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You will submit this application online using PublicArtist.org.
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| Budget: $100,000 |
| Activated: 10/26/2026 Deadline: 12/04/2026 |
| Call Summary The Phoenix Office of Arts and Culture seeks applications from professional artists for the Cultural Corridor Project. In 2023, the City of Phoenix Aviation Department received a $10 million Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) grant for the project. The Cultural Corridor Project was created as part of the Land Reuse Strategy at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport. |
| Budget Description The budget is not to exceed $100,000. This includes all costs related to the completion of the design, including but not limited to design development, regular coordination meetings with the project team, and oversight of the installation of the artwork. The selected artist may also be required to attend community outreach meetings (up to 6) facilitated by the Aviation Department. |
| Project Description The Phoenix Office of Arts and Culture is partnering with the Aviation Department to commission public artwork for the Cultural Corridor Project. In addition to Arts and Culture and Aviation, the project team includes the Street Transportation Department and various consultants for planning, outreach, engineering, design and historical interpretation. The artwork should offer a meaningful historical interpretation of specific sites within the project area while seamlessly integrating with the broader transportation, placemaking and wayfinding improvements. The selected artist will be responsible for designing the artwork, while fabrication and installation will be carried out by a city contractor as part of the Cultural Corridor Project construction. The artist will provide oversight throughout fabrication and installation to ensure the integrity of the design. The Cultural Corridor Project will consist of several elements such as