 |
Percent for Art Purchases/Commissions
Deadline: Varies
Existing Works & Conservation:
New Projects:
The Percent for Art Program was enacted by the New Hampshire Legislature in 1979 to ensure that all forms of visual arts and crafts have an integral and important role in state construction projects. The program seeks a genuine integration of art in architecture by giving an opportunity to building designers, planners, artists, state employees, arts professionals and private citizens to collaborate in planning projects, and selecting, purchasing or commissioning works of art by artists and craftspeople for state buildings. All types of art and/or craft work may be purchased, including objects relating to the state's history and cultural heritage.
New Hampshire 's legislation (RSA 19-A) requires that one-half of one percent of the bid contract price of construction of state buildings and facilities be used for the inclusion of art/craft work. New buildings may use up to eighty percent of the half-percent funds generated through the new construction. Up to 8% of the total funds available may be set aside for existing state buildings to participate in the Percent for Art Program. (Buildings that are exempted from contributing to Percent for Art funds include: self-liquidating projects, those funded by Federal money, or that portion of a building that exceeds a $15 million bid contract price.) Please note: Schools K-12 are not eligible for Percent for Art.
Sample Projects
- Administrative Office of the Courts, New Hampshire Supreme Court, Concord: commissioned stained glass windows by Victoria Babbin of Deerfield and black & white photographs by John Boeckeler of Concord. Purchased existing paintings, prints, pastels and a large-scale clay wall platter by numerous artists.
- New Hampshire State Liquor Store, I-95N, Seabrook: commissioned three weathervanes in bronze by William Barth Osmundsen of New Durham for three cupolas.
- Health & Human Services, The Brown Building, Concord: commissioned a New Hampshire Apple Orchard Ribbon Painting by Sheldon Cassady of Concord for an alcove wall in the cafeteria, and commissioned four large-scale pastel paintings by Pamela Tarbell of Concord for the first floor entry.
- Acute Psychiatric Wing, New Hampshire Hospital, Concord: commissioned 10 trompe-l'oeil "photographic-style paintings" by Gordon Carlisle of Portsmouth for a long corridor. Images were chosen to enhance the memories of patients with Alzheimers.
- Glencliff Home for the Elderly, Glencliff: commissioned two stained glass windows by Susan H. Pratt-Smith of Northwood in antique mouth-blown, fused, and leaded stained glass entitled Nature's Sonata, for the chapel/multipurpose room in the new wing.
Standard Procedures for Percent for Art Projects
New Construction
Whenever a state building or facility is to be constructed, remodeled, or expanded, the Arts Council is notified by the Department of Administrative Services that funds have been transferred into the State Arts Council's Percent for Art Fund.
Existing State Buildings
Interested agencies housed in older state buildings that have no construction budgets may contact the Arts Council on the availability of funds, and the process and procedures for selecting art and craft work for an existing building.
Requests for Proposal (RFPs)
When agencies with available funds contact the State Arts Council expressing an interest in participating in the Percent for Art program, the Council publicizes the opportunity to artists by sending out an RFP (Request for Proposals) or RFQ (Request for Qualifications) announcement. RFP/Qs include entry procedures and a description of the project, which include details about the building, the facility's mission and use, the type of art and/or craft work desired, maintenance requirements, timetables, budget, and architectural drawings of the spaces.
For RFPs, interested artists are asked to send graphic sketch proposals that are accompanied by a brief artist's statement, resume, and support materials. After artists have been selected, they will be expected to work with the Advisory Committees and the project architect to refine their proposals.
Advisory Committees
An Art Selection Committee advises the State Arts Council on the overall operation of the program. Members represent a broad range of artistic disciplines.
Members of the Art Selection Committee might include professional artists, craftspeople, art educators, gallery directors, architects, an expert in New Hampshire antiquities, representatives from the State Arts Council, a lay person and a representative from the Bureau of Highways and Public Works. Members of the Site Advisory Committee include representatives from the various agencies housed in the building under consideration, the project architect, a State legislator from the district where the building is located, and users of the building.
The Art Selection Committee and a Site Advisory Committee (convened for each site) work together to develop an artwork plan for each building. These committees determine which sites in the building are most appropriate for artwork, decide on the method for selecting artists, review artists' proposals and qualifications, select art and craft work, and meet budget limitations. Depending upon the type of space, and type of art and/or craft work sought, either a limited competition or an open competition process is used. The State Arts Council announces each project through press releases, in the State Arts Council's quarterly newsletter NH Arts, on the State Arts Council's website, and e-news bulletins.
Deadlines
Deadlines and timetables for each project are determined by the Art Selection and Site Advisory Committees and the State Arts Council.
Contracts
Purchase contracts are prepared by the State Arts Council's Percent for Art New Projects Manager and are subject to approval the State Arts Councilors and by Governor and Council. Contract periods vary with each construction project. Percent for Art funds are non-lapsing. Since construction projects may span several years, contracts are frequently extended through several years.
Payment
Upon receipt of properly executed contracts, the State of New Hampshire pays contracts under $2,500 to individuals within 30 days; for contracts over those amounts, payment may take up to ten weeks.
Funding Criteria
The following review criteria are often used by Percent for Art committees when selecting artists, design proposals, or works of art:
- Excellence of the artist's past work.
- Appropriateness of the artist's work for the project.
- Excellence and innovation of proposed designs.
- Record of professional activity and achievement.
- Evidence of the artist's ability to successfully complete the project on time and within the project budget.
- Evidence of the artist's ability to produce a durable work that would be easily maintained.
- Conservation requirements and maintenance plans for proposed works.
- Evidence of the artist's ability to work with a complex committee structure and construction schedule.
- Completeness of the artist's budget, including adequate artist fees.
- Willingness of the artist to work with the Council to develop a plan to inform the public about the piece as it is developed.
- Contracted artist's requirements.
Required Support Materials
Artists and craftspersons must submit slides or digital images on compact disc of their work to supplement their proposals. Images should demonstrate their professional capabilities in past projects or show relevance to their proposed plans.
Application Review Process
Administration: Percent for Art is administered by the New Hampshire State Council on the Arts. Upon approval of the Site Advisory and Art Selection Committees' recommendations by State Arts Councilors, artist's contracts are forwarded to the Governor and Executive Council for final approval.
Last updated:
October 30, 2007
|
 |
