HomeMy WebLinkAbout2022 RFQ Airport MuralIowa City Airport Mural Project
Request for Qualifications
Accepted through Monday, November 14, 2022
About the Project
The Iowa City Public Art Advisory Committee and the Iowa City Airport Commission are seeking
artists to design and create a mural on the east facing wall of an airport hangar located along
Riverside Drive. The exterior hangar wall is approximately 12’ tall and 300’ long.
Artists will be responsible for presenting a mural concept, responding to Commission and
stakeholder input, refining a final design, and painting the mural on the hanger wall. While the
final design will be done by the artist, the Airport Commission suggests the mural reference the
storied history of aviation in Iowa City.
The goal of the project is to create an eye-catching mural that will greet drivers, pilots,
passengers and pedestrians entering Iowa City from the south on S. Riverside Drive as well as
provide a visual cue about the history, activities and highlights of the Iowa City Airport.
About the Airport in Iowa City
In 1910, Captain Thomas Baldwin in the Red Devil made the first flight over and forever ignited
a passion for aviation in Iowa City. From the first days of flight which were featured as
entertainment or used for advertising with backing from the Chamber of Commerce of the day,
to its role in the development of airmail services and government sponsored cross continental
flight, to its crucial role in medical flights, flying in Iowa City and the Iowa City airport has a
storied history.
The Iowa City Airport’s humble beginnings along what was then known as the Red Ball Highway,
served the community from leased ground on a 35-acre piece of the Benjamin Dairy Farm until
its informal use was converted to an official, government-designated air mail landing field in
1920. Fitting with its agricultural roots, the first piece of airmail departing Iowa City was a tiny
ten-pound pig bound for Chicago. Soon after that, on a dark night in February 1921, the first
overnight transcontinental flight stopped for fuel at the Iowa City Airport. Transcontinental
flight was deemed a success and Congress appropriated funding to continue airmail service
with Iowa City as a stop along the route. When operators were faced with the expense of
another lease for the Benjamin Dairy Farm and a requirement to build a hangar to house the
postal planes, the community rallied with help from the Chamber and the government.
Days after the stock market crash in 1929, the City agreed to purchase the land, making it the
first municipally owned airport in the state. The ensuing years would bring investments from
Boeing in the form of hangars and administrative buildings. The airport also played a big role in
WWII as the site for training more than 2,500 cadets in the renown U.S. Navy Pre-flight School.
That endeavor established ties with the University of Iowa which remain strong today.
Boeing’s interest eventually gave way to United Airlines who continued to provide passenger
service well into the 1950s. When United left for Cedar Rapids, Ozark Airlines took over as the
primary commuter airline and remained until the 1960s. The iconic terminal building was
designed by architect Henry Fisk and built in the early 1950s reflecting the angular lines of the
International Style. These days the airport offers many services including medical flights, pilot
training, aircraft repair, sales and charter services. It is also home to the Operator Performance
Lab, a project of the College of Engineering at the University of Iowa.
The Iowa City Airport website and numerous publications including Iowa City Municipal Airport:
Opening the West to Aviation, 1918-2007 are great references for airport history.
About the hangar wall site
The Iowa City Airport is located at 1801 S Riverside Drive in Iowa City approximately ½ mile
south of the Riverside Drive/Hwy 1 intersection. Northeast of the terminal building and set back
from Riverside Drive by a few hundred feet, there are three blue airplane hangars. The mural
will go on the east wall facing Riverside Drive. Other points to consider:
• Site security: access to the site with permission of Airport Manager only
• The wall will need to be power washed as part of the project budget
• The wall is metal with vertical ‘ribs’ spaced every foot or so, requiring attention to how a 2D
image is affected by the vertical elements
• The artist will be allowed to use the airport’s scissor lift if needed
• Mural work and timing must be communicated between airport management and hangar
tenants to ensure pilot’s ability to come and go during the project.
• Hangar doors are not tightly sealed so planes must be covered when painting on their
hangar door
• There are 5 forty-foot bi-fold hangar doors on the wall, each with its own smaller entrance
door (see reference photos) and a 6th walkthrough door.
