Posting Language
Title
Authorize negotiation and execution of an agreement with Saya Woolfalk Studio, LLC for artwork for the Austin-Bergstrom International Airport Tunnel Art in Public Places Project for a total agreement amount not to exceed $5,800,000. Funding: $5,800,000 is available in the Capital Budget of the Austin-Bergstrom International Airport.
De
Lead Department
Economic Development.
Fiscal Note
Funding in the amount of $5,800,000 is available in the Capital Budget of the Austin-Bergstrom International Airport.
For More Information:
Anthony Segura, Interim Director, Economic Development Department, (512) 974-3187; Matthew Schmidt, Acting Cultural Arts Division Manager, Economic Development Department, (512) 974-6415.
Council Committee, Boards and Commission Action:
January 13, 2025 - the Art in Public Places (AIPP) Panel approved the selection process recommendation for the Austin-Bergstrom International Airport Tunnel AIPP Project, naming Saya Woolfalk as the selected artist, Jean Shin as the first alternate, and Carolina Caycedo as the second alternate for the $5,800,000 commission. (Motion by Arts Commission Liaison Maldonado, second by Panel Member Shaer; approved 7-0-0).
January 27, 2025 - the Austin Arts Commission approved the selection process recommendation for the Austin-Bergstrom International Airport Tunnel AIPP Project, naming Saya Woolfalk as the selected artist, Jean Shin as the first alternate, and Carolina Caycedo as the second alternate for the $5,800,000 commission. (Motion by Commissioner Gray, second by Commissioner Garza approved 8-0-0, with Commissioner Keys and Commissioner Medicharla absent).
Additional Backup Information:
The Economic Development Department’s AIPP program is the City’s public art program funded from 2% of eligible capital improvement project budgets. AIPP and Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS) seek to commission artists or artist-led teams to design, fabricate, and install large to medium-scale interdisciplinary, mixed or multimedia artworks within AUS's Airport Expansion & Development Program. The sites for the opportunities were identified under Phase I of the AUS Arts Sites and Opportunities Plan and include 1) the AUS Tunnel that will connect the Airport's existing Barbara Jordan Terminal (BJT) and the future Concourse B, 2) the Concourse B-Tunnel Interface, and 3) the BJT-Tunnel Interface.
Phase I projects were solicited nationally via a Limited Entry Competition. A seven-member selection panel comprised of visual arts and design professionals was assembled to nominate up to ten artists each. A total of 37 eligible nominations were received from selection panelists. On October 17, 2024, eligible nominated artists were invited to submit qualifications for the three Phase I public art opportunities through www.publicartist.org. An online artist information meeting was held on October 25, 2024, to explain the parameters of the opportunities. The submission deadline was October 31, 2024. A total of 22 eligible applications were received.
On November 15, 2024, the selection panel reviewed the 22 eligible applications and recommended eight project finalists to interview. All of the finalists, except for one, accepted the invitation to interview. An online pre-interview meeting for the finalists was held on December 6, 2024.
On December 19 and 20, 2024, the selection panel heard interviews from the seven advancing finalists. Artist Saya Woolfalk was chosen as the recommended artist for the Tunnel, and artists Jim Campbell and Yvette Mayorga were chosen as the recommended artists for the two Interfaces. The selection panel also chose Jean Shin as the first alternate for the Phase I projects, and Carolina Caycedo as the second alternate.