|
Indepth Arts News:
"Call for Artists: Artwork for the New Central Library"
2003-03-28 until 2003-05-02
Seattle Public Library / Office of Arts and Cultural Affairs
Seattle, WA,
USA United States of America
The Seattle Public Library and the Office of Arts &
Cultural Affairs seek artists whose work deals with social structures,
people and systems to develop permanent artworks in a wide variety of
media for the new Central Library, designed by Dutch architect Rem
Koolhaas and scheduled for completion in late 2003. Visual artists who
are residents of the United States are eligible to apply. At least one
of the commissions will be awarded to a Seattle artist. This project
includes a residency period of one to two weeks at the Seattle Public
Library's Temporary Central Library during the design proposal phase.
Applications for The Library Unbound are available online at
www.seattle.gov/arts/fundingapplications; artists unable to download
materials may request an application by calling 206-615-1801.
Applications must be received at the Office of Arts & Cultural Affairs,
700 Fifth Avenue, Suite 1766, Seattle, WA, 98104 by 5:00 p.m., Friday,
May 2, 2003 or postmarked by Friday, May 2, 2003.
Selected artists will be invited to explore the library, its staff and
clients, its functions and collections and to develop projects that
address these topics in a thoughtful way. Proposals should embody the
questioning and pursuit of ideas that characterize a library. Through
short residencies at the library in 2003, selected artists will develop
designs for permanent, enduring works of art which draw upon the rich
social and intellectual context of the library. The resulting artworks
will be installed in the new library between December 2003 and June
2004.
The Seattle Public Library strives to inform, enrich and empower every
person in our community by creating and promoting easy access to a vast
array of ideas and information, and by supporting an informed citizenry,
lifelong learning and love of reading. The library acquires, organizes
and provides books and other relevant materials; ensures access to
information sources throughout the nation and around the world; serves
the public with expert and caring assistance; and reaches out to all
members of our community.
The Central Library houses a collection of approximately 900,000 items,
including books and other materials. Special collections of genealogy
and local history support research on family history, Seattle, and the
Northwest. The library is a depository for important government
publications, and maintains subscriptions to many magazines and
newspapers. The language collection includes materials for both native
speakers and English speakers seeking to learn other languages. The
collection also includes contemporary and historical fiction, books in
large type and books on tape, feature films and documentaries, music
compact discs, and a children's collection of picture books, easy
readers, and materials for school reports.
In 1998, Seattle voters approved a bond measure to nearly double the
square footage of Seattle's neighborhood libraries and build a new
Central Library on the existing site. The Central Library will feature
new centers for children, teens and adult readers, as well as more
computers, reorganized and expanded collections, a 275-seat auditorium
for Library programs and community meetings, and parking for about 145
vehicles.
The new Central Library is being designed by Dutch architect Rem
Koolhaas with the Office for Metropolitan Architecture, winner of the
2000 Pritzker Prize, in a joint venture with locally based LMN
Architects. The building features an innovative "book spiral," which
will allow patrons unprecedented access to the library collection. The
crystalline steel-and-glass structure contains five platforms - each
devoted to a specific programmatic cluster. Four open spaces are housed
among the platforms, where library patrons can meet, search the Web or
read. The new library is slated for completion in late 2003. For more
information about The Seattle Public Library visit www.spl.org.
The Office of Arts & Cultural Affairs strengthens our communities by
managing one of the nation's most innovative public art programs;
investing in art and culture for all residents through civic
partnerships; connecting communities and artists to explore civic issues
and ideas; supporting arts training for young people; promoting the
arts' contribution to economic development; and advocating for the arts
as part of our everyday lives. The 15-member Seattle Arts Commission,
citizen volunteers appointed by the Mayor and City Council, supports the
City agency.
Related Links:
| | 
|