• Artist will be responsible for protecting interior contents of hangars throughout the
preparation and painting process (hangars doors are not airtight)
• Artist will be required to show proof of General Liability Insurance in the amount of
$1,000,000 naming the City of Iowa City as an additional insured.
Budget
The budget for the project is $38,400 which must include all costs of design and installation of
mural.
Payments will be issued in three installments:
• 1/3 within 14 days of entering into agreement
• 1/3 within 14 days of design approval
• 1/3 within 14 days of project completion
Review Process/Criteria
• RFQ responses will be reviewed by a selection committee determined by the Airport
Commission.
• The committee may select up to 3 artists who will be paid a stipend of $500 each to work up
a solid design concept.
• The committee will then interview the artists and consider their concepts to select the artist
and concept with which they will proceed.
• In the application, artists must acknowledge a willingness to coordinate with donors.
• In the interview process, artists will need to show enthusiasm for working with project
donors who may choose an airplane or aviation themed element to be incorporated into
the final design.
• The highest quality RFQ responses will demonstrate the following in a statement of interest:
o Understanding of the project goals and why it is of interest to you
o Experience working on public art projects to meet project goals
o Demonstrated ability and willingness to work with donors for inclusion of additional
aviation elements
o Experience and commitment to participate with commissioning agency as part of
concept development
• High quality RFQs must also demonstrate:
o Quality, creativity & strength of past work
o Relevance of submitted materials to the project
o Specific paint products to be used in the project. Preference is Nova Color artist’s
acrylic paint with lightfastness ratings of 1; or if spray paint, then Montana brand
o The inclusion of professional power washing to prepare painted surfaces
o Technical competence demonstrated by past work
o Aptitude for planning and budgeting as indicated by past project information
submitted
o Preference may be given to Iowa City artists or those who create art or exhibit their
art in Iowa City
The recommendation of the selection committee will then be reviewed by the
stakeholders/Airport Commission (AC) and Public Art Advisory Committee (PAAC) according to
the schedule below.
Project Schedule
11/14/22 RFQ submission deadline
12/8/22 Selection of short list of Preferred Artists by stakeholders/airport commission
(AC meeting)
1/12/23 Review and make final selection from short-listed Artists’ refined concepts by
stakeholders/airport commission Pay $500 stipend to shortlisted artists.
(AC meeting)
2/2/23 Presentation of final concept to Public Art Advisory Committee by Airport
Commission and artist.
(PAAC meeting)
• Enter into artist agreement following PAAC meeting, first payment made
Feb -
May
Fundraising continues by Airport Commission using concept designed by selected
artist.
Fundraising concludes.
Artist meets with donors to discuss donor’s choice of aviation element.
5/1/23 Prep work and power washing may begin.
6/8/23 Final refined design presented to commission and stakeholders.
(AC meeting)
Painting may begin.
6/23/23 Second payment made two weeks after design approval
7/6/23 Report only (approval not required) on final design to PAAC.
(PAAC meeting)
9/30/23 Installation must be complete no later than this date
• Final payment made upon completion
Submission requirements
Online Application at this link: Airport Mural Request for Qualifications
Interested artists will be asked to provide:
• Applicant’s contact information
• Statement of Interest. The Statement of Interest must include
1. Understanding of the project goals and why it is of interest to you
2. Experience working on public art projects with specific project goals
3. Demonstrated ability and willingness to work with donors for inclusion of additional
aviation elements
4. Experience and commitment to participate with commissioning agency as part of
concept development
• Maximum two-page resume that outlines professional accomplishments
• A minimum of five (5) and maximum of eight (8) images of past works. Identify images with project
title, location, date completed, media, dimensions, budget, commissioning agency, project partners,
a reference, and brief description of the project
• Materials to be used including specific brand or type of paint used
Mural Reference Photos
Hangar is shown by the Red rectangle near S. Riverside Drive label.
Inspiration from similar themes provided by the Airport Commission
Shannon Lake’s Aviation Heritage Mural, Hapeville, GA
Portion of Eric Sloane’s Earth Flight Environment Mural - Smithsonian Nation Air and Space Museum.
Kurt Anderson’s Prairie Sky Mural, Parks Library, Iowa State University.