Current Calls to Artists

July 12, 2019

RE:     Request for Unsealed Proposals No. 071219  for the ARCHES Project under the Memorial Ave. Bridge

ARCHES

Stronger neighborhoods through arts and culture  

The City of Roanoke is seeking artists to design and fabricate public art under the Memorial Ave Bridge in the City of Roanoke. There is no guarantee of any minimum amount of services that may be requested by the City, and no services may be requested, all in the sole discretion of the City.

Specifically, the City of Roanoke is seeking to hire Artists or Artist Teams to create a specific design or a general concept for the project. Artists must be flexible about the final outcome of the project and willing to cooperate with the input of community members on the execution of the project. 

The City will review each proposal and may elect to issue separate awards to multiple Offerors for such goods/services.

 Background Information:

The Roanoke Arts Commission’s “Arches Project” seeks to engage four Roanoke neighborhoods (Norwich, Raleigh Court, Wasena, Mountain View) through a professionally guided public art project on the greenway under the Memorial Avenue Bridge. We also hope to engage the residents of the Roanoke Terrace Apartments. Total Action for Progress, a local community action agency and our facilitative partner in this vision has agreed to assist in this process since Memorial Bridge marks their closest access point to the greenway.

Three public forums have been held with residents and artists and all the information from those sessions can be located at artinroanoke.org. The top three goals established by the forum participants are listed below:

  • Bring Diversity to Traffic on the Greenway (Cultural, Economic, International recent immigrants, Racial, from different neighborhoods, accessable to all abilities.)
  • Engage Participants in the process of art (creation, appreciation, interaction with art, kinetic? can viewers add to it?)
  • Create a Gathering space (group activities, personal reflection, taking selfies for social media, dogs, bikes)

For more information and a sample contract, please click here

For all goals and community meeting notes, please click here

For more information, please contact Susan Jennings at 540-853-5652 or susan.jennings@roanokeva.gov.