About the Project:
The CID Small Business Relief Team (SBRT) is a joint effort between three community-based organizations in the Chinatown International District: the Chinatown International District Business Improvement Area (CIDBIA), Friends of Little Sài Gòn (FLS), and the Seattle Chinatown International District Preservation and Development Authority (SCIDpda), to assist CID small businesses in COVID-19 mitigation and recovery.
Our three organizations focus year-round on neighborhood economic development and small business assistance in the CID, which can range from retail recruitment, assistance with grants and other financial resources, storefront and public realm improvements, and more.
For this project, the SBRT is seeking artists to complete three murals in the Chinatown International District. The mural locations were chosen based on community interest and support, high visibility, and proximity to community gathering spaces (parks). Our goal for this project is to create large-scale public art in the Chinatown International District that is impactful and reflective of the neighborhood’s culture, history, and diverse community.
This project is funded by a Hope Corps grant from the Seattle Office of Arts & Culture (ARTS). Hope Corps Downtown Seattle Murals Project, in collaboration with the Office of Economic Development (OED), is a one-time investment as part of ARTS’ Hope Corps program, to create public murals in alignment with Mayor Harrell’s Downtown Activation Plan and Many Hands Art Initiative. To learn more and apply for similar opportunities, you can find more information here.
Locations: There are three (3) locations that we are seeking to fill with murals.
- Saeteun’s Garage building: 710 S. Jackson St. (West & East Wall)
- Little Saigon Park: 1224 S King St.
- Asia Condominiums: 668 S Lane St, Seattle (North Wall)
Location Photos: Existing Conditions
1. Seateun’s Garage: 710 S. Jackson St. (West & East Wall)
West Wall:
East Wall:
2. Little Saigon Park: 1224 S King St (82.5ft x 30ft)
3. Asia Condominiums: 668 S Lane St, Seattle (North Wall), (66ft x 50ft)
Project Budget:
Each location’s budget is inclusive of artist(s) fee(s), travel costs, mural supplies and materials, and rental equipment.
As part of the RFQ submission, artists will be asked to submit a project budget to the CID Small Business Relief Team for approval before the start of the project.
| Mural Location | Approx. Square Footage | Budget (Not to exceed) |
| Seateun’s Garage | 1333 | $23,400 |
| Little Saigon Park | 2460 | $35,400 |
| Asia Condominiums | 3300 | $44,300 |
Payment Schedule:
Payments will be made directly to the artist using the following schedule:
25% will be paid upon contract signing by all parties
25% will be paid upon ISRD approval of final mural concept
50% will be paid upon completion of mural
Timeline
The timeline for each of the three (3) murals differ based on property owner approval, community engagement schedule, approval from the International Special Review District, and installation requirements. Please read through the timeline for each location carefully and consider how this will work with your own schedule.
RFQ Release Date: October 20, 2023
RFQ Submission Deadline: November 20, 2023 at 5:00pm PST
Artists Selected and Assigned Mural Location: December 18, 2023
Artists Contracted: Early January 2024
Mural Development, community engagement, approvals, installation coordination: 2024 This schedule will vary depending on mural location. Please see below for individual schedules (subject to change):
Saeteun’s Garage:
- November 2023: Review submissions and select mural artist.
- November 2023 – December 2023: Preliminary mural design created. .
- December 2023 – January 2024: Community outreach & feedback.
- January – February 2024: Mural design finalized and ISRD application preparation
- February – March 2024: ISRD application submission & review.
- March-June 2024: Complete mural installation, contingent on weather and holidays.
- June 2024 – December 2026: mural maintenance
Little Saigon Park:
- December 2023: Review submissions and select mural artist.
- February 2024: Preliminary mural design and presentation to ISRD.
- February-March 2024: Community outreach and solicitation of feedback.
- April-May 2024: ISRD final approval; begin mural installation.
- August 2024: Complete mural installation, contingent on weather and holidays.
- September 2024 – December 2026: Mural maintenance.
Asia Condominiums:
- January 2024: Artist selected and contracted
- February 2024: Preliminary mural design(s) created
- March 2024: Community outreach and solicitation of feedback
- May 2024: Mural design finalized and ISRD application preparation
- July 2024: ISRD presentation and final approval
- September 2024: Complete mural installation, , contingent on weather and holidays
- September 2024 – December 2026: mural maintenance
RFQ Submission Requirements / Materials:
Please send a proposal to JulieY@scidpda.org addressing the following:
- Current CV/resume. Artists must submit one resume/CV per applicant. If applying as a team, please only submit one resume/CV for the whole team.
- Cover Letter or Letter of Interest and Approach limited to 1-5 pages single sided. Applicants should briefly describe the following:
- Reason for interest in the project.
- Narrative description of your creative vision for the project (you are not expected to propose any artwork).
- Indicate which mural location(s) you are interested in and provide a proposed Budget for those locations. Please describe how you would spend funds. This could include artist compensation, materials, equipment rental, and any licenses/permits. The budget will be used to assess the extent to which artists are able to manage the project’s funds.
- Include experience with equipment such as lifts, suspended scaffolding, and ladders during installation. Indicate your comfort level working with the equipment and knowledge of permitting requirements in the state of Washington.
- Describe any constraints that you may anticipate and how you would address them; You are encouraged to visit the mural locations.
- Provide images of three (3) different artworks with 1-3 distinctive views of each piece. Limit ten (10) images max. Do not collage multiple images into one image.
- Image identification list: An image identification list should be provided corresponding to the submitted images. Information should include image number, artist’s name, title, year, media, dimensions, and location.
- Three (3) professional references. Please include name, title, affiliation, phone number and email address.
- Submission Format: Responses shall be submitted as a single PDF file.
- Submit proposal via email to JulieY@scidpda.org.
- *Optional – Additional Materials: Artists may include up to five (5) selections of support materials (links) such as reviews, news articles, and other related information.
- Deadline: November 20, 2023 by 5:00 PM PST.
Eligibility:
Artists who are over the age of 18 and located within the United States are eligible to submit
their interest and qualifications. BIPOC artists with personal ties to the Chinatown International District and/or Seattle are preferred. Strong preference will be given to artists who have experience working with machinery (lifts, etc) and ladders and navigating the City of Seattle permitting process. Artists who have a strong professional profile, experience in producing public murals and/or have successfully worked on collaborative projects of this scale are encouraged to apply. Artist teams may also apply. Artists must be able to adhere to the project timeline.
RFQ Selection Criteria:
Submissions will be scored on the following, with a maximum score of 100 points:
- Artistic Excellence (35 points): The artist’s work reflects artistic excellence, innovation, and originality as evidenced by quality of craftsmanship and mastery of skills and techniques; demonstrates professional approaches to processes and presentations; and/or communicates a unique vision or perspective.
- Professional Experience (30 points): The artist’s professional experience is adequate to meet the demands of the project, including a proven ability to meet project budgets, deadlines, and to perform work in a timely and professional manner. Public art experience is required.
- Experience working on a project of similar scale (20 points): Previous work that can specifically demonstrate the successful completion of projects that include partnering with stakeholders for the purpose of creating public art of this size and scale.
- Values and Theme (15 points): How aligned is the artist’s proposal and personal outlook reflected in the community values and ability to incorporate the themes and ideas presented.
*Budget plans will not be part of scoring, and will not affect an artist’s RFQ score. Lower budgets will not be scored higher.
Submission Deadlines:
All materials must be received by 5:00 PM PST on November 20, 2023. Incomplete or late
submissions will not be considered.
