25 Mar Seattle seeks artist to develop artwork for King Street Station

The Seattle Office of Arts & Cultural Affairs, in collaboration with the Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT), seeks an artist or artist team to create a temporary, site-specific public art project for the new Jackson Street Plaza at King Street Station. The station is located in Seattle’s Pioneer Square neighborhood at South Jackson Street and Third Avenue South.

The selected artist/artist team will work with SDOT and the Office of Arts & Cultural Affairs to develop the temporary artwork. The artwork should enliven the space and offer passersby a new and energized view of the historic train station. Possible approaches may include projections or light, participatory or interactive artworks, and/or a temporary installation in the plaza.

The selected artist will develop the artwork in summer and fall 2011. The temporary artwork may be on view for a maximum of one year, but the duration may be shorter depending on the medium and concept of the artwork proposed. The project should be completed by summer 2012.

The opportunity is open to established professional artists living in Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, California, Alaska, or British Columbia, Canada. The application deadline is 11 p.m., Wednesday, April 27. The total project budget is $35,000, all–inclusive of travel expenses, taxes, and all project costs for design, fabrication/production, installation and removal of artwork. A link to the online application and guidelines is available at www.seattle.gov/arts.

Built between 1904 and 1906, King Street Station is now undergoing a $50 million renovation, including restoration of the building’s historic character and grandeur, upgrading facilities, and LEED Platinum building certification. The station plaza that opens onto Jackson Street is also being renovated and reopened to the public.  Amtrak long-distance rail, Sound Transit commuter rail and Amtrak intercity buses all serve King Street Station. The station offers convenient access to local and regional buses, Link Light Rail, and, in the future, the Seattle Streetcar.

King Street Station was built by the Great Northern and Northern Pacific railways and designed by Reed and Stem of St. Paul, Minn., the associate architects for Grand Central Terminal in New York City. The station was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1973.  In 2008 the city of Seattle purchased the building from the Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway Company.

Find more information about the King Street Station restoration at www.seattle.gov/transportation/kingstreet.htm/.