Archives – Call for Artists

Art at the Southeastern Live Well Center represents and celebrates the history, diversity and cross-cultural experiences of the community while educating, creating beauty, inspiration, and healing.

The goal of the Southeastern Live Well Center Art Program is to:

• Emphasize the Live Well San Diego vision of a Healthy, Safe and Thriving region, by celebrating the beauty, history, heritage, and diversity of our communities.

The objectives of the Southeastern Live Well Center Arts Program are to:

• Engage community members to ensure that inclusion and connections are made.
• Utilize a variety of art and elements to narrate the story of Southeastern San Diego.
• Establish a welcoming and healing environment through the use of art.
• Complement and enhance the interior design, wayfinding, and architecture of SELWC.
• Commission ethnically diverse artists with a focus on those who have knowledge of, or roots in the community history and legacy.

The SELWC Public Art Advisory Committee is looking for artwork in a wide variety of media including sculpture, two-dimensional and three-dimensional artwork, original art, oil, watercolor, and acrylic paintings, limited edition prints, giclee prints, mixed media art, glass, mosaics, wall sculpture, fabric art, collages, and photography. Existing and commissioned artwork will be considered. Please consider that we serve a very diverse community and consider our art statement and objectives when selecting art to submit or propose. All multi-media artworks should be safe to touch, sturdy and made of non-toxic materials.

The actual fee for commission or price for purchase will not exceed the wholesale price customarily charged by the artist for similar artworks when sold to the public. The budget is all-inclusive and must cover design fees, travel expenses, all materials and fabrication costs, insurance costs, shipping or transportation to the site or framer, preparation for installation, taxes, personal documentation, and site visits. For commissions, the stated budget will include installation as well.

Entries for art must be received by 11:59 pm on April 25, 2022. Incomplete or late submissions will not be accepted.

The Consultant is not obligated to notify artists when incomplete or late entries are received. Incomplete or late entries will not be reviewed. It is the responsibility of the applicant to ensure that entries are complete and arrive by the submission deadline.

Sculpture $30,000 – $50,000

There are two exterior areas that would be enhanced by sculpture: the main entry plaza and the meditation garden.

• In the main entry there is an area 14 feet by 14 feet where a new commission sculpture to welcome people to the building is desired. The sculpture should be between 6 to 8 feet high and up to 10 feet wide. The sculpture should demonstrate themes that represent and celebrate the history, diversity and cross-cultural experiences of the community while educating visitors, creating beauty, inspiration, and healing. The sculpture should also visually emphasize the Live Well San Diego vision of a Healthy, Safe and Thriving region.
• There is a 45-inch in diameter circular space in the meditation garden that would benefit from a three-dimensional sculpture. Sculpture should encompass an area no larger than 40 inches in diameter. Artwork should evoke a feeling of peace and calm, be detailed enough to provide reflection, and may include words or imagery that takes one on a journey of reflection. An additional element would be a series of markers related to the sculpture that could be installed along the sidewalk pathway with cultural proverbs or inspirational quotes, to inspire visitors, creating a live well pathway.

Art in Architecture $20,000 Each

There are two (2) areas in the building that would benefit by an artist who is well-versed in architectural design: the grand staircase and the second-floor skylight.

• The grand staircase is in the center of the building and has a grid pattern wall that separates the stairwell from the main corridor. A metal, glass, or mosaic element could be created to inspire visitors and tell the story of community, using various patterns or icons that are found in many cultures, or universal elements in nature such as air, fire, earth, water. If you are interested in this commission, please reach out to the consultant at goodwin.leah@gmail.com to request drawings of the area.
• There is a skylight that is 5 feet wide by 41 feet long that could be enhanced by a glass or light element to build on the sunlight and create shadow play on the stairwell below. This creates a sense of whimsy or wonder and can be a positive visual to the community while visiting the building. If you are interested in this commission, please reach out to the consultant at goodwin.leah@gmail.com to request drawings of the area.

Main Lobby Feature $10,000 Each

As you enter the building in the main entrance there is a large 16 feet wall that will become the welcoming statement for the building. The SELWC Public Art Advisory Committee is seeking to commission an original art for this wall approximately 8 feet wide by 5 feet high, that will help represent and celebrate the history, diversity, and cross-cultural experiences of the community while educating visitors, creating beauty, inspiration, and healing.

Feature Mural $8,000 Each

There is a 16 feet wall in the family unification waiting area which will be enhanced and transformed into a safe, healing space through the placement of mural art. The mural should be calming, ethnically diverse, whimsical and celebrate the history of the community while creating beauty, inspiration, and healing.

Corridor Features $5,000 Each

There are currently six (6) feature pieces needed for the project. They are located in the main  corridors and family waiting area. The feature walls are approximately 11 feet wide by 8 feet high. The SELWC Public Art Advisory Committee is seeking original commission pieces for these walls that will help represent and celebrate the history, diversity and cross-cultural experiences of the community while educating, creating beauty, inspiration, and healing.

Conference Center and Waiting Areas $700 Each (unframed)

There are currently twenty (20) pieces to place in waiting rooms, and two (2) pieces for the Tubman Chavez Conference Center. These may be areas of potential stress for families as they wait for appointments and visits to the departments. We are considering large, unframed pieces per area no less than 30-inches wide by 20-inches high, image size. We are interested in individual pieces or a series of works that provide a sense of interest and comfort and/or celebrates the history, diversity and cross-cultural experiences of the community while educating visitors, creating beauty, inspiration, and healing.

Corridor Art $400 Each (unframed) 

There are currently twenty (20) pieces to place in the corridors throughout the building. These may be areas of potential stress for families as they wait and rest. We are considering large, framed pieces per area, no less than 30-inches wide by 20-inches high, image size. We are interested in individual pieces; giclee prints or photography, or a series of works that provides calm and celebrates the history, diversity, and cross-cultural experiences of the community, while educating visitors, creating beauty, and inspiration.

• Quality, creativity and strength of artwork concepts and workmanship as evidenced in images of past work and a professional resume
• Ability to demonstrate the creativity and style that will support the guiding principles of the art program and support the desired population
• Technical competence as evidenced by images of past work and a professional resume
• Aptitude for planning, budgeting and individually working on teams as evidenced by a professional resume and professional references
• Experienced with demonstrated aptitude for working on art projects collaboratively with design team and stakeholders
• Accessible to appropriate technology (email/drop box) for communicating efficiently and effectively

The SELWC Public Art Advisory Committee is comprised of representatives from the community, and the County of San Diego, as well as the PCL Construction Team and Project Architect. The Committee will review all complete, eligible entries received by the deadline. Judging the qualifications shown in the CFA, the Committee will make selections for commissioning and/or purchasing proposed artworks. Candidates for larger art commissions may be invited to present their specific original design ideas to the Committee.

As part of our commitment to advance diversity and inclusion, we aim to amplify traditionally underrepresented voices. Applicants are encouraged to share if they identify with one or more historically marginalized groups (examples include but are not limited to Immigrant, Indigenous, International, LGBTQIA, Person of Color, Person with a Disability, Person of Size, Socioeconomic Disadvantage). If you feel comfortable, please share how you represent diversity in one or more of these areas.