Art in Public Places (AIPP), a program of the City of Austin’s Cultural Arts Division of the Economic Development Department, is pleased to announce two open Calls to Artists, seeking  to commission professional artists, or artist teams, to design and fabricate artwork for large-scale projects at the Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (ABIA). The opportunities are open to professional visual artists, or artist teams, who live in the United States. The application deadline for both projects is September 30, 2014.

The Terminal/Apron Expansion and Improvements Project aims to provide much needed space for the expanding passenger and aircraft operations at ABIA. The project will provide approximately 70,000 square feet of new hold room space, concessions, restroom facilities, and concourse circulation space. It also provides the added concourse footprint that will be able to accommodate seven to eight additional gates. The public art opportunity associated with this project will be for an interior location and must comply with various security and operational requirements inherent with airport facilities. In addition, the selected artist will work with the project team to identify up to five additional artwork opportunities within the airport, to be awarded through a separate selection process. The budget for the Terminal/Apron Expansion and Improvements AIPP Project is $1,000,000.

The Airport Entrance AIPP Project seeks to create public artwork which will enhance the ABIA campus, creating a unique entrance experience on a monumental scale for residents and travelers. Built in 1999, the airport entrance drive was specifically designed to reflect Austin’s landscape, with extensive native plantings and use of indigenous materials. The intent of this public art opportunity is to harmoniously integrate into the site and reflect Austin’s nature and character. The budget for the Airport Entrance AIPP Project is $2,000,000.

Applications must be submitted by 5 p.m. (CDT) on Tuesday, September 30, 2014, through www.PublicArtist.org, the online application system used by Art in Public Places. Artists or artist teams living in the United States are eligible to apply.

An Artist Information Meeting will be held at City Hall (301 W. 2nd Street; Austin, TX 78701) in the Boards and Commissions Room, on Friday, August 29, 2014 from 2:00 – 3:00 pm (CDT). AIPP staff, Aviation staff, and members of the design team will be presenting information on the project and answering questions from interested artists. It will be presented as an interactive webcast to encourage broad and remote participation; a link to join the webcast will be available at tinyurl.com/AustinAIPP on the day of the event. Following the webcast a recording of the meeting will be posted on the City website.

To read the complete Request for Qualifications for both projects, visit tinyurl.com/AustinAIPP.

City of Austin Cultural Arts Division
The Cultural Arts Division of the Economic Development Department provides leadership and management for the City’s cultural arts programs and for the development of arts and cultural industries. The Cultural Arts Division is responsible for the Cultural Arts Funding Programs, Art in Public Places Program, community-based arts development, and programs to assist the development of film and creative industries in Austin.

The Art in Public Places Program (AIPP) acquires and maintains works of art for City facilities and parks through commissions, donations, and loans for the cultural enrichment of Austin’s community.  AIPP, founded in 1985, allocates 2% of eligible capital improvement project funding to the acquisition of site-specific public artwork. For more information, visit www.austincreates.com.