MAROONDAH CITY COUNCIL

PUBLIC ART OPPORTUNITY REALM

ARTISTS’ BRIEF

February 2021

1 BACKGROUND

1.1 Overview

Maroondah City Council supports public art throughout the community as a way of adding to the municipality’s cultural vitality. Guided by Maroondah’s Public Art Policy and the Arts and Cultural Development Strategy, public art works respond to the community’s desire for traditional and contemporary art forms in public places. Maroondah’s collection of indoor and outdoor public art continues to grow across both indoor and outdoor sites, and in existing and new buildings.

Council is seeking an artist or artists to provide artworks celebrating Maroondah’s Indigenous cultural connections. The works will be located near the ground floor entrance to the Realm library, cultural and civic building which is in the heart of Ringwood arts precinct in Ringwood Town Square.

Acknowledgement of Traditional Owners and Commitment to Reconciliation Maroondah’s commitment to reconciliation with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians is the subject of the Maroondah Innovate Reconciliation Action Plan 2018-2020 (see https://www.maroondah.vic.gov.au/About-Council/Planning-for-our-future/Strategies-and-plans/Maroondah-Innovate-Reconciliation-Action-Plan-2018-2020 ). The Plan is endorsed by Reconciliation Australia, and documents Council’s commitment to promote and work towards greater reconciliation in the City of Maroondah.

The area known as Maroondah is located on the land of the Kulin nations and Council acknowledges the traditional owners of the land:

We, in the spirit of Reconciliation, acknowledge the traditional custodians of the land now known as the City of Maroondah, where Indigenous Australians have performed age-old ceremonies. We acknowledge and respect their unique ability to care for Country and their deep spiritual connection to it. We pay our respects to their Elders, past, present and emerging.

Maroondah also continues to benefit from its resident community of Indigenous and Torres Strait Islander people, including being home to Mullum Mullum Indigenous Gathering Place (MMIGP), a community committed to retaining, promoting and strengthening Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultural identity in the Eastern Metropolitan region of Melbourne.

Council is seeking an artist or artists to provide artworks celebrating Maroondah’s Indigenous cultural connections. The works will be located near the ground floor entrance to the existing REALM building which is in Ringwood Town Square.

Artists or collaborative teams are invited to submit proposals. Please note that Indigenous cultural connection with the Maroondah area is one of the key selection criteria for these commissions.

1.2 Aims of the project

Celebrate the ongoing connection and contribution of Indigenous communities to Maroondah and the land on which is stands

Imagine possible future connections with past, present and emerging Indigenous communities.

Enhance the experience for visitors to Realm, building on the portfolio of permanent and temporary artworks within the building and the Ringwood arts precinct, including a range of works that celebrate and promote Indigenous culture and community.

Complement the architecture and the civic and cultural contexts of the Realm building

2. Background

2.1 The City of Maroondah

Maroondah City Council was constituted as a new municipality on 15 December 1994, bringing together the smaller cities of Ringwood and Croydon with areas of Doncaster, Templestowe and Lilydale. 

The municipality blends the best of city and country, offering a great lifestyle and high-quality facilities. The name 'Maroondah' is derived from the aboriginal word meaning "leaf", which symbolises Maroondah's green environment.

2.1 Public Art in MaroondahPage 2

Maroondah’s Public Art Policy provides a platform for a sustainable program of public art commissions and opportunities and for the development of a significant public art collection.

A key direction of Maroondah 2040 (Maroondah’s key community planning document) is to ‘facilitate public art that celebrates the unique characteristics of Maroondah to enliven thriving neighbourhoods and vibrant activity centres.’

The Maroondah Arts and Cultural Development Strategy 2020 - 2025 identifies three outcome areas which focus the work of Council and its partners to achieve the community’s vision. These are:

A culturally active, engaged and connected community Vibrant places and spaces A city which is creative, flourishing and values the arts

2.2 Project Location: Realm, 179 Maroondah Hwy, Ringwood (opposite Ringwood Station)

2.3 Project Site

The project site is the ground floor of Realm. Some of the significant commissions already realised in the building include:

Louise Jennison and Gracia Haby A Weight of Albatross 2018, stairwell James Voller, Stacked Houses 2016, lift treatment, both external and internal Marcus Lee, Journey of Discovery 2020, adhesive vinyl, level two

Potential areas for the artwork/s include:

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(Eastland)

REALM

Ringwood Station

- the concrete columns in the Ground Floor area. Please note that it will not be possible to paint or attach works directly onto the concrete. It is anticipated that Council will undertake the creation of external sleeves for the columns. These sleeves can then be painted or affixed with sculptural. It will be possible to affix textile elements directly to the columns providing there is no risk of damage to the surface.

