The Project & Larger Context

The City of Newburyport, in cooperation with the newly formed Public Art Committee (PAC), seeks to commission a signature artwork for prominent display in the newly expanded Market Landing Park Project located in downtown Newburyport. This Artist Solicitation constitutes a Request for Proposals (RFP) whereby prior qualifications of the artist, the proposed concept for this particular installation, and the proposed artist fee, can be evaluated for the purposes of making a final selection.

Market Landing Park is a flagship community space extending off the central waterfront boardwalk with expansive views of the Merrimack River. The park expansion, to be completed in late spring 2024, is the culmination of a decades-old community discussion about the future of this waterfront land. The new east and west park “wings” include a crucial shared use bike path connection across the central waterfront, which is expected to see heavy pedestrian and bicycle traffic once opened to the public. A new plaza area extends off the west end of this bike path and will include two historical interpretive panels focused on “Ship Building” and “Life on a Ship.” Park expansion plans, designed by Sasaki Associates and approved by the City Council, contemplated a ship sculpture at this focal point to accompany the adjacent interpretive panels, harkening back to the central waterfront’s rich maritime history. See Exhibits A, B and C of the commission document for relevant plans, renderings and photos.

The Site

Market Landing Park is a roughly four (4) acre park located in a prominent and heavily used central waterfront location in historic downtown Newburyport. The Ship Sculpture would be located in a designated spot on the western side of this park, directly adjacent to the new shared use bike path. The sculpture will be positioned such that it will function as a kind of visual focal point for those traveling both east and west along the bike path. It will also likely serve as a future “landmark” for folks meeting or orienting themselves within the larger waterfront park. As such, the location provides a significant opportunity for the prospective artist’s concept to make a compelling impact on the general public – both local residents and tourists alike.

Space available for the Ship Sculpture is depicted in plans and renderings within Exhibits A, B and C:

• Maximum available “footprint”: 15’ x 15’ (no maximum height)
• Located centrally within a concrete unit paver area adjacent to the new bike path
  • Included within this paver area are bike racks to the east and park benches to the west.
  • To the rear/south of this paver area is a low retaining wall made of large rough-hewn granite blocks which slopes down to a lawn area extending off the paver area. This lawn space provides additional flexibility for the final placement of the selected sculpture.

The Ship Sculpture / Artist Scope of Work

Ideally the selected Ship Sculpture will convey the importance of ship building and/or maritime activities in Newburyport’s past, which were concentrated in this downtown area along the Merrimack River. Nearby interpretive panels will address ship building and maritime context specifically, but ideally these elements will work in harmony to remind park visitors what the waterfront surrounding them once looked like. The sculpture may be a literal or abstract interpretation and expression, and is not limited to any particular style or materials. However, the sculpture must be made of durable materials that can withstand the passage of time with little routine maintenance. Environmental conditions at the site include potential flooding, harsh winter winds and corrosive salt water blown in from the nearby Merrimack River, which is tidally influenced. Additionally, while Market Landing Park is primarily used for passive recreation, artists should consider the tendency of all children to play, climb or explore their surroundings. As such, the sculpture installed should be safe and structurally sound, without necessarily becoming a playground feature.

Please see commission document for full project information, application instructions, and site renderings