FORT MYERS, Fla. — The City of Fort Myers Public Art Committee has issued a Call to Artists for a public artwork to be installed in the new Forum Park. The park is being constructed in The Forum east of I-75 between Colonial Boulevard and SR 82.
Features and amenities include two multi-use fields, a dog park, playgrounds, an outdoor fitness court, picnic areas, open spaces, and pickleball courts. The public art piece is slated for a 50-ft. diameter circle at the north end of the park located near the intersection of Champion Ring Road and Warrior Way.
The budget for the project is $50,000, provided by the developers of The Forum. Located in Ward 6, The Forum is a 706-acre master-planned, mixed-use development that contains retail, residential, and office sites. The funds cover all costs associated with the project, including but not limited to materials, fabrication, installation, permitting, documentation, and transportation.
The deadline for submissions is Jan. 14. The full RFQ can be viewed and submissions are to be made electronically at no charge on the CAFÉ website, http://www.callforentry.org.
The Public Art Committee will select up to three finalists. Each finalist will be paid a $500 design fee to produce a maquette or formal electronic proposal for presentation to the Committee in an open session, together with a prefabrication review that identifies the materials the artist intends to use, expected longevity, fabrication techniques, installation methods, and long-term preventative maintenance strategies.
Stakeholders who live and work in The Forum and surrounding communities are invited to attend the presentations and voice their preferences. The Committee will select the winning design based upon the merits of the proposal, suitability of materials and artist’s credentials.
The Public Art Committee oversees the commissioning, review, installation, and maintenance of public art within the City. The City of Fort Myers has been quietly building a public art collection for decades. Its earliest public artwork, the Tootie McGregor Fountain, dates back to 1913, and the collection now includes 68 outdoor sculptures and installations as well as a number of interior works that are on display at City Hall and in other city-owned buildings that are open to the public.
For more information, please contact Thomas Hall, City of Fort Myers Public Art Consultant, at 239-691-2292 or tom@artswfl.com.
