Photo 1: This detail from a conceptual rendering from KZF Design and Hub+Weber Architects suggests how the public art installation (yet to be created) could fit into the space at Third and Russell streets.
Photo 2: Some of the “artifacts” saved from the IRS Flattop complex.
The Carnegie, CGN kick off competition for privately funded sculpture
COVINGTON, Ky. – Done right, engaging public art – especially when it’s commissioned for a specific space – gives communities identity and pride, establishes character and social cohesion, defies “blandness,” inspires creativity, and encourages interaction.
In short, it’s what separates interesting cities from “Generica.”
With those goals in mind, the City of Covington is taking the first bold step toward installing a landmark piece of art at a prominent location in the developing Covington Central Riverfront neighborhood, aka CCR.
But the City doesn’t want just any sculpture. It is aiming high.
So it’s partnering with the Carnegie Visual and Performing Arts Center, The Center for Great Neighborhoods, ArtsWave, and the Carol Ann and Ralph V. Haile, Jr. Foundation to hold a national design competition.
A formal request for proposals (RFP) – or more informally, an “Open Call to All Artists” – has been issued by The Carnegie and CGN and can be seen at Public Art Competition.
“From the very beginning, we have acted strategically and thoughtfully to create a 23-acre neighborhood at CCR that we hope will one day take its place among Covington’s renowned historic districts,” Economic Development Director Tom West said. “Public art will be a critical component of establishing the environment the people of Covington want, and we are engaging with the creative experts who can make that happen.”
A grant from The Carol Ann and Ralph V. Haile, Jr. Foundation will cover the costs of holding the competition, the artists’ fees, and the fabrication expenses.
Applications will be open until June 1. By July 1, organizers plan to select three to five finalists, who will receive a stipend to create more detailed drawings, 3D models, scale models, or other material to make the case for their proposal. According to the project’s timeline, a “winner” will be selected by Aug. 15 and the piece fabricated by Nov. 15 and installed by Nov. 30, weather permitting.
With electricity available, lighting can be incorporated into the design.
“Public Art is an exciting way to signal the intentions of a bold project like CCR,” said Matt Distel, The Carnegie’s executive director. “The Carnegie itself has proudly stood for many generations in Covington, and we intend for this project to serve future generations of this community.”
The 23-acre site, which sits just west of Madison Avenue, just north of Fourth Street, and a block south of the Ohio River floodwall, was home for over 50 years to a sprawling, one-story IRS paper processing facility that was Covington’s largest employer until being shuttered in 2019.
The City bought the property, demolished the building and parking lot, addressed environmental concerns, created a conceptual design for a mixture of uses – including housing, retail, office, recreation, a hotel, and an expanded convention center – subdivided the site and begin signing agreements with developers for various parcels, and is finishing up phase one of installing utilities and public infrastructure.
At one time a fenced-off “island,” the site will be reintegrated into surrounding neighborhoods and business districts via a restored street grid complete with sidewalks, alleys, and public spaces.
The successful proposal for the public art installation – which will live near the corner of the extended Third and Russell streets – will do one or more of these things:
- Use “artifacts” saved by the City from the IRS complex. Applicants can arrange to see the artifacts, which include insert signs, 6- and 9-inch metal letters, lights, clocks, the cornerstone, and metal guardrails.
- Incorporate the history of the site before the IRS complex opened in 1967 or the larger history of Covington itself.
- Highlight Covington’s identity and make the city’s 40,000+ residents feel acknowledged in the future of this area.
In the grant proposal to the Haile Foundation, The Center for Great Neighborhoods said the initiative “aligns with Covington’s redevelopment goals through its ability to transform underutilized spaces into more attractive and inviting meeting sites. Public art can serve as a landmark, a space to enhance community interaction, create civic engagement by sparking discussions, and has the ability to promote cultural expression.”
Shannon Ratterman, executive director of The Center, said the selection committee planned to incorporate community feedback into the selection to help foster or reflect community identify.
“It’s important to us that the selected project be something that resonates with the broader Covington community, so that there’s a sense of ownership and connection to the piece and to the CCR neighborhood in general,” Ratterman said. “Later this summer, we’ll offer opportunities for the public to view the finalists’ submissions and offer feedback about which one they would like to see selected as the winner.”
The selection committee will consist of representatives from The Carnegie, CGN, and the City, as well as regional arts professionals and local community and business leaders.
Questions about the RFP should be directed to publicart@thecarnegie.com. More about the 23-acre site, including its history and the City’s work to date, can be found at Covington Central Riverfront.
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