Call for Public Art: Fire Station #4, Ann Arbor, MI

Public Art Project: Fire Station #4 in Ann Arbor, MI

Budget: $75,000

Description:
The City of Ann Arbor Fire Department invites artists, designers, or artist teams to submit qualifications to create a unique, site-specific public artwork at the new Fire Station #4, located at 2415 S. Huron Parkway, Ann Arbor, MI. The new station is currently under construction and is expected to be completed by Fall 2026.  The selected artist will create a visually impactful work that is fire station or service related in theme. The Fire Department welcomes a range of approaches.  

The site offers two potential artwork locations:

• Site A: A lawn and wall area in front of the building, between the front wall and Huron Parkway.
• Site B: The upper window bays on one, two, or all three sides of the fire engine glass garage.

Artists may propose work for either or both sites; however, only one artist or artist team will be selected for the commission.

OPPORTUNITY
The City of Ann Arbor Fire Department invites artists, designers, or artist teams to submit qualifications to create a unique, site-specific public artwork at the new Fire Station #4, located at 2415 S. Huron Parkway, Ann Arbor, MI. The new station is currently under construction and is expected to be completed by Fall 2026.  The selected artist will create a visually impactful work that is fire station or service related in theme. The Fire Department welcomes a range of approaches.  

The site offers two potential artwork locations:

• Site A: A lawn and wall area in front of the building, between the front wall and Huron Parkway.
• Site B: The upper window bays on one, two, or all three sides of the fire engine glass garage.

Artists may propose work for either or both sites; however, only one artist or artist team will be selected for the commission.

PROJECT BACKGROUND
The City of Ann Arbor Fire Department builds the first Net-zero Fire Station in the State of Michigan at 2415 S. Huron Parkway. The project replaces Fire Station #4, built in 1966, which presented near-constant maintenance issues. The new fire station, designed by A3C Collaborative Architecture, is the city's first carbon-neutral facility, incorporating geothermal heating and cooling, solar panels, and other energy efficiency measures. In addition to aligning with the city's A2ZERO carbon neutrality goals, the project accommodates current needs for gender neutrality in terms of showering, bathrooms, and sleeping quarters. The new site design also provides an exit that eliminates the blind corner currently at Platt Road and Huron Parkway, creating a safer entrance and exit for emergency response.

PROJECT DETAILS 
To preview and download high-quality images of the site plan and space, please visit the Ann Arbor Art Center's Calls for Art webpage.  Site documents include Site Plan, Elevations, and Renderings.

Site A: Exterior Lawn Area
Site A is located on the lawn in front of a wall facing Huron Parkway.  The Fire Station is open to works of any medium that are durable and can withstand elements of weather, time, and vandalism.

• The wall is 62’ long x 14’ tall and constructed out of a composite material, made to look like wood, that can only accommodate light weight attachments.  Heavier work should be situated in front of the wall with an appropriate foundation.
• Site A is suitable for three-dimensional, durable outdoor work; it is not intended for traditional murals. The surrounding area's planning emphasizes the movement of automobiles.  The work will be seen mostly by passing cars and some pedestrians.  If an artist would like to propose 2D image-based artwork, the artist should consider the substrate to be sculptural in form, such as a lenticular artwork that would accommodate the most visible views from either direction of traffic.
• The artwork may extend past the wall where lawn is available but should end several feet before the driveway and consider clear sightlines for vehicles exiting the lot.
• Integrated lighting that is simple and low maintenance is permitted for discussion.  All materials and installation costs must be included in the artist’s budget.

Site B: Upper Garage Windows
Site B includes the upper bay windows outlined in the site packet document.  The Selection Committee anticipates stained glass as the medium for this site, though other light-based or visually compelling materials (e.g., neon) are also welcome.

• If the proposed work is stained glass, the work will not replace the windows and should preferably be placed on the interior side of the windows.  Neon work should sit inside the windows.
• Artists may propose work for one, two, or all three window facades. The west-facing windows offer the greatest flexibility for installation. Accessing the north and south-facing windows from the interior for installation may be more complex due to structural elements that partially obstruct the full window area. Refer to the detailed sections in the site packet for more information.
• Simple supplemental lighting to augment the work may be proposed and must be included in the artist's budget.

Other Design Guidelines and Considerations

• Designs may include limited letters, numbers, or words but should not be the sole focus of the artwork
• Designs may not include any logos, trademarked materials, commercial imagery, or any sort of advertising.
• Designs may not be religious or political in nature, or contain imagery that is considered sacred by any peoples.
• Designs must be original artwork.

Budget 
The budget for this commission is $75,000 which will be allocated to the final artist/team selected. This contract amount is inclusive of all costs associated with the project, including, but not limited to: the artist's design fee, artist's assistant costs, consultation fees, structural engineering and stamped drawings, permits, insurance, tools, materials, fabrication, transportation, installation, any building or site modification required, travel to and from the site, per diem expenses, project documentation, a contingency to cover unexpected expenses, and any other costs.  

