Travis County --- Today, Travis County District Attorney José Garza and the Sexual Assault Community Advisory Board announced that they seek to commission an artist or artist team to work with survivors of sexual assault and other community advocates to create an art piece honoring survivors of sexual assault. The commissioned artist or artist team will work directly with local survivors to co-create this piece during a live community event. The completed piece will be installed at the Travis County District Attorney’s Office Ronald Earle Building (REB), located at 416 West 11th Street, Austin, TX 78701.
In June 2021, Travis County settled a landmark suit filed by a group of sexual assault survivors against former Travis County District Attorneys, the Travis County District Attorney’s Office, the Austin Police Department, the City of Austin, and Travis County.
This settlement committed the Travis County District Attorney’s Office, under the leadership of newly elected District Attorney José Garza, to undertake a series of significant reforms to improve the treatment of sexual assault survivors within the criminal justice system.
One condition of the settlement agreement was the “creation of a physical space or other visible honor/remembrance for Plaintiffs and other sexual assault survivors within the Travis County District Attorney’s Office.”
Interested artists can learn more about this opportunity, the project’s requirements, and instructions on how to submit a proposal at the following link BidSync, or by searching the current solicitations posted on the website of the Travis County Purchasing Office. https://www.traviscountytx.gov/purchasing/solicitation
“As part of the settlement, we agreed to make significant changes to how our office handles sexual assault cases to ensure that victims are heard, treated with dignity and respect, and receive the justice they deserve,” said Travis County District Attorney José Garza. “We are committed to supporting the creation of an art piece that will represent the courage and determination of sexual assault victims who fought for those reforms.”
“Our office is proud to partner with survivors and advocates to create a space and piece that will be created by and for survivors. I welcome our entire community to join us in honoring survivors and recognizing the harm and trauma that they have experienced,” said TCDAO Director of the Special Victims Unit Erin Martinson. “My hope is that this piece will serve as a permanent visual reminder of the harm that occurs in our community and an inspiration for Austinites to invest in addressing sexual violence.”
About the Jurors and Selection Process
The proposals will be evaluated by a committee of county staff, sexual assault survivors, and community advocates. The evaluation team is open to a wide range of ideas to be proposed by the respondent(s) and encourages artists to submit proposals that will become a lasting and meaningful space in the REB for years to come.
Artists who have been personally impacted by sexual violence are encouraged to apply.
The artist will be responsible for conceptualizing a piece that allows survivors from the community to contribute to it as a collective work during a live community event. The artist must outline where the final art piece will be installed at the REB building and how they will involve local survivors in its creation.
Applications will be accepted through January 4, 2023. Individuals interested in submitting a proposal are invited to visit the REB on Wednesday, November 30, 2022, at 10 am to examine the areas available for the remembrance space.
Important Dates
- Submission Deadline: January 4, 2023
- Pre-Bid Walk Through: Wednesday, November 30, 2022, at 10 am
Fee: There is no fee to submit proposals
Artwork Requirements
- Media: All media accepted
- New and original work: Artwork submissions must be original work created, in part, during a collaborative event with local sexual assault survivors and community members.
