Artists invited to create welcome gateway to downtown Tacoma

The City of Tacoma invites artists and/or artist teams living in the United States to respond to a Request for Qualifications for a $185,000 Sound Transit Public Art Program (STart) commission by midnight, Pacific Standard Time, on Mon., Dec. 17, 2012. The selected artist or artist team will create gateway artwork for the south entry to downtown Tacoma at Pacific Avenue and South 26th Street. STart is collaborating with the City’s Arts Program staff in managing this project.

“This gateway artwork that Sound Transit is commissioning is part of a larger capital project that has reshaped the south end of downtown Tacoma,” said Tacoma Arts Administrator Amy McBride. “When Sound Transit extended its Seattle-Tacoma Sounder commuter rail line from the Dome District to South Tacoma and Lakewood, a new entry to the southern edge of our museum-rich downtown area was created.”

This new entry is framed by the Pacific Bridge overpass and a landscaped berm that elevates the rail line. Artwork welcoming people to downtown Tacoma is anticipated to be on either side of the berm areas flanking Pacific Avenue. If the selected artist or artist team proposes additional sites for consideration, they would work with Sound Transit to determine where the artwork would best be situated.

For a complete prospectus, visit tacomaculture.org/arts/opportunities.asp or soundtransit.org/start.

The City of Tacoma and Sound Transit are looking for an artist or artist team to create gateway artwork for the south entry to downtown Tacoma at Pacific Avenue and South 26th Street. (PHOTO COURTESY SOUND TRANSIT)