Contract
The selected artist will be the contract signatory with the City of Ann Arbor.  The artist will be required to carry general liability insurance and submit COI listing the city of Ann Arbor, the Fire Department, and the Ann Arbor Art Center as additionally insured.  The artist shall also be responsible for assuring that subcontractors, if there are any, meet the same insurance requirements.  Any installer the artist uses, will be required to have insurance and submit a COI listing the city of Ann Arbor, the Fire Department, and the Ann Arbor Art Center as additionally insured. The amount and type may vary depending on the nature of the proposal.  

Materials + Maintenance
All applicants must consider the issues of long-term conservation and maintenance of public art. This project is in the public realm and will be exposed to physical stresses and potential vandalism. Any artwork outdoors must be fabricated from durable, low-maintenance materials appropriate for public display.

The Fire Department and City of Ann Arbor will review the final artist's proposal and contract to ensure conformity with city standards of maintenance and durability and American Disability Act (ADA) standards. 

SELECTION PROCESS
The selection process shall be a two-stage effort.   A panel of representatives from the Fire Station, City of Ann Arbor, neighborhood, and other designees will review applications.  Applicants will be evaluated based on the following criteria:  

• Letter of Interest
• Quality, creativity, and strength of past work examples
• Demonstrated experience, interest, and qualifications to complete a permanent, durable, public artwork within budget, timeline, and technical constraints.
• Artist Resume and References
• Alignment with project goals

The selection committee may request preliminary interviews with applicants to select the semi-finalists.  Up to five semi-finalists will then be invited to develop their concept further and create a site-specific proposal, renderings or drawings, budget outline, project timeline, and anything else the artists may deem necessary to convey their process or project.  Each semi-finalist will receive a stipend of $750.  Semi-finalists must submit a complete W-9 to receive payment.  The honorarium is separate from the project budget.  The finalist selection will follow in-person or virtual interviews.  A city contract will be issued to the artist with a final design phase requiring review and approval by the City of Ann Arbor and Fire Station before fabrication.  

Timeline
All dates except the submission deadline are approximate, subject to change, and are presented for guidance only. 

• Call Submission Deadline: August 10th, 2025 at 11:59pm MTD
• Semi-finalists Selected: October, 2025
• Semi-finalists Proposals: Artists will be given 6 weeks to develop proposal and will be interviewed in early December
• Finalist Awarded: December 2025
• Project Completion and Installation: Fall 2026 or after building completion 2026

SCOPE OF WORK
Final Artist(s) Responsibilities
The finalist will contract with the city of Ann Arbor and the scope will include but not be limited to the following: 

• Conduct research to better understand the site, the project, and any other elements deemed helpful to their creative process
• Develop and Present Project concepts and renderings
• Work in collaboration with the Fire Department and the City of Ann Arbor to finalize the design for approval
• Attain stamped structural engineer drawings by an MI licensed engineer to ensure the safety and stability of the proposed installation
• Source materials, fabricate, and install the artwork.  Artists may subcontract with fabricators, installers, or technicians as necessary.  Artist will be required to manage the fabrication process and be on site for installation.  Subcontractors will be required to provide insurance.
• Attain necessary permits for installation
• Fulfill the responsibilities within the contracted budget and timeline
• Participate in an unveiling event

FOR QUESTIONS:
This Call-for-Art is managed in collaboration with the Fire Department by the Ann Arbor Art Center’s Art in Public Program.  Please direct your questions to: The Ann Arbor Art Center artinpublic@annarborartcenter.org | 734-926-4122

ABOUT ANN ARBOR ART CENTER
For over a century, the nonprofit A2AC (Ann Arbor Art Center) has sparked creativity in people of all ages, backgrounds, and artistic abilities. Our mission is to be a contemporary forum for the visual arts through education, exploration, collaboration, and exhibition. We aim to engage minds, expand perspectives, and inspire growth in students of all ages, teachers, artists, and the community. We are empowered to carry out our mission through the support of individuals, corporations, and foundations who believe in the value of our work and in creativity’s essential role in sustaining and elevating our everyday experience. In fulfilling our mission, the Art Center is a regional visual arts hub. It prioritizes the long-standing partnerships we cultivate as a keystone for Ann Arbor’s healthy cultural and civic life ecosystem.

Please submit the following application requirements. Submissions must be submitted online at Cafe Call for Entry by August 10th 11:59 PM MDT. There is no application fee to apply or use the online application system.

1.    Letter of Interest: outline your interest in this project and how you will approach the artwork design and creation. (3000 character max)

2.    Resume: Outline your professional experience and accomplishments, maximum of two (2) pages.  If submitting as a team, please include resumes for each team member, with each resume not exceeding two (2) pages.

3.    Artwork Images: selection of ten (10) images representing artworks most relevant to the scope of this opportunity.  While not mandatory, you may include sketches of a proposed idea as one or more of your 10 images.

4.    Artist Bio, (2000 character max)

5.    References: three (3) professional references, including name, affiliated organization (if appropriate), position or title, email address, phone number, and relationship to each reference.

The city of Ann Arbor is seeking artists or artist teams who can commit to working in Ann Arbor as necessary to fulfill the responsibilities of this project. Any artist or artist team residing in the United States can apply, including applicants currently on a U.S. Visa.  Applicants who are on a Visa must be able to legally work in the United States and provide documentation with their application.