EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST

Project Brief – Clare Main Street Renewal – Blossom the Possum

Background

Clare is the regional centre for the Mid North and sits at the heart of the Clare Valley Tourism Region. The town has undergone a significant number of recent business closures and has had a tired appearance in need of renewal. Although there are some interesting pieces of historical art along the Main Street, the Main Street does not reflect the beauty of the town and region as a whole.

Recently, the Clare & Gilbert Valleys Council has undergone the development of a 2 stage concept plan for the renewal of Clare’s Main Street (see Attachments).

Council continues to undergo a staged approach to the renewal of the Main Street’s existing footpaths which has resulted in a considerable improvement to the people’s experience of the Main Street. In addition, Council also recently received $200,000 from the Federal Government’s Drought Communities Program to fund key elements of the Clare Main Street Streetscape Plan – Stage 1. These included new seating, tree grates, bike parks, drinking fountain, landscaping and parents room.

Blossom the Possum

Blossom the Possum is the unofficial mascot for the town of Clare. Blossom was created as part of the Masters Games held at Clare in 2015 and is utilized by the Clare Main Street Traders throughout the year particularly for promotions.

According to local lore, Clare used to be a trading destination of possum furs pre-European settlement however this claim has not been confirmed. Knowledge of Ngadjuri customs is limited from this time.

Following a similar idea to the Rundle Mall pigs in Adelaide, Council is seeking to immortalize Blossom the Possum on the Clare Main Street and create an interactive icon which is both attractive for families, children and tourists alike.

It is considered a smaller possum, Blossom’s child, could be part of the design to create two interactive sculptures.

Project aims and objectives

The Clare & Gilbert Valleys Council seeks to commission a creative, or team of creatives, to create an interactive sculpture at 234 Main North Road, Clare.

The project could be of a material of the artist/s choosing however it must be a resilient material that can be easily interacted with by the public, e.g. bronze, concrete, etc.

Some key objectives are sought for the sculpture, these include:

• Respects its place at the centre of the Clare Main Street. • Is a high quality piece of art. • Is consistent with the current concept plan. • Creates a strong feeling of identity, public pride and ownership of the sculpture. • Entices people, particularly tourists, to stop and interact with it. • Is fun and highly enjoyable. • Is integrated with a new seat (designs to be provided).

Site information

The sculpture is to be located in front of a coffee store at the corner of Gleeson Street and Main North Road (see images). The building is located across the road of the key

community facilities of Ennis Park and the Clare Town Hall. The site is highly visible and is located essentially at the centre of Clare.

The site is also located adjacent to some significant art pieces in Clare:

• Messieurs Otto Knappstein and E.W. Castine Mural - 2 gentleman pouring wine and a map of the Clare Valley created by local artist Vivian Ziersch.

• A new large scale mural (approx. 40m in length) which is to be painted by artist Jack Fran as part of the other elements of the Clare Main Street renewal. To be completed by March.

The possums should respond to its central location.

The sculpture was originally proposed to be in front of the Middle Pub according to the original concept plan however the site has since been moved to this location.

Site image of protuberance looking north up the Clare Main Street.

Close up of the site.

Ennis Park

Clare Town Hall

Sculpture Site

Key Requirements

The artist/s can liaise with Council in regards to equipment to assist the creation of the artwork.

All relevant public liability insurances will be required for the project.

Installation

You will be required to install the art work under the supervision of the Clare & Gilbert Valleys Council and its architects.

Integration with seating

The concept design has the project integrated with a seat. This will enable people to sit and interact with the sculpture. This will need to be considered as part of the design process.

The seat will be provided separate to the sculpture.

Full architectural drawings will be provided to the successful applicant.

Target audience

The sculpture should be engaging for all age groups. The precinct is a busy retail and entertainment area, catering for a wide range of ages, from long-term elderly residents to young families. An engaging, fun and interactive piece of art work particularly for tourists and families is desired.

