I. PROJECT SCOPE STATEMENT

The Ministry of Culture of Albania is pleased to announce an open call for public art works within the borders of Albania. This project aims to include art in public space as a means to make art a significant part of everybody’s everyday life.

The work of art in public space is an essential and undeniable expression of human development in our own habitat. It clearly creates a common cultural memory that is discussed, shared, experienced and inherited, and serves as a reference point for the identity of the city or locality in which it is built. Often on a large scale, it confirms the human and the community’s desire to directly relate with the work of art in public, outside the museum and beyond.

Art in public space plays an influential role in drawing in cultural tourism and attracting public or private investors, local or foreign, endeavouring to harmonize a country’s social and cultural core with its economic development. The transformative effect of art is felt even more deeply through encounters with it in locations and sites where it is least expected to be discovered-in sudden and surprising places, outside the routine context of the museum and other locations where people are accustomed to seeing art. In such unexpected locations, the power of art is conveyed instantly.

The Albanian Ministry of Culture (MK) sees the integration of art in public spaces as an expression of human creativity that enlivens public areas and unites different cultures and communities. Therefore, the Ministry of Culture, working in cooperation with the Inter-Institutional Working Group composed of specialists from MEI (the Ministry of Infrastructure and Energy), ARRSH (the Albanian Road Authority), AKPT (the National Agency for Territorial Planning), and MSHMS (Ministry of Health and Social Protection) within the scope of this project, proposes 18 (eighteen) public locations, mainly sited in interurban infrastructure, distributed over a vast territory stretching from the North to the South of Albania, as an opportunity to enrich communities through public art and artistically redesign the space surrounding this art’s display.

Therefore, under the Article 27 of Law no. 10 352, dated 18.11.2010 “On Art and Culture” (amended); the Decision of the Council of Ministers no. 306, dated 11.5.2022, “On the Procedures Followed for Financing Artistic Projects”, as well as in support of the strategic policies of the Albanian Government for the development of culture and shared heritage through art in all its forms, the Albanian Ministry of Culture announces this open call as the “Edition I” of the International Competition “Art in Public Spaces”, for the year 2022. Artists can choose from the attached list of the proposed public spaces. This vast project is planned to develop over several editions to build works in all the proposed territories-authored by various contemporary artists, Albanian and international-so that each location will have a unique, identifying, and attractive art piece for the public, but especially for the community in which it is built.
II. MAIN OBJECTIVES

a. Strengthening the role and importance of culture in the national development as a dynamic, challenging, free and independent force based on freedom of expression.
b. Promoting a vibrant, accessible public artistic heritage that is conserved, utilized and developed.
c. Promoting and strengthening the role of the artist in Albanian society; in developing the public’s involvement and its critical perspective in aesthetic and creative discussions, broadening the public’s opinion on artistic expression, as well as its role in analyzing phenomena involving society, cultural values and the relationship between us and the world.
d. Promoting diversity and artistic quality in the country as an expression of the progress of our society.
e. Supporting the art scene.
f. Promoting contemporary public art with particular attention to society’s access to everyday culture, especially for children and youth.
g. Strengthening local identity through cultural policies.
h. Identifying public spaces through art to increase tourist attraction and, consequently, to positively impact the local economy.
i. Attracting public and private investors.
j. The additional economic development of the area and the surrounding region through art.
k. Promoting of Albania on the international stage through contemporary art in public spaces.

III. MANNER AND DURATION OF PUBLICATION OF INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION

a. Artists can apply for the international competition “Art in Public Spaces” via e-mail: art.publik@kultura.gov.al, or by sending an application packet by registered delivery to the Ministry of Culture, at the following address: Rr. “Aleksandër Moisiu”, Nr. 76, former Kinostudio “Shqipëria e Re”, Tirana, Albania, until 19.08.2022, 14:00 hrs, as per the deadlines made public in the open call.
b. At the concept note application stage, all documents in a language other than English should be accompanied by an English translation (notarised translation not required).

