The application process has closed but below outlines the application process.
Site Location and Background:
Gene Lynch Urban Park is a 0.25-acre new park located at 8410 Colesville Road in the heart of downtown Silver Spring, Maryland. The park is located at the intersection of Colesville Road and Wayne Avenue, immediately adjacent to the former Discovery Channel Headquarters building and across the street from the Paul S. Sarbanes Transit Center and Silver Spring Metro Station. The Silver Spring Metro Station is the second busiest station in the Metro system with over 60,000 people boarding per day. A separated, two-way bike lane was recently constructed on Wayne Avenue adjacent to the park, making this park highly visible and accessible to many pedestrians, cyclists, and motorists. This new triangular-shaped park is currently under construction and is expected to be completed in early Spring 2023.
Park Design and Features:
The park is named for the late Planning Board Commissioner, Gene Lynch. A triangular-shaped granite planter will be located at the visually prominent intersection of Colesville Road and Wayne Avenue. The planter will be inscribed with the name of the park and will include a brief narrative about Commissioner Lynch along with several meaningful quotes. The names of the communities who together helped shape today’s downtown Silver Spring are also highlighted within the park. The park includes an open lawn panel for activities and events, terraced cast stone seat walls, a concrete and steel pergola structure with bench swings, other site furnishings, extensive landscape planting, irrigation and lighting. An approximate 10-foot by 13-foot blank concrete wall is located at the center of the pergola as the focal point in the park and is the intended location of the public art project. The pergola includes 10 concrete support columns. The columns, and the areas between the columns which will receive laser cut, stainless steel panels with a fish scale pattern, could also be considered as part of the artwork.
Special Considerations:
The park is currently under construction. To view progress photos of the pergola and wall, please click this link to review the photos in our Flickr album. The finish of the wall and columns is a sand blasted, dark grey tinted, cast-in-place concrete. The artist’s installation work shall include any surface preparation or priming required for the concrete surface, the artwork, and any recommended finish coats or sealants. Water and electricity will be available if needed. Special care must be taken to protect the adjacent recently finished features and surfaces.
Project Goals:
- The artwork should improve the overall visitor experience by creating a memorable and strong sense of place.
- The artwork may express the community’s culture and identity and may reference elements from the surrounding geographic area, natural systems, or site history.
- The artwork may draw from current historical movements and or events.
- The artwork may use any media appropriate for installation on outdoor walls, columns, and/or the spaces between the columns. It should be integral to the pergola structure and could take the form of a mural, mosaic, 3-D mounted sculpture, etc., and may include a combination of different media.
- The artwork shall be permanent, durable, and easy to repair and maintain.
Selection Process:
There will be a two-step selection process. Applicants should submit their professional qualifications and examples of a broad range of their exterior public work, as outlined in the application requirements. Incomplete applications will not be considered. An artist selection panel will review initially submitted materials to develop a short-list of finalists based on qualifications and artistic excellence as demonstrated by past work, other professional accomplishments, and the likelihood of successfully completing the project within the expected timeframe.
Up to five artists or artist teams will be selected to advance to a public vote. Each finalist will be invited to visit the site, prepare a site-specific concept proposal, and present their concept proposal to the selection panel. Each finalist will receive an honorarium of $500 to include costs associated with preparing the concept; no expenses or travel costs will be reimbursed. Concept proposals should include a color design concept proposal to scale, proposed materials for surface preparation, installation and sealing, means and methods for installation, a site protection plan to ensure the adjacent areas and features will not be damaged, an itemized budget, availability and schedule, and maintenance requirements.
Finalists will present their concept proposals to the selection panel, which may request adjustments to the proposals to meet project goals and requirements prior to presenting them to the public. If adjustments cannot be made to meet the stated goals or the panel’s suggestions, the panel has the right to disqualify a finalist before presenting the design to the public. The public will select the winning artist from the group of finalists through an online voting process.
The concept proposal contract will be awarded to the selected artist, and the process will be administered by the Commission. The project contract, for final design and installation of the artwork, will also be awarded and administered by the Commission.
The Commission shall have the unconditional right to retain the design proposal materials from the finalists as part of the proposal commission. If the proposal is disseminated by print or digital means, full credit will be given to the artist or artist team.
Final Design Process (for selected artist)
- Work collaboratively with Commission staff to refine the design.