Budget

The total budget for this project is $30 000 (exclusive of GST). This is an all-inclusive budget including delivery and installation.

Expressions of interest must outline a breakdown of costs associated with this project (excluding GST). This should include all costs associated with the design, development, production and installation of the work.

Acknowledgment of the creative(s), commissioner, any project partners and the project will be considered separately in association with all key stakeholders and at the cost of the Council.

The commission fee will be paid on invoice at the completion of the commission.

Clare Main Street Art Advisory Group

The Clare Main Street Art Advisory Group (AAG) has been established as a reference group to Council on the expression of interest process and recommending the preferred artist.

The AAG will consist of the CEO, Director of Development and Community and a number of local artists and designers.

Roles and Responsibilities of Parties in the project

The AAG will assess the expressions of interest and provide a recommendation to Council on the preferred artist and design.

Council will engage the successful applicant, through a contract to create and deliver the final designs subject to approval. The contract will clearly outline the responsibilities of all parties during the design and installation stages. Any sub-contracting to other artists will be the responsibility of the applicant or lead creative.

The Director of Development and Community will be the primary contact for the commissioning of the designs for the Project. The Director will also be the main contact for the approval of all designs.

Council will manage all stakeholder information, communication and media enquiries.

Commissioning process and timelines

Expressions of Interest - Open 13 January 2020 - Submitted 31 January 2020 - Assessed mid-February 2020 - Preferred artist informed late February 2019

Commission Contract/Commissioning Agreement developed and signed by March 2020.

Draft Designs Assessed by AAG by March 2020 Approval April 2020 Installation Post April 2020

Expressions of Interest

Expressions of Interest shall be forwarded to achristiansen@cgvc.sa.gov.au by 3pm Friday 31 January 2020. This should include a written response, budget and relevant curriculum vitae for the artist/s.

Expressions of interest should include a written response (maximum 2 pages) to the brief including:

- Broad concept proposal which indicates potential content, style and context.

- Budget breakdown – design and delivery.

The expressions of interest should also contain examples of the applicant’s:

- ability to work within timelines and on budget - previous relevant experience in relevant art/ design work and/ or the public

realm - ability to develop concepts and communicate ideas - demonstrated ability to create high quality work that engages with a broad public - availability to work within the project timeline - demonstrated ability to work on permanent and durable work - any experience with materials of relevance to the required project outcome - maximum of 10 images of relevant work acknowledging materials, dimension,

location, commissioner and collaborative partners (where appropriate) - Public Liability status, and - any relevant training qualifications.

It is strongly advised that all applicants visit Clare to determine the scope for their design and implementation. The Director would be more than willing to show you the location and the provide background to the project.

Please note that follow up information may be requested for clarification as part of the selection process.

It is acknowledged that all initial concepts remain the property of the artist/s and confidentiality will be applied to all applicants.

Expressions of Interest Assessment Criteria

Expressions of interest will be assessed using the following criteria:

- the artistic merit and quality of the proposed concepts; - the way in which the project meets the various requirements of the briefing

paper, including its appropriateness in terms of scale and material; - the proposed budget and timeline; - aesthetic and practical response to the sites and the brief; - demonstrated ability to work within timelines and on budget; - previous relevant experience in relevant design work and in the public realm; and - public safety and risk management issues.

Creatives must be able to undertake the final design development and installation once the relevant approvals are secured within the agreed timeframe.

Indigenous Artists

The Clare & Gilbert Valleys Council acknowledges that Clare is located on the traditional lands of the Ngadjuri people and would encourage indigenous artists to apply.

Contact

Andrew Christiansen Director – Development and Community Clare & Gilbert Valleys Council 4 Gleeson Street, Clare SA 8842 6400 achristiansen@cgvc.sa.gov.au

Attachments

Due to size limitations, the Streetscape Plan Stage 1, Streetscape Plan Stage 2 and the Clare Valley Brand Guidelines can be provided to interested persons on request.