 as a design fee and $500 as a commissioning fee.

Invited Artists

If it is deemed necessary by the Artwork Selection Panel that there are insufficient artists to paint all seven bins, then Southern Forest Arts Artistic Director / General Manager will invite artists to proceed to the concept development stage prior to formal commissioning.

Invited artists will be paid $100 (excluding GST) to prepare a concept design sketch (this is just a basic design for the bin indicating the floral species to be depicted and an indication of composition and colour. One A3 page would suffice). Each invited artist will receive $100 per design for ‘their’ allocated bin.

The budget for painting the commissioned artwork is $500 (excluding GST) per bin.

Therefore, there is a payment of $600 to be paid to an artist (or to be shared among an artist team) per bin. The payment will be paid in two amounts – $100 as a design fee and $500 as a commissioning fee.

7. EVALUATION CRITERIA 

EOI’s will be assessed by the Artwork Selection Committee:

·       Diana Moss (Chairperson of Southern Forest Arts)

·       Doug Iddon (Vice Chairperson of Southern Forest Arts)

·       Wendy Eiby (Manager of the Northcliffe Visitor Centre and Coastal Ward Councillor for the Shire of Manjimup).

Artists EOI’s will be assessed against the evaluation criteria below:

1 Proven skill in design and painting 

60%  

Images of previous artworks. 

These need not be public artworks but do need to indicate skilful design and execution.

Works relevant to the Blooming Wild theme will be considered favourably

2 Quality of any previous public artworks, if any

20%

Images of completed artworks

 

3 Approach to this public art project

 20% 

An indication of preferred wildflower to be depicted, basic design idea, capacity to complete the work independently and enthusiasm for participation

NB. The Selection Panel is not required to select seven artists to complete the seven bins if the panel does not believe the quality of EOI’s submitted are sufficient to ensure professional presentation required for this public art project.

 

8. EOI SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS 

EOI submission must include BOTH of the following:

1. A Written Statement

2. Visual Support material

The EOI must be saved as a single PDF document of under 5MB

Written Statement:

This statement should outline the artist’s approach to the project and must address the Evaluation Criteria by providing the following:

  1. all contact information, ABN (if you have one) and GST status.

  2. summary of relevant experience in response to the Evaluation Criteria

  3. summary of your approach to the project

(max. two A4 pages – there is no need to supply a concept sketch)

Visual Support Material:

  • 5 -10 images of previous work, including details such as title, dimensions, year of completion and media

(there is no need to supply a concept sketch)

9. LODGEMENT OF SUBMISSION 

Expressions of Interest (EOI) must be submitted before 5pm on 8th January 2021 to:

dianamoss@westnet.com.au

Files must be submitted as a single PDF, and be no larger than 5MB

 

NOTE: Late submissions will not be accepted. 

10. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION

 

Contact:

Fiona Sinclair

0418 754704

info@southernforestarts.com.au.au

 

* The Southern Forests and Valleys region includes all residents of the Shire of Manjimup, Bridgetown, Balingup, Nannup and Boyup Brook.