Applying to calls is ALWAYS FREE!
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You will submit this application online using PublicArtist.org.
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| Budget: $90,000 | ||
| Activated: 10/16/2026 Deadline: 11/06/2026 |
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| Call Summary This open call for qualifications is looking for artists with experience creating outdoor public sculptures to develop a unique concept intended for installation at the driving entrance to a river kayak lunch in central Iowa. From this call, three artists will be invited to develop commissioned proposals. Artists at that time will be provided more details about the site, location, and stakeholder priorities for concept development. |
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| Budget Description Compensation for proposal development: $1,000 Awarded Budget: $90,000 Total budget to the awarded artist is comprehensive. All artist costs are to be allocated within this total amount, including materials, travel, lodging, artist fee, sub-contractor fees, insurance, and any other expenses incurred in the creation and installation of the work. |
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| Project Description This open call for qualifications is looking for artists with experience creating outdoor public sculptures to develop a unique concept intended for installation at the driving entrance to a river kayak lunch in central Iowa. From this call, three artists will be invited to develop commissioned proposals. Artists at that time will be provided more details about the site, location, and stakeholder priorities for concept development. One artist’s proposal will be selected for the commissioning of new work. |
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| Artwork Goals The goals for the art that results from this call’s process are to mark the entrance to the kayak launch site, become a visual landmark for the area, engage with the outdoor activities at the launch site in a unique and inspiring way, and more generally enhance the experience of living near and traveling through this area. This project will also include the intentional use of lighting. |
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| Artwork Location Description Location specifics along with visual references, site plans, and other details will be provided to the three artists selected from this call and invited to develop commissioned proposals. |
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| Site History Location specifics along with visual references, site plans, and other details will be provided to the three artists selected from this call and invited to develop commissioned proposals. |
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| Eligibility Must be living and working in the United States. Must have evidence of successfully completing an outdoor public sculpture with a budget over $15,000. Must demonstrate a history of producing long-lasting public artwork suitable for Iowa's outdoor environment. |
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| Application Requirements | ||
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Biography Resume: 1 page(s) maximum Work examples: 1 - 10 Artist Statement: 100 word maximum |
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Artists are allowed to apply in teams.
Artists applying as a team must split the allotted number of work examples between themselves. |
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| Additional Requirements | ||
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| Selection Information | ||
| Selection Process From this open call, a committee of stakeholders will review the submissions and invite three finalists to develop commissioned proposals. Those three artists will each present their proposals to the review committee who will then evaluate and select one proposal for implementation. |
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| Selection Criteria The review committee will be evaluating submissions to this call based on the criteria listed below. + Artistic Excellence & Display of Fundamentals + Exceptional craft, color usage, composition, and visual impact across past projects. + Conceptual Versatility + Past work shows strong conceptual responsiveness across a variety of compositions. Does not rely on a single, rigid formula. + Scale and Experience + Past work demonstrates experience managing projects of similar size, square footage, budgets, and physical complexity. + Professionalism of submitted materials + Paying close attention to things like documentation quality and general accuracy in response to each element of the submission. |
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| Timeline October 16, 2026 - RFQ Opens RFQ Closing Date Listed Above @ 5pm central time 2 Weeks: Review Committee Evaluates Submissions 1 Week: Three shortlisted artists and 2 alternates notified. Non-selected artists notified. 1 Week: Three shortlisted artists signed contracts due. 4 Weeks: Final concept submissions due. Artists present concepts to the review committee. 1-2 Weeks: Selected artist notified. |
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| Additional Resources | ||
| Contact Information | ||
| Alex Braidwood Artistic Director 1424 48th St Des Moines IA 50311 United States alex@groupcreatives.com 3135953155 |
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