Applying to calls is ALWAYS FREE!
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You will submit this application online using PublicArtist.org.
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| Budget: $200,000 | ||||
| Activated: 10/16/2026 Deadline: 11/04/2026 |
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| Call Summary This open call invites professional artists, sculptors, graphic and industrial designers, architects, landscape architects, and multidisciplinary creative teams to submit qualifications to be considered for a permanent public artwork on a new firehouse commission. The selected artist or team will collaborate with municipal staff, stakeholder committees, and project architects to conceptualize, design, and integrate artwork into the facility’s exterior envelope. |
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| Budget Description The total project budget for the Public Art Project is $200,000. From this call for qualifications, three artists/artist teams will be compensated $1,000 each to develop and present community-specific concept proposals. |
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| Project Description This open call invites professional artists, sculptors, graphic and industrial designers, architects, landscape architects, and multidisciplinary creative teams to submit qualifications to be considered for invitation to develop a permanent public artwork on a new firehouse commission. The selected artist or team will collaborate with municipal staff, stakeholder committees, and project architects to conceptualize, design, and integrate artwork into the facility’s exterior envelope. |
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| Artwork Goals The goal of this project is to create a permanent installation that amplifies community identity, reflects regional character, and establishes a meaningful connection to place within a critical civic building. The selected artist/creative team will design, engineer and fabricate permanent exterior artwork at the new firehouse. Artists experienced in architectural integration are encouraged to apply. Painted murals are not appropriate for this project. |
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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 Letter of Interest: 200 word maximum A narrative detailing the applicant’s artistic vision, design philosophy, approach to public space integration, and relevant experience with comparable commissions. |
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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 dedicated Review Committee will select three (3) semi-finalists to receive a stipend and develop independent site-specific concept proposals during a subsequent Request for Proposals (RFP) phase. Following virtual concept presentations to the Review Committee, one final artist or creative team will be awarded the commission to finalize designs and coordinate integration. |
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| Selection Criteria The review committee will be evaluating submissions to this call based on the following criteria. +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. Also demonstrates an understanding of user experience and functional identity integration in public spaces. +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 Open Call Submittal Deadline: Nov 4, 2026 - 5:00pm Central time Judging Period: Nov 9-13, 2026 Short Listed Notifications: Nov 18, 2026 Invited Proposal Deadline: Jan 8, 2027 Artist Proposal Presentations: Jan 19, 2027 Fabrication and Installation: Summer 2028 |
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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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