- Create a final design for approval by the Commission.
- Purchase or rent materials, supplies and equipment necessary for the creation of the artwork.
- Execute artwork in a manner consistent with the approved design and provide an anti-graffiti / UV-resistant coating as recommended.
- Protect against damage to nearby surfaces and features, and restore work site to pre-installation conditions.
- Develop a maintenance guide, provide inventory of materials used and documentation of work.
- Work cooperatively with the Commission throughout the process in a manner that facilitates the design, coordination and installation of the artwork for the project, and consistently meet the schedule.
Budget:
The budget for the project is up to $100,000 for the design and implementation of the artwork. This budget includes all artist fees, labor, materials, equipment, fabrication, installation, transportation and travel costs.
Artists will be required to carry liability insurance, as well as Workers Compensation insurance if applicable.
Anticipated Project Schedule:
Call for Artist Posted – January 2023
Applications Due – March 10, 2023
Panel Meets to review applications and select finalists – May 17, 2023
Shortlisted artists contacted, sign design agreement and are provided stipends – week of June 4, 2023
Artists visit site – week of June 18, 2023
Artists present design concepts to panel – week of July 16, 2023
Artists resubmit revised concepts (if required) – week of July 23, 2023
Public notification of online public voting period to MontgomeryParks.org – September 3, 2023
Online voting period – September 10, 2023 through October 7, 2023
Commission confirms artist selection – week of October 8, 2023
Commission awards artist contract – October 2023
Project completion – Spring/Summer 2024
This schedule was updated on March 24, 2023
How to Apply:
Applications should include all the following materials:
- Resume and Statement of Interest. Tell us your professional accomplishments as an artist and why you are qualified and interested in this project.
- Up to 25 digital images representative of your work that is relevant for this project. Images must be at least 300 dpi and are preferred in JPEG or PDF formats. Images should be numbered and correspond to an image list, or alternatively include the information below with the image.
- Annotated list of the images, indicating number, artist’s name, title of work, date, media, site location and budget.
- Include at least three references of people who have detailed knowledge of the artist’s work. Each reference listed must include contact name, organization/affiliation, address, telephone number and e-mail.
Submit all clearly labeled materials via this link – art@montgomeryparks.org
IMPORTANT: Please clearly label all files with the artist’s full name for all application materials.
- Example 1 – Jerome Smith Resume and Letter of Interest.pdf
- Example 2 – Jane Martinez Work Samples.pdf
- If possible, please consolidate files into one PDF
- PDF, JPEG, MP4, and PNG files are preferred
One Commission, One Philosophy: Thriving in a Culture of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion:
M-NCPPC, a leader in land use planning, parks, and recreation, celebrates the diversity of our workforce and the communities we serve. Diversity combined with a commitment to equity and inclusion communicates our organizational values, enriches the lives of our employees, and bolsters innovative thinking essential to success.
M-NCPPC recognizes diversity as a dynamic mix of personal and cultural characteristics, perspectives, and relationships as a vital organizational resource. In the workplace, diversity includes all differences that define each of us as unique individuals. These differences include culture, ethnicity, race, sex, gender identity, nationality, age, religion, abilities, sexual orientation, experiences, opinions and beliefs, and any protected groups.
M-NCPPC believes equity is an active commitment to unbiased treatment while providing access and opportunity for people of all backgrounds to participate and thrive in the workplace. M-NCPPC strives to enhance inclusion with a true sense of belonging that encourages the participation of all individuals by removing barriers, building a culture of connectedness, and recognizing that every voice adds value to our organization.
Have a question about this project?
How to Apply
Applications should include all the following materials:
- Resume and Statement of Interest. Tell us your professional accomplishments as an artist and why you are qualified and interested in this project.
- Up to 25 digital images representative of your work that is relevant for this project. Images must be at least 300 dpi and are preferred in JPEG or PDF formats. Images should be numbered and correspond to an image list, or alternatively include the information below with the image.
- Annotated list of the images, indicating number, artist’s name, title of work, date, media, site location and budget.
- Include at least three references of people who have detailed knowledge of the artist’s work. Each reference listed must include contact name, organization/affiliation, address, telephone number and e-mail.
Submit all clearly labeled materials via this link – art@montgomeryparks.org
View and download photos of the park
The above information was last updated: March 24, 2023