- the slanted wall that runs below the staircase leading up to the first floor the wall that runs horizontally around the base of the balcony on level one

The range of areas and surfaces available for this commission will suit both two- and/or three-dimensional work. Council invites proposals that address one or more of these areas. Proposals that consider all areas are also encouraged.

Material considerations for treatments include: custom made wallpaper, painting, sculpture, vinyl adhesive and textiles.

Please refer to Attachment 1 for more details about the space, and additional images.

3. Relevant Documents

Maroondah 2040http://www.maroondah.vic.gov.au/Maroondah2040.aspx

Arts and Cultural Development Strategy, 2020-2025https://www.maroondah.vic.gov.au/Explore/ArtsInMaroondah/Arts-initiatives-strategies-policies/Arts-and-Cultural-Development-Strategy

Maroondah Public Art Policy, 2015 http://www.artsinmaroondah.com.au/

Maroondah Public Art Collectionhttps://www.maroondah.vic.gov.au/Explore/ArtsInMaroondah/Arts-things-to-see-and-do/Public-Art-in-Maroondah

4. Scope of Work

4.1 Project description

Maroondah City Council is seeking proposals from artists, either as individuals or as collaborative teams, for the design, fabrication and installation of a public art element or elements as indicated in this brief.

The project includes concept development, artwork design, fabrication and installation.

4.2 Important issues to consider

Proposals should take into consideration the following points:

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These artworks must celebrate some aspect of Indigenous heritage, culture and/or the ongoing contribution of Indigenous and Torres Strait Islander communities to the area we now call Maroondah

As such proposals should indicate the significant Indigenous connection of the artist or collaborative team to Maroondah, either through cultural connection(s) to traditional land owners, traditional cultural connection(s) to other country and/or involvement in the contemporary life of the Maroondah Indigenous community, or some other form of meaningful cultural connection.

The proposal should provide a description of how the design concept is linked to the above considerations

4.4 Budget

A budget of up to $50 000 (ex GST) has been allocated across the site, including the locations listed above. This budgeted amount is to cover the entire project including:

all artist/s fees (including attending meetings with Council staff and any consultation);

concept plan development; site preparation expenses; all material costs; engineering and/or computation services; all integral components; fabrication, transport and installation of the artwork and/or its components all insurances for the completion of construction, transport costs and

installation of the artwork/s including public liability insurance as outlined in Section 4.10;

OHS and risk management requirements maintenance plan for ongoing care of the work any contingencies or additional overheads incurred by the artist.

Maroondah City Council will be responsible for the management and budget of the following:

promotion of the project; public display; project management; launch of the project; normal ongoing maintenance.

4.5 Indicative payment schedule

The payment schedule detailed below is indicative of a payment structure to be negotiated with the selected artist. The artist will be paid in the form of a cheque or EFT. Cheques will be drawn on the receiving of a Tax Invoice from the artist.

Stage of Project AmountUpon signing Artists Agreement 25%Stage one of project (ie completion of project development phase) as agreed

25%

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between partiesCompletion of project 50%

4.6Timelines5

Submissions open Wednesday 3rd February 2021

Artists’ site visit, Ground Floor REALMRsvp to publicart@maroondah.vic.gov.au

1.30pm Wednesday February 17th 2021

Submissions close 11.59pm Tuesday 23rd March 2021

Evaluation process April 1st - 15th 2021Artist confirmed Tuesday 20th April

2021Contractual process Approx. 1 week Development and approval of detailed design

May 10th

Construction of work 21st April - 10th June 2021

Installation of work June 22nd - 24th 2021

4.7 Contract — intellectual property, moral rights, title and ownership

The selected Artist/s will sign an Artists Contract that includes provisions to protect and define intellectual property, moral rights, title and ownership consistent with industry best practice for public art commissions.

4.8 Maintenance and repair

Subject to contracted conditions Council will maintain the work in situation for a period of not less than 10 years. As the art elements will be located in high-traffic areas materials must be durable and deterioration of the artwork as a result of normal wear and tear will be beyond the scope of Council’s obligation to maintain the artwork(s).

As part of the Artist’s proposal to Council outlining the concept and production requirements for the artwork and its installation, the Artist will provide an outline of the maintenance requirements for the work over a 10-year period. Upon completion of the artwork/s, the Artist is to provide Council with written advice detailing what actions (including appropriate materials, methods and indicative costs) are reasonably required for the maintenance of the artwork/s, sufficient to ensure the artwork’s ongoing integrity.

If the artwork requires repair after completion, Council will, where practical, contact the Artist to undertake or advise on the undertaking of the necessary work. Repairs to the artwork will be carried out according to industry standards for the conservation and maintenance of artworks. If the work is deemed damaged beyond repair, in whole or in part, Council will determine the

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appropriate method of removal and will, where practical, inform the Artist of such action. The Artist is encouraged to continue to provide Council with up to date contact details to facilitate such communication.

