Selection Process

Local Choice

In a state as large and as geographically and culturally diverse as Florida, artwork that fits an urban or university setting may be very different from what is appropriate for a more rural environment.

Therefore, an important aspect of the Art in State Buildings program is local choice. Individual local committees choose the artwork for each new facility, focusing on quality, durability and appropriateness to the site. As a result, Florida’s collection of art is admirably varied with a wide range of styles, media and subject matter.

Project Committees

• Determine sites for artwork
• Views submissions, presentations and proposals
• Selects artist or artwork

The Art Selection Committees are composed of the architect, the project director, the ASB program administrator, local visual art experts, and representatives from the agency or university that will occupy the facility. They select artworks of the highest quality that are appropriate to the site and the nature of the agency, while also addressing the issues of safety, permanence, maintenance and value. To ensure fairness, all committees follow an open and consistent selection process that relies on an initial "blind" or anonymous review of submitted artwork.

Selection Meetings

Art selections are made through three public meetings:

• Orientation Meeting where the project's art selection committee evaluates the facility's function and design, makes preliminary decisions about artwork and its integration, and decides how to solicit interested artists.
• Image Review Meeting at which artists are selected to make presentations to the committee or finalists are selected for proposals and/or existing artworks are selected for purchase.
• Presentation or Proposal Review Meeting.

Projects with large art allocations may require more meetings while the process for projects with small allocations may be condensed. Before artwork is purchased or commissioned, the Florida Arts Council reviews each project to see that the art selection process has been completed in compliance with the statute and rules for the program.

Each state agency and university appoints an ASB Program Administrator who guides the committees and facilitates the art selection process for their construction projects. These individual ASB Program Administrators receive advice and training from the Art in State Buildings Progam Manager on staff at the Division of Cultural Affairs.

More detailed information about the art selection process can be found in the new ASB Handbook, which serves as a general guide to procedural and administrative steps. A link to the Handbook will be provided here soon.