Artist sought for Spokane Street Viaduct expansion

View of the Spokane Street Viaduct at the intersection of First Avenue and Spokane Street.

The Office, in partnership with the Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT), seeks an artist or artist team to develop permanent artwork in conjunction with the widening of the South Spokane Street Viaduct in Seattle's SoDo (South Downtown) neighborhood. The 60-year-old elevated roadway serves as a key transportation link between West Seattle, Port of Seattle terminal facilities and the SoDo district and provides access to State Route 99 and Interstate 5.

The selected artist will develop a creative response to the expansive viaduct and its industrial setting. Possible locations for artwork include the underside of the viaduct's elevated roadway, its forest of support columns, the spaces surrounding new traffic ramps, the lower Spokane Street roadway and its new sidewalk and/or other areas adjacent to the viaduct. Safety issues prevent placing artwork on the elevated roadway.

The call is open to established professional artists living in the United States. The project budget is $60,000 for design and travel. It is anticipated that $340,000 will be available for fabrication and installation, for a total project budget of $400,000. The application deadline is 11 p.m., Tuesday, Feb. 17. A link to the online application is available here.

Artist sought for Fremont Bridge tower residency

Fremont Bridge. Photo courtesy of the Seattle Municipal Archives Photograph Collection.

The Office, in partnership with the Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT), seeks an artist or artist team for a unique project-based artist residency in the southwest bridge tower on the Fremont Bridge.

The selected artist(s) will undertake an in-depth exploration of the historic bridge and create an art project in response to the experience. Artists cannot live in the bridge tower, but may use the space as a studio, a platform for observing, or as a base from which to interact with the community. Artist Daniel Mihalyo recommended the bridge tower artist studio in the SDOT Art Plan he authored in 2005.

The residency will begin in the spring or summer of 2009 and last two to three months. It will culminate in the public presentation of an art project. The artist may create work in any media, including video, film, sound, performance, installation or other diverse media.

The call is open to established professional artists living in Seattle or within 100 miles of Seattle. The project budget is $20,000. The application deadline is 11 p.m., Monday, Jan. 5. A link to the online application is available here.