Note: All applicants must submit their project idea and other accompanying material in one parcel/file under the heading “Art in Public Spaces. Albania 2022”)

IV. TASK DESIGN

a. The open call for the international competition “Art in Public Spaces” has been announced for 18 (eighteen) public spaces in the Republic of Albania, allowing the freedom for applicants to choose one of the locations among the 18 sites. Click here

b. Artists are free to select the proposed locations or public spaces.
c. We emphasize that this project is foreseen to develop over several editions in order to fully incorporate all the proposed spaces; projects will be judged based on site efficiency and on artistic and technical quality.
d. This competition is based according to Article 27 of Law no. 10 352, dated 18.11.2010 “On Art and Culture” (amended), and the Decision of the Council of Ministers no. 306, dated 11.5.2022, “On the Procedures Followed for Financing Artistic Projects”.

V. PHASE I

CHECKLIST OF DOCUMENTS TO BE SUBMITTED BY ARTISTS PARTICIPATING IN THIS COMPETITION

The organisers encourage applications from all visual artists, professionals and freelancers (architects and designers) who have a recognised professional profile; comparable artistic experiences; participation in public, contemporary and public art exhibitions; and experience in creating significant, permanent and urban scale works.

a. Artists can apply individually or in groups;
b. Artists must have practised their profession according to their professional profile;
c. Artists must submit an “Expression of Interest” statement to enter the international competition “Art in Public Spaces. 2022”.
d. The artist/s must submit their bio/cv as well as a portfolio of works where at least 2 (two) artworks comparable in size and scope, built and completed, are presented;
e. The submission of the project’s idea and the initial draft/maquette of the work, as well as all accompanying materials, based on this open call, must contain:
– The concept of the project.
– The concept presented graphically, visually.
– A draft maquette of the proposed work.
– A description of the materials to be used for the work’s construction, specifying their material strength and resistance.
– The placement of the artwork.
– The project idea for organising and structuring the surrounding environment (conceptual project idea/landscape project idea).
– The visual representation of the work should be realized through at least one of the following methods: drawings; renders; maquette/s; animation, photomontage, or other alternative forms of representation.)
– A description of the stages of realization and implementation of the work
– A preliminary draft budget must be presented and should include the following: the artist/s fee, the final production cost of the work, its transport, construction and infrastructure work (if applicable) necessary for its placement, the required labour (landscape design) of the surrounding environment, and any other items considered necessary by artist/s, according to the specifics of the proposed project.
– A schedule for the completion of the work. The implementation of the work/s will have to be completed by the end of 2022.

f. All applicants must submit a signed statement ascribing and defining the copyright/authorship of the project proposal (maquette) as presented in the application for this competition, based on the current Albanian law on copyright. click here

g. The artist/s can apply for 3 (three) project/ideas to 3 (three) different locations based in the proposed list of sites public spaces.

NOTES:

a. Each application will be reviewed and rated on the qualification and evaluation criteria listed in Phase I.
b. A jury of 5 (five) prominent national and international personalities in arts and culture will select the best project ideas from the list of all the qualified artists to participate in Phase I.
c. Those artists qualifying for Phase II will be notified to submit the required additional documentation for their proposal within 15 calendar days.

