FREE ENTRY / Quincy Square - Sculpture Call

The City of Bremerton seeks a professional artist or artistic team for a public outdoor sculpture that celebrates the great Quincy Jones.  It should engage people of all ages and abilities through interaction.  This artwork will be a landmark in the City of Bremerton.

PROJECT SCOPE:

We are seeking the creation of a site-specific outdoor sculpture to be located near the corner of 4th Street and Pacific Avenue.   The space allocated for the sculpture is described in the site constraints and context document and includes details regarding height restrictions, pad size, and strength. Artist is encouraged to review the plans for the Quincy Square project to understand the setting for the proposed sculpture.

The final description of the services and/or items to be provided to the City is subject to negotiations with selected artist(s), with final approval to be determined by the City of Bremerton.

BUDGET:

The total budget for the sculpture project is $175,000 inclusive of all work including, but not limited to: artists’ fees, final design, insurance costs, studio and project administration, travel, fabrication, all materials, installation, equipment, and required documentation.

THE SELECTION COMMITTEE’S GOALS FOR THE SCULPTURE

• The artwork should generate sound and may include other forms of interactive engagement such as color and/or movement
• Art that honors and reflects the diversity of legendary Quincy Jones’ history: present, past, and future.

QUINCY SQUARE PROJECT DESCRIPTION

Quincy Square is a project to reconstruct 4th Street between Pacific Avenue and Washington Avenue managed by the City of Bremerton.  Construction of the street improvements will take place in the spring and summer of 2024 and will be dedicated in fall of 2024.  Located in the downtown core of Bremerton, the project is designed to provide the public with a flexible space that will function as a one-way street and then transform into a pedestrian only plaza for events focusing on the arts, entertainment, and community building.  Quincy Square is designed for everyone and every ability. There will be a small stage for buskers and music ensembles.  The new paving will be laid out in a block-long, black and white pattern to mimic a piano keyboard. There will be street furniture, festival lighting, interactive musical equipment, interpretive signage, and art, all making Quincy Square a distinct landmark.  The whole project has been named in honor of Quincy Jones and received Mr. Jones’ blessing to use his name for the project in 2017.  The proposed sculpture will be a key opportunity for Quincy Square to honor Quincy Jones and connect his time in Bremerton with the broader history of African Americans in Kitsap County.

ABOUT QUINCY JONES

As written by Roosevelt Smith for the Kitsap Sun

One of the more significant naming projects in recent Bremerton history is the designation of "Quincy Square" at downtown's Fourth Street. The vision forged by residents and city leaders now calls for a renovated block between Washington and Pacific Avenues, with millions in funding already committed to a vibrant urban gathering place with elements that focus on the arts. It will be built to honor Quincy Jones, and do so with the legendary artist's blessing, after he spent his formative years in the city and went on to greatness in the music industry.

Jones, also known simply as "Q", was born in 1933 on the south side of Chicago, which at that time was known as the biggest ghetto in the world. There, in his youth, he witnessed the killing of teachers and police shooting black teenagers in the back. Every street was a territory which was ran by a gang. Everybody, including Q, carried a switchblade knife for protection. Q felt that if he had stayed in Chicago, he would have been killed due to the violence around him. Luckily, he spent his summers in Louisville, Kentucky, with his grandmother, a former slave, and listened intently to her stories covering her life experiences.

Q's father migrated to Bremerton during World War ll, as did hundreds of other African American families, to work at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard for the war effort. Q's family was housed in Sinclair Heights, which was segregated, and he attended Coontz Junior High, which was integrated. Bremerton was the opposite end of the spectrum from his experience in Chicago. He described Bremerton as "a nice little town" where he eventually realized that he did not have to carry the switchblade. Q stated that Coontz was a model of racial integration, although various corners of Bremerton had the germs of racial segregation for African Americans.

Over the years Q has told a story of how he would sit in his room and stare out into the Bremerton skies at night, thinking about his dream of becoming a musician.

He also shared the story of the night he and a few buddies broke into the armory in Sinclair Heights. While inside, and as his buddies were taking items, he began to tinker with a piano. It was at that moment the world of music greeted him, he would later say. He knew for sure that music was the key to funnel joy, pain, and happiness to the world.

Due to the small population of Blacks in Bremerton, Jones struggled to find his identity. He moved to Seattle and was impressed by the number of Black musicians he saw coming through the music circuit, bringing dignity and pride which reinforced his dream of becoming a musician.

