The City of Rockville, in partnership with RD Rockville, LLC and Federal Realty Investment Trust, is pleased to announce Call for Entries for nine public art projects in support of a $500,000 commitment to integrate publicly accessible art into a vibrant Rockville Town Square where “progress lies, not in enhancing what is – but advancing toward, what will be” a completely new redeveloped area within the active core of Rockville Town Center. These site-specific public art projects are seen as opportunities to honor and embrace Rockville’s long history and rich cultural diversity. The presence of public art throughout the area is viewed as a means to engage and involve those who visit for the first time as well as those who experience Rockville Town Square daily. These public art projects will become part of the identity of Rockville. All finalists must identify how their proposed project is significant to Rockville in content. How does the art relate to Rockville’s “past, present and/or future?” How does the art embody the “who, what, when or where” of Rockville? Rockville Town Square is a 15-acre project that will create an active destination featuring a mixed-use environment with: street level retail, restaurants and shops, more than 600 residential units built in the four stories above the retail, a new cultural arts building for the visual arts; a public plaza designed to host concerts and other special events, a new Rockville Regional Library (the largest in the Montgomery County system) and three parking garages. Rockville Town Square is one block from the Rockville Metro station serving the Washington-Metropolitan region and Rockville Pike/Route 355, a main artery of the City of Rockville and surrounding Montgomery County. The area is also within a short walking distance of many Rockville neighborhoods. The development cost for Rockville Town Square is $352 million. This unique project has the private sector contributing $264 million and the public sector $88 million. Investors include the City of Rockville, Montgomery County, State of Maryland, the Federal government, RD Rockville, LLC, and Federal Realty Investment Trust. Adjoining properties are being developed by Foulger-Pratt, KSI Services, Inc., and Rockville Center Inc. all augmenting the mixed-use needs of the community. In addition to the public art opportunities presented here, Federal Realty Investment Trust is contracting with Selbert-Perkins Environmental Graphics to help create an overall sense of place for the redevelopment project. Their efforts will address: “Identification” – street gateways and aspects of the parking garages; “Directions” – pedestrian signage, kiosks, and vehicular signage; and “Amenities” – surface engravings, and other elements, that all combine to help tell the story of Rockville and its Town Center. On June 15, 2004, the ground breaking for Rockville Town Square was held. The targeted grand opening is planned for late 2006. Theme
All public art proposals must be unique and original to each of the Rockville Town Square sites. Selection of a theme and/or content or subject matter for each art project is left to the discretion of each artist per location. All finalists will be provided resources to better understand the history and diversity of the people and places that comprise Rockville. All commissioned works of art must be relevant to Rockville. Eligibility
Open to all artists. Location
All projects are for site-specific exterior works of art within the Rockville Town Square. Media
No media restrictions have been established in order to ensure maximum creativity for participating artists. However, durability, safety and minimal maintenance needs are absolutely required. Budgets
Each project will be completed through the “allinclusive” budget noted. Funds must cover design work, engineering,fabrication, transportation, delivery, site preparation, installation of the work at the site, as well as other associated expenses including liability insurance, worker’s compensation insurance, all necessary travel and the artist’s fee. Project Coordination
Identification of project needs as well as the planning and implementation of the public art project is the responsibility of the artist. Contracts
All awarded public art commissions will be contracted through the City of Rockville. Facilitation
City of Rockville staff and the Cultural Arts Commission will help facilitate each art project through identification of resources and provision of points of contact to ensure appropriate coordination of the artist’s needs to that of the construction site. | 
