Artist Resources

Projects accepting RFQ's will be posted here when available.

Artist Responsibilities

Guarantee and maintain the work of art against all defects of material or workmanship for a period of three (3) years following installation, subject to the terms of the artist's contract.

1. Provide the public art program with drawings of the installation and with detailed instructions regarding routine maintenance of the artwork.
2. Be given the opportunity to comment on, and participate in, all repairs and restorations that are made during their lifetime.

Town Responsibilities

Be responsible for routine maintenance of artwork, upon the advice of the Public Art staff and shall perform all maintenance work in a manner that is consistent with conservation requirements supplied by the artist.

1. The Town shall not intentionally destroy, modify, relocate or remove from display any work of art.
2. If a work needs attention and/or restoration, staff may, at its discretion, engage a professional conservator to evaluate the condition of the work further, or effect repairs to the work.  The artist should be asked to repair the work for a fair market value fee.  If the work cannot be restored, the work will be considered for deaccessioning or removal from the collection. 

Artist Rights

The Town seeks to assure the following rights to artists, embodied in artist contracts: 

1. Consultation on Removal/Relocation: Reasonable efforts to consult with artist before moving or removing artwork, while reserving right for emergency situations. 
2. Integrity Protection: Artists may disclaim authorship if artwork is significantly altered, modified, or destroyed. 
3. Proper Maintenance: Commitment to periodic inspection and professional maintenance of artworks. 
4. Repair Consultation: Reasonable efforts to notify and involve artist in repairs or restorations during their lifetime. 
5. Copyright Protection: Artists retain all copyrights; Town agrees not to copy or reproduce without written permission, except for non-commercial public purposes. 
6. Visual Artists Rights Act Compliance: All actions will comply with Federal Visual Artists Rights Act provisions. 

Call Methods

1. Open Competition (RFQ/RFP): An open competition allows for the broadest range of artists to compete, following a two-part process: 
   1. Step 1: Request for Qualifications (RFQ) - Artists submit resume, work samples, and letter of intent. 
   2. Step 2: Request for Proposals (RFP) - Selected artists develop conceptual proposals and receive stipends. 
2. Limited or Invitational Competition: Staff and the Public Art Advisory Board invite a limited number of artists based on demonstrated abilities or program goals such as supporting local artists. 

 Direct Selection: Rarely used method for contracting with a specific artist when circumstances make competition unfeasible. 

Works of art proposed for donation or long-term (six months or longer) loan to the Town shall be carefully reviewed by the Public Art Advisory Board under criteria which have been established to meet the following objectives: 

1. To provide uniform procedures for the review and acceptance of gifts or loans of artworks to Town.  
2. To vest in a single agency the responsibility of ensuring the management and long-term care of the donated works of Town. 
3. To facilitate planning for the placement of artworks on Town-owned property. 
4. To maintain high artistic standards for artworks displayed in Town facilities.  
5. To provide appropriate recognition for donors of artworks to the Town. 

At any time, the Town of Knightdale may impose a temporary moratorium on donations and loans. All artworks proposed for donation or long-term loans shall be subject to the timeframe requirements as with all other artworks.  

Memorials are ineligible as proposed donations or loans of artwork. Proposed memorials are subject to specific policies (see Memorials, below).  

Approval Process  

The Town of Knightdale has the discretion to review and accept or deny, or accept with conditions, any proposed donated or loaned artwork. The Public Art Advisory Board will consider proposals for donations and loans only during the first meeting of the fiscal year.  The Committee will schedule a feasibility consultation with the applicant, in advance of their making a proposal, and advise them of the content of this policy, the appropriateness of the proposed artwork donation or loan, and the necessary courses of action required for a full proposal for consideration. 

Review Criteria for Artwork Donations or Loans  

The Town and Public Art Advisory Board shall evaluate proposed donations or loans and base its decision of acceptance or denial on the following criteria: 

1. Aesthetic Considerations: To ensure artworks of the highest quality, proposed gifts or long-term loans of works of art should be accompanied by a detailed written proposal and concept drawings of the proposal, and/or photographs of an existing artwork, documentation of the artist's professional qualifications and, if needed, a current certified appraisal of the worth of the artwork. The Public Art Advisory Board shall assess the aesthetic value of the artist and the artwork to determine whether the donation or loan should be accepted and may refuse the proposed donation or loan on aesthetic grounds.  
2. Site Context: If the donor is proposing a site for the donated or loaned artwork, the artwork must be compatible in scale, material, form, and content with its proposed site. Attention should be given to the social context of the work and the way it may interact with or contribute to the use of the site. Significant consideration shall be given to the structural and surface soundness, and to the possibility of and resistance to theft, vandalism, weathering, and excessive maintenance or repair costs. 
3. Financial Considerations: Funding for the project, and the estimated cost of maintenance and repair over the expected timeframe of the artwork. If the proposed donation or loan is accepted, a legal instrument of conveyance of the work of art should be executed between the Town and the donor. Acceptance is contingent on receipt of payment from the owner for all costs associated with the gift, including transportation, installation, and maintenance endowment and staff time. 
4. Liability: Susceptibility of the artwork to damage and vandalism, any potential danger to the public, and any special insurance requirements. 
5. Maintenance: The Town shall require that the donor provides an endowment for the long-term maintenance and conservation of the donated and loaned artwork, except where there are alternative funding sources for these expenses or there is a compelling reason for the Town to accept financial responsibility. 
6. Uniqueness of Art: The Town will accept only unique, one of a kind works of art apart from prints, photographs, or a desirable high-quality, limited-edition work of art by a renowned artist. 

Proposed artwork donations and loan proposals shall be reviewed by the Public Art Advisory Board.  Proposals shall be accompanied by the following information: 

1. Slides, photos, or a model of the proposed work.  
2. Biography of the artist. 
3. Cost of the artwork and anticipated budget for installation. 
4. Information for giving acknowledgement of the donor. 
5. Maintenance requirements for the artwork. 

Artworks proposed for long-term loan (one year or more) to the Town shall be subject to the same considerations outlined above.  Artworks proposed for placement in private offices or in non-public areas of Town facilities shall not be subject to Advisory Board review. 

The Town of Knightdale partners with the United Arts Council of Raleigh and Wake County to support public art planning, artist engagement, and public art initiatives. Artists seeking opportunities to participate in public art initiatives are encouraged to contact:

Jennifer McEwen
President & CEO, United Arts Council of Raleigh and Wake County
Email: jmcewen@unitedarts.org
Phone: (919) 839-1498
Website: https://unitedarts.org