Thus began his journey of enlightening the world to his musical talents. In Seattle, he attended Garfield High and later Seattle University on a music scholarship. While there he played with Ray Charles, Lionel Hampton and other great musicians.

His career spans over 70 years in the entertainment industry. He impacted numerous genres of music from Blues to Jazz to Rock and Roll to Classical to Rap to Fusion to Funk. The array of "Masters of Music" for which he composed, arranged, wrote, and orchestrated include Ray Charles, Dinah Washington, Frank Sinatra, Billy Eckstine, Brothers Johnson, Lionel Hampton (who incidentally, had the first Rock and Roll Band in America), and to Michael Jackson; the list goes on and on.

He brought distinct American hybrid music that had come from the African American experience, which found itself at the bottom of their souls and came out as music translating pain to joy.

He enlisted an array of musicians representing different genres to record the hit "We Are the World," which raised more than $63 million dollars to raise money for African famine relief. He was a founding member along with Jesse Jackson of Operation PUSH and was instrumental in numerous other fundraising endeavors in the United States and around the world.

Q has been a record producer, conductor, arranger, record executive and songwriter, plus movie director. He has received numerous citations, honors, awards and nominations. He has earned 28 Grammy Awards making him the second-highest winner of all time and has also been awarded an Emmy. He has also graced the cover of Jet Magazine and many other publications.

His life continues to influence new artists worldwide, which isn't bad for a young man from the south side of Chicago and Bremerton, Washington. A man who went from eating rats with his grandmother to eating dinner with President and Mrs. Obama. As we celebrate Quincy Jones’ legacy, we must return to his definition of his music: "To bridge generations and traverse musical boundaries which transcended language, politics, cultural and racial differences."

Roosevelt Smith is a trustee on the board of the Kitsap County History Museum, a Bremerton Arts Commissioner, and writes a weekly column for the Kitsap Sun on Black History Month during the month of February.

Please see resource links for more information on Quincy Jones.

SELECTION PROCESS

The selection process is two stages.  The first phase includes qualifications and a narrative about the artist’s proposal/project.  The second phase will include finalists from the first phase who will provide more detailed submissions and will receive a stipend for their efforts.  City Staff and the Quincy Square Art Selection Committee will review applications for completeness, eligibility, and the ability to meet the committee’s goals and objectives.

SELECTION CRITERIA

Both selection stages will be evaluated based on:

• The artistic excellence, vibrancy, and originality of the art and artists’ work.
• Artists who have experience with sculpture design, installation experience, or access to a fabrication team.
• The feasibility of budget and installation narratives.
• The artist’s authentic perspective on and understanding of Quincy Jones and African American history in Bremerton.
• Ability to reflect the inclusive values and ideals of Quincy Jones and how he lives his life.
• Durability of proposed sculpture that will be located outdoors and on a bustling urban street (Phase 2 only)

FINAL SELECTION

Artist/s will be selected by the Selection Committee in early February, 2024.  The artist/s will be invited to exchange dialogue regarding the final concept, design intentions, and interactive elements with the Selection Committee.  Concurrently, the artist/s will work with City’s representative on the contracting process.  The Committee will make their recommendations to Bremerton's City Council who will have final approval of the artist/s selected and contract terms.

BUDGET ALLOCATION

Artists will be compensated in two installments.  The first payment, paid upon contract, will include a negotiated design fee and a negotiated portion of the project budget for materials, fabrication, and mobilization (not to exceed 30% of project budget).  The second installment will pay the balance of the fee upon final acceptance of the sculpture installation.

Application Requirements

PHASE 1 SUBMISSION MATERIALS

• Artist application
• Brief narrative describing your design concept, images of design concept are not required for phase 1 submissions (limit of two pages)
• Letter of interest to include why Quincy Jones and this project are important or inspirational to you (limit of two pages)
• Budget and timeline narrative, should demonstrate artist’s ability to deliver the project on time and within budget (limit one page)
• Samples of past work (up to 5 images)

PHASE 2 SUBMISSION MATERIALS

The finalists shall be paid $500 upon successful submission of the following materials:

• Images of the design concept (up to 3 images)
• References for samples of past works
• Concept narrative which shall include a description of proposed materials, a description of sculpture fabrication, and a description installation process
• A letter agreement for the purpose of compensation (to be provided to finalists)
• A W-1099 form to the City of Bremerton for the purpose of compensation

Selection Committee may provide additional guidance to finalists or may request additional material from finalists, at their discretion.  Submitting artist(s) should be available to present their submission virtually during an interview process if selected.  Submitting artists must be able to meet their proposed timeline.