Asheville seeking artists to create public art installation at updated Jake Rusher Park

The City of Asheville announced Monday, Dec. 7, it is seeking statements of interest for consideration from artists for creating a public art installation at the newly updated Jake Rusher Park in south Asheville.

The deadline for responses is Jan. 15, 2021. Artist interviews will be conducted in February 2021., with the anticipated start timeframe to be March or April, and the installment of the artwork sometime in the summer.

"This installation is intended to be played upon and should be playful and interactive as well as thoughtfully integrated into the site with respect to both new and existing site elements," a statement on the City's website read regarding the art concept for the park.

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Artists who submit statements of interest should have the following qualifications, according to the City:

• Are age 18 or older and eligible to work in the United States
• Have a 3-year history of professional art or design practice
• Demonstrate work experience in the arts through creation of high quality work
• Are not enrolled in an undergraduate course of study in the visual arts as of Jan. 1, 2021
• Have experience working within communities
• Are regionally located, which for the purposes of this call, includes residents of N.C., S.C., Georgia, Tennessee, Virginia and Maryland.

Note: For artists who have partial qualifications in the above list, the City encourages them to partner with an artist who can fulfill the other requirements.

A review committee composed of members of the PACC, community representatives and City staff will evaluate applications based on four criteria:

1. Aesthetic excellence of past projects.
2. Proven track record of using materials and methods appropriate for past projects.
3. Ability to engage with community members at critical points in the design process.
4. Demonstrated ability to manage projects on time and on budget.

At Asheville City Council's Feb. 11 meeting, the council authorized the city manager to move forward with a $975,274 construction contract for improvements to Jake Rusher Park.

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Construction began in April 2020, and those improvements include new parking, accessible sidewalks, sport courts, a pavilion and restroom building, new landscaping and improved lighting.

The full script of the City of Asheville's Call for Artists can be found here.