VI. PHASE II
CHECKLIST OF ADDITIONAL DOCUMENTS TO BE SUBMITTED BY ARTISTS SELECTED TO ENTER PHASE 2 OF THE COMPETITION

a. Given the requirements set for the realization of public works, as noted in the subject reference for this competition, the artists must include experts and professionals qualified for intervention in public space in their working team.
b. Each of the participating artists must declare in the entry application the inclusion in their group (team) of specific professional experts, particularly in the following categories:
– Architect: whose role is to analyse the details of contextual, factual, infrastructural, and physical conditions and those of the existing urban landscape, as well as the risk factors in the context of Article 23 of the Road Code of the Republic of Albania, according to the recommendations of ARRSH. They also evaluate the ecological and socio-cultural impact of any urban interventions that are part of the work.
– Structural Engineer: whose role is to analyse the configuration of the existing physical and dynamic conditions, the geological and infrastructural characteristics, the risk factors in view of the Road Code of the Republic of Albania, and to follow the recommendations of ARRSH to ensure the structural stability (load-bearing capacity) of the artwork.
– Electrical Engineer: whose role is to analyse the electrical infrastructure conditions, the risk factors in view the Road Code of the Republic of Albania, and to follow the recommendations of ARRSH to ensure the lighting and illumination of the artwork.
– Hydrotechnical Engineer: (if required), whose role is to analyse the hydro-technical and infrastructural conditions, the risk factors in view of the Road Code of the Republic of Albania, and to follow the recommendations of ARRSH to ensure the hydro-technical requirements for installing the artwork are met.
– The carrying out of construction works and the artwork’s installation must be performed by a specialized company responsible for construction and safety, both during and after installation.
– This company must provide legal documentation for operating activity in their specialised field.
c. In the case of international artists:
– Every international applicant/team is recommended to enter into a partnership with a partner/team operating within the Republic of Albania in order to ensure practical technical support and consulting.
d. At this stage, the artists should attach in their application the Full Technical Project for the Implementation of the Work, which, besides other suggested artistic improvements, it should also include:
– Architectural Project / Detailed Plan for the Placement of the Work
– Environmental configuration project; (redesign of the space where the artwork will be placed – design of the surrounding landscape)
– Constructive project
– Engineering-geologist project;
– Electrical Project (Concept of Lighting for the Work) (if necessary)
– Hydrotechnical project (if necessary, depending on the artistic proposal and concept).
e. A detailed description of the stages of realization of the artwork; Methodology of Work Development.
f. Technical and advisory references on the maintenance of the work over time and possible interventions related to its potential restoration if necessary.
g. Schedule of completion and realisation of required tasks until the work’s full implementation.
h. The total cost of the realization of the artwork must be detailed based on the general estimate of all works, including the artist’s fee.
i. A declaration/statement from the artist/s asserting their engagement in the realization and production/physical construction of the artistic work, from conception until the moment of its placement in its authorized public space; click here

j. A declaration/statement from the artist/s asserting their availability for the maintenance of the artwork over a 2-year period, from the moment of its placement, in case of damage; click here

NOTES:

a. All artists must submit cooperation agreements between partners and collaborators in the artistic creation and with those entity/ies responsible for the construction and safety of the artwork during and after installation.
b. Cooperation agreements between:
– All artists with each other in partnership cases;
– The Artist, with the “architect”;
– The Artist, with the “civil/structural engineer.”
– The Artist, with the “electrical engineer.”
– The Artist, with the “hydro-technic engineer.”
c. The Artist, with a company specialising in the construction and installation of comparable works.
d. The artist’s fee, allocated for the artistic quality of the project winner, will be 700,000 ALL.
e. The winning artist/s of the “Art in Public Space” competition must sign a document stating that all the rights of the artwork based on the Albanian Law no. 35/2016 “On copyright and other related rights” are transferred and become the property of the Albanian state.
f. For works and constructions built according to the contextual conditions of public access and cost-effective, all technical projects will be subject to inspection as per requirements of Law no. 120/2020 “On some changes and additions to Law no. 8402, date 10.9.1998, “On the control and regulation of construction works”, amended.
Article 6.1 states: The design review and assessment for the construction projects of the proposed facilities is performed by state institutes or other entities selected by the Ministry that covers the construction process for all of the following:
a) public constructions;
b) non-public constructions, with a draft cost to build of at least 100 (one hundred) million ALL;
c) facilities with public access.

VII. EVALUATION CRITERIA

a. Project ideas based on the artistic value of the work as stated in the open call;
b. The technical capacities provided through agreements with the contractors that describe the technology, the space, the human resources at their disposal and the means available for the accomplishment of the submitted project.
c. The lowest price offered in relation to the quality of the project idea.
d. The deadline for completing the work according to the time schedule presented by the artist/s without differing from their original proposal.

VIII. THE WINNING ARTIST/S ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR:

a. The realization and physical production of the artwork, according to the plan provided, until its placement in the approved location.
b. Maintaining contact with representatives from the Ministry of Culture, informing the Ministry of Culture about the development of the work, and ensuring that the process goes according to plan until its installation.
c. Installation of the completed work before the end of 2022.
d. In case of damage, maintenance of the artwork for 2 (two) years from the moment of its placement in the approved location, liaising with the Ministry of Culture.
e. Periodic reports from the beneficiary to the cooperating entity that will build and install the work during the entire process.

IX. INSPECTION

a. The final work is inspected and acquired by the Ministry of Culture.

X. ADMINISTRATIVE COMPLAINT PROCEDURE.

a. Against a disqualification decision, the plaintiff/s have the right to submit an appeal to the Minister responsible for Art and Culture within 5 (five) days from the date of notification of the disqualification decision.

⮚ The non-winning artist/s who have submitted physical draft copies/maquettes to the Ministry of Culture must arrive within a 15-day deadline to collect their proposal/s.

Questions/Answers for this Competition Click Here