Creative Placemaking & Public Art Consulting Services

The Essex County Land Bank (ECLB) and the North Country Rural Development Coalition (NRDC) are soliciting proposals for a multi-year creative placemaking and public art consulting services contract serving Ticonderoga and other Essex County communities. The primary objective is to lead a public art initiative focused on stabilizing blighted properties, promoting downtown revitalization, and supporting affordable housing goals. Qualified consultants will be expected to expand upon the success of the Walls Between Waters mural festival and implement a county-wide artistic intervention strategy. The full Request for Proposal (RFP) can be obtained by contacting Dr. Katie Long, Grant Programs Manager, via email or phone. Proposals are due by Monday, July 21, 2025, at 5:00 PM EST, with the official contract deadline set for July 23, 2025. The project is comprehensively funded through competitive grant programs, including NYS Homes & Community Renewal, NYS Council on the Arts, the Charles R. Wood Foundation, and the Essex County Arts Council.

The procurement opportunity explicitly encourages participation from Minority/Women-owned Business Enterprises (M/WBE)-certified and community-based firms. Specific participation goals include 20% MWBE participation, 10% Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Business contracting, and 10% Disadvantaged Owned Sub-Contracting. No service-disabled veteran-owned set-aside has been designated, and no business entities have been awarded identical or substantially similar procurement contracts within the past five years. The contract term remains to be determined (TBD), and the geographic scope encompasses all New York State counties, with a specific focus on Essex County. While a precise budget range is not specified, the project is fully funded through multiple competitive grant sources, suggesting meaningful financial support for the selected consulting partner. Interested consultants should carefully review the full RFP and prepare comprehensive proposals that demonstrate creative approaches to placemaking and public art initiatives.