The Travis County District Attorney’s Office (TCDA) seeks to commission a visual artist, or artist team, to design and fabricate a work of art for the Ronald Earle Building (REB) located at 416 West 11th Street, Austin, Texas, 78701. Artists are invited to submit proposals, including responding to each of the questions required by the evaluation team.

The budget for this project has been allocated to address stipulations in the settlement agreement resolving a lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas styled Smith et al v. City of Austin, et. al., Case No. 1:18-cv-505-LY.

The settlement agreement stipulates that TCDA create a “physical space or other visible honor/remembrance for Plaintiffs and other sexual assault survivors.”

The evaluation team, which consists of County staff and a community advisory board, is open to a wide range of ideas to be proposed by respondent(s). The evaluation team encourages artists to submit proposals that will become a lasting and meaningful space in the REB for years to come.

The artist will be responsible for conceptualizing a piece that allows for survivors from the community to contribute to it as a collective work during a live community event. The respondent must outline the location of the final art piece in the REB (see Attachment 1). The respondent should explain how they will encourage survivors to participate in the creation of the art at the live event. The respondent’s concept should also incorporate how the artist or artist team will shepherd survivors from the community through the creation of the final art piece. The specific location, time, and date of the live event to be determined after award.

The project team prefers but is not limited to responses from professional visual artists or artist teams. Artists who have been personally impacted by sexual violence are encouraged to apply.

Each response must include answers to the questions in Attachment 2.
The selected visual artist or artist team must carry insurance and provide a certificate of insurance (COI) to Travis County prior to commencing work on-site. See Attachment 3 for required insurance coverage.

The evaluation team has the option to interview the respondents for further information.

Please see Commission Document for full project information. Click here to register and apply for this opportunity.