Up to three finalists will receive $2,500 for conceptual design work; full project will require up to $200,000 and include private funding
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Jacksonville, Fla. (June 1, 2021) – Riverside Avondale Preservation (RAP), in partnership with the Fishweir Crossing Roundabouts Planning Committee, is pleased to announce a call for artists for a public sculpture project at the Fishweir Crossing Roundabouts, located on Florida State Road 211 at the intersection of Herschel Street and St. Johns Avenue.
Fishweir Crossing is the newly conceived name representing the confluence of the natural beauty of Fishweir Creek with the edge of the Riverside Avondale Historic District, connecting the Fairfax Manor and Lakeside Park neighborhoods, as well as the Herschel Street commercial district and Fishweir Elementary School.
A Request for Qualifications (RFQ) is now open and invites experienced public art sculptors to submit to design and fabricate a sculpture for the center of one or both roundabouts. The full RFQ, including application requirements and submission instructions, can be found HERE.
The sculpture will serve as a defining landmark for this important neighborhood gateway and is expected to reflect the character, landscape, culture, and natural environment of the communities that converge at this location.
The planning committee’s Artist Selection Panel will select up to three qualified artists to develop conceptual design proposals. Each finalist will receive a $2,500 stipend, inclusive of travel and lodging, to support the conceptual design phase.
The full project includes the roundabout sculpture, landscaping within the roundabouts and adjacent rights of way, lighting, bridge aesthetics, and will require a budget of $150,000-$200,000. A fundraising committee has been formed and will launch a campaign this fall, to coincide with the completion of the initial conceptual design.
About Riverside Avondale Preservation
The purpose and mission of Riverside Avondale Preservation, Inc., colloquially known as RAP, is to preserve, enhance, and celebrate the historic fabric, arts, culture, local businesses, and public spaces of the Riverside and Avondale neighborhoods in Jacksonville, Fla. The weekly Riverside Arts Market, under the administration of RAP, is hosted every Saturday under the canopy of the Fuller Warren Bridge from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., rain or shine. For more information, visit www.riversideavondale.org
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