In Slightly Smaller "Tunnel" News

The City of Seattle has put out a call to artists to create site-specific artwork that transforms the underpass at Mercer Street and Aurora Ave. into an "experience." (It will give Storm fans and theatregoers something to look at while waiting in the post-show rush back to the freeway.) Not a bad idea. 

The call is open to artists across the United States, so step it up Northwesterners! They're giving you a run for your money.

More info from the press release after the jump.

SEATTLE— The Seattle Office of Arts & Cultural Affairs, in partnership with Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT), seeks an artist to develop site-specific artwork for an expanded underpass at Mercer Street and Aurora Avenue.

The selected artist will develop artwork for a two-block area on Mercer Street that includes the underpass at Aurora Avenue/Highway 99 and the adjacent approaches east and west of the underpass.  The Office seeks an artist whose work will treat the underpass as an architectural environment and transform the underpass into a space to experience.

The call is open to professional artists residing in the United States. The total project budget is $335,000, all-inclusive of travel expenses, taxes and other project costs. The application deadline is Wednesday, August 25, 11 p.m. A link to the online application and guidelines is available at www.seattle.gov/arts.

The artwork will be located in the Mercer Street underpass and along the adjacent concrete walls. The selected artist will work with SDOT and SDOT consultants from design through construction of the new underpass. The artwork design will be complete in early 2012. Construction of the Mercer West project, including the installation of the artwork, will begin mid-2012.

Image: Not relevant to the Mercer underpass or this country whatsoever, but nice-looking all the same. Courtesy of geograph.org.uk.