The Artist agrees to pay Council for, or to perform at Council’s request without charge or fee, any necessary repairs to the completed artwork/s arising from faulty materials used by, or inferior workmanship performed by, the Artist when creating or maintaining the artwork.

Notwithstanding the above, where maintenance or repairs are required after the artwork has been in place for ten years, Council may choose to dispose of the artwork by a process that meets industry standards for the de-accession of artworks and will attempt to do so with the knowledge of the Artist.

4.9 Risk assessment and safety

Council is obliged to provide and maintain, so far as is practicable, a working environment for its employees and members of the public, that is safe and without risk to health. As a condition of this Contract, Council requires that any Artist that may be engaged to perform works on its behalf will at all times identify and exercise all necessary precautions for the health and safety of all persons including contractors, Council employees and members of the public who may be affected by the works.

The Artist will inform themselves of all occupational health and safety policies, procedures or measures implemented or adapted by Council and/or the occupiers of any premises at or within which the Artist will perform works under this Contract. The Artist will comply with all such policies, procedures or measures; and in the event of any inconsistency, will comply with such procedures or measures as produce the highest level of health and safety.

Applicants must submit an adequate generic Safety Plan with their application. This generic Safety Plan must be specific to the operation of the applicant’s business. A copy of an adequate Safety Plan prepared for a previous project will be acceptable.

4.10 Public liability insurance

The Artist will take out during the period of the contract:

(i) A public liability insurance policy in a form approved by Council with Council named as a principal under a principal’s indemnity extension clause acceptable to Council for a minimum sum of ten million dollars ($10,000,000) for each and every claim, covering Council and the Contractor against all actions, costs, claims, charges, expenses and damages whatsoever which may be brought or made or claimed against Council or the Contractor or both arising out of or in relation to the performance of the Works.

(ii) A work cover insurance policy insuring against liability for death of or injury to the Artist’s employees.

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Before commencing any part of the works, the Artist will produce to the Team Leader Arts and Cultural Development evidence to the satisfaction and approval of the Team Leader Arts and Cultural Development of the insurances required to be affected and maintained under this Contract.

5. Selection Process and Criteria

The successful applicant/applicants will be selected on the basis of the response to Criteria including: Indigenous connection to the area and/or community of Maroondah, design concept, expertise in public artwork design and construction, proven artistic value of previous work and demonstrated experience with other projects of a similar scale. Submissions will be assessed with regard to their consideration of the requirements contained in the Artist Brief and the appropriateness for the site and its users. Note that interviews and/or design presentations may be required as part of the selection process.

The following criteria will be used in the selection process to appoint the Artist/s:

1. INDIGENOUS CONNECTION

The work celebrates the ongoing connection and contribution of Indigenous communities to Maroondah and the country it occupies.

2. DESIGN CONCEPT originality and general inventiveness; the proposal’s connection to and/or relevance to the site durability of the artwork for display in the described position and conditions ability to present a practical design in keeping with and connected to the spirit of

the location;o physical surrounds and the surrounding areao complementary to the site’s purposeo consideration of heritage / social context etc

3.ARTIST EXPERIENCE AND SKILLS ability to communicate ideas or design concepts clearly; demonstrated ability to complete a public art commission, including but not limited

to:o ability to work collaboratively with Council; o previous experience on similar projects;o experience in working in a safe environment;o ability to work within a set time frame and within budget; ando ability to meet technical requirements and identify potential maintenance

issues and expenses.4. BUDGET

Within indicated budget parameters realistic and detailed budget;

6. Application Process

Submissions should include: [CHECKLIST] CV (1 page)

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Contact details Description of the proposed work (including image(s)). The description should cover

the concept, design, materials and process of production, and should address the specific relationship of the proposed work to the site

Project Budget 10-year maintenance outline Appropriate support material (including up to 10 images and/or 5 minutes (in total)

AV documenting recently completed works) AV material and images should be provided in a standard file formats (JPG,

MP4 etc) Images and AV should be standard file formats either as embedded links to files held on commonly used media sharing websites or as file attachments to applications where no single file exceeds 1MB and total size does not exceed 5MB

the names and contact details of two referees (preferably with experience in the field of public art commissioning)

Overview of maintenance requirements

7. Submission

Submissions must be e-mailed by no later than 11:59PM, Tuesday 23rd March to publicart@maroondah.vic.gov.au

8. Contracting and installation 

The selected artist will be contracted to design, construct and install the artwork. The contracted artist will work closely with Council’s Public Art Officer and project team in regard to finalisation of design, site access and such other issues as may be required for the safe and successful installation of the artwork. 

9. Further Enquiries

Please contact Council’s Public Art Officer, Jane O’Neill, on 0436 442 036 (Tue, Wed & Thurs: 9:00 – 3:50pm)or publicart@maroondah.vic.gov.au.

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