RFQ: Northeastern Junior College - Applied Technology Campus

 Qualifications are requested from artists interested in creating interior public artworks for the Center for the Applied Technology Campus at Northeastern Junior College. The budget for this opportunity is $90,000 and the deadline for submission is August 23, 2024

Qualifications are requested from artists interested in creating interior public artworks for the Center for the Applied Technology Campus at Northeastern Junior College. The budget for this opportunity is $90,000 and the deadline for submission is August 23, 2024.

ABOUT NORTHEASTERN JUNIOR COLLEGE & THE APPLIED TECHNOLOGY CAMPUS 

Northeastern Junior College (NJC) was founded in 1941 in Sterling, Colorado. NJC is a residential college focused on Liberal Arts and Agriculture, with strong Career and Technical Education programs. As part of the 13-institution Colorado Community College System, NJC provides a big-school experience at a small school price. NJC is the largest two-year residential college in Colorado. Located 125 miles northeast of Denver, NJC is home to more than 80 programs of study, six resident halls, and ten NJCAA athletic teams. NJC's history of excellent academic tradition spans more than 80 years. Students can choose between transfer degree programs or career/technical degrees and certificates. NJC is committed to developing excellence in all of its students by instilling knowledge, advancing skills and providing opportunities for educational transfer and to enter the workforce successfully. NJC offers many student services, such as housing, athletics, and performing arts, to create a full college experience. Most classes are taught by full-time faculty who also serve as advisors. This ensures a supportive learning environment where students gain knowledge, build skills, and prepare for further education or careers.

NJC's Applied Technology Campus specializes in providing students hands-on experience for workforce-ready careers in automotive technology, diesel technology, precision agriculture, wind and industrial maintenance technology, and welding. Many of the courses offered on this campus give students opportunities to collaborate and build relationships with prospective employers, which can help students secure a job post-graduation.  See here for more information on each of the programs that are located on this campus.

The campus expansion project entails the construction of a 32,000 square foot new building that will physically align with two existing buildings on the site. The new building will include work spaces, lab spaces, and a media library. The building will be accessible from parking lots located on both the north and south side. The goal of the architectural design was to highlight technology and create a “dressed up” industrial building. The corners of the building were opened up with windows so that the inner workings were visual from the exterior. Construction of the building is slated for completion in March 2025, with student occupancy starting in August 2025. 

BUDGET: $90,000

All costs associated with the public artwork, including, but not limited to, artist fee, structural engineering, insurance, materials, fabrication, transportation, installation, building or site modifications, including lighting, travel to and from the site, per diem expenses, project documentation, contingency to cover unexpected expenses and any other costs related to the project are covered by the budget. 

OPPORTUNITIES FOR PUBLIC ART

The Public Art Selection Committee is looking to commission artwork for two locations in the interior of the new building on the Applied Technology campus. For the first location, Location A, the committee is looking for a ceiling-mounted artwork for the building’s reception area. This area is the main entryway and is accessible from the parking lots on either side of the building. This ceiling area has exposed ducts that have been raised to be out of the way, the pendant lighting has been placed outside of the central ceiling area, and the ceiling has been reinforced to accommodate artwork. The committee would like the proposed artwork to honor the technology and engineering focus of the building; kinetic artworks are of a particular interest for this ceiling-mounted, hanging artwork. 

The committee is also seeking an artwork in the engagement room, a space located just off of the main entryway. This room, Location B, will be the main non-programmatic space in the building for students to gather and study. As the ceiling area of this space is very busy with ductwork and baffling for acoustics, the area denoted for artwork is the two large walls. This wall-mounted artwork can be an extension of the ceiling artwork or a separate artwork; the committee is looking to commission the same artist for both locations. Please refer to the additional provided renderings and plans at the end of the full RFQ here.

The Selection Committee will consider the following:

• Artistic excellence
• Scale, material, form and content
• Appropriate relationship to the function of the site
• Resistance to general wear, vandalism, or theft
• Ease of maintenance, minimal and low-cost maintenance

The call is open nationally; artists from Colorado and the immediate region (Wyoming, Nebraska, Kansas) are encouraged to apply.

SELECTION PROCESS AND SCHEDULE

The Art Selection Committee will review all complete and eligible submittals. A short list of semifinalists will be invited to prepare and present a final proposal in person and be paid an honorarium of $1,000. Final selection(s) will be made from the semifinalists’ proposals. 

The schedule is as follows:

August 23, 2024, 11:59 pm MST – Deadline for receipt of submission via CaFÉ™ system

September/October 2024 – Selection committee meets to select semifinalists

November/December 2024  – Artist presentations to the Art Selection Committee

March 2025 –  Building construction completed

Summer 2025 – Anticipated artwork installation

August 2025 –  Student Occupancy

QUESTIONS

If you require more information or clarification, please contact Ruth Wilson at 303-880-6671 or ruth.wilson@state.co.us.

ADDITIONAL SOURCES OF INFORMATION

About NJC

Applied Technology Campus and Programs

Full RFQ with renderings and plans

All applications for this project are being accepted through the online platform, CaFÉ™ (www.callforentry.org). No hard copy or emailed submissions will be accepted. The applicant will be asked to submit digital images of art, a resume, and a brief statement of interest. There is no application fee to apply or to use the CaFÉ™ online application system. Assistance in using the CaFÉ™ system is available during regular business hours by calling 303-629-1166, 1-888-562-7232 or email cafe@westaf.org.

Digital Images: In order to be considered for this project, the applicant must electronically submit, via the CaFÉ™ system, no less than six (6) and no more than eight (8) digital images of previously completed artworks. Up to 2 of these files may be videos to demonstrate kinetic artworks.

Resume: Submit a current résumé, via CaFÉ™, that outlines professional accomplishments as an artist.

Statement of Interest: A statement of interest of 250 words or less must be submitted via CaFÉ™. It should briefly outline the interest in the specific opportunity. Artists should also use this statement to highlight if they are a local artist.

All applicants must be residents of the United States, with artists from Colorado, Wyoming, Nebraska and Kansas encouraged to apply. The artists or artist teams must have the skills and experience commensurate with the responsibility of successfully completing a major public art installation.