Public Art at Wheels Roller Skating Rink

Project Background

In collaboration with Durham Parks and Recreation, the Cultural and Public Art Program is seeking an Artist, Artist Team, or Artist and Fabricator Team with experience in projects centered around community-based engagement and storytelling that enhances the sense of place to design and fabricate a site-specific exterior public art installation at Wheels Roller Skating Rink located at 715 N Hoover Rd, Durham, NC, 27703. 

The Wheels Roller Skating Rink site, located in the former Wheels Fun Park, will be updated and renovated as part of the Splash & Play project. Throughout the Splash and Play project community engagement sessions, the public’s ideas emphasized a desire within the community to preserve and re-open the Wheels Skating Center as part of the overall site development. The estimated opening of the skating rink is Summer 2024.  More information about the construction project can be found here: Splash & Play Public Engagement | Durham Parks & Recreation, NC (dprplaymore.org).  

The goal of the public art component is to honor the history of Wheels as an institution of the community providing family fun, athletic, and recreational activities since 1980, its meaning to the Durham community, and enhance the sense of place experienced by all visitors to Wheels.  

The selected Candidate(s) will work to: 

• Engage the community through in-person engagement sessions and surveys.   
• Develop community-informed designs for public artwork that visually connects to the site and/or interprets historical or cultural aspects of the site. 
• Beautify the exterior of the building through site-specific public art elements. 
• Design, fabricate and install artwork that is integrated into the site. 

The selected Candidate(s) will have a total public art project budget of $143,000; inclusive of all costs associated with this public art project including, but not limited to: artist fees, other subcontractors’ fees, insurance that meets the standards of the City of Durham, engineering, materials, fabrication costs, transportation, installation of the artwork, community engagement, and documentation of the artwork on site. 

This RFQ is open to all residents of North Carolina, but preference will be given to residents of the County of Durham with connections to the Durham community and/or who are connected to and aware of the history of the site and area.  

The City encourages people from diverse backgrounds to apply. Candidates must be artists, designers, or fabricators or partnered with artists, designers, or fabricators, eligible to work in the United States, and age 18 and older. Candidates are eligible regardless of race, color, ethnicity, religion, national origin, gender, gender identification, military status, sexual orientation, marital status, or physical ability. 

Proposed timeline

• Wednesday, August 30, 2023: RFQ promotion/informing 

• Friday, September 29, 2023, 11:59 p.m. ET: RFQ Deadline 

• Friday, September 29, 2023 EOD: Confirmation of RFQ Receipt via email from the City of Durham to Candidates 

• Monday, October 2, 2023: By this date if a Candidate(s) does not receive confirmation receipt from the City, it is the responsibility of the Candidate(s) to contact the City to confirm submission. 

• Wednesday, October 18, 2023: City to notify Candidates of decision 

• October 2023 – November 2023: Contract Development with selected Candidate(s) 

• Monday, December 4, 2023: Contract approval by City Council during the City Council Meeting (City Council Work Session will be held 11/21) 

• December 2023 – January 2024: Design Development and Stakeholders engagement 

• January 2024 – February 2024: Initial Designs shared with the Stakeholders 

• February 2024 – March 2024: Candidates submit Final Designs to City for final approval 

• April 2024 – June 2024: Fabrication & Installation 

LOCATION

715 N Hoover Rd
Durham, NC, 27703

BUDGET

The selected artist or artist team will have a total public art project budget of $143,000; inclusive of all costs associated with this public art project including, but not limited to: artist fees, other subcontractors’ fees, insurance that meets the standards of the City of Durham, engineering, materials, fabrication costs, transportation, installation of the artwork, community engagement, and documentation of the artwork on site. A maximum budget of $3,000 within the total contract amount of $143,000 may be allocated towards engagement sessions for materials, engagement session needs, and/or a local consultant/facilitator (18 or older) that will collaboratively work with the City and the selected artist or artist team to facilitate community engagement. 

QUESTIONS?

For information about the public art project, please contact the Cultural & Public Art Program staff here: 

Stephanie Minor
Cultural & Public Arts Program Coordinator
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 919-560-4197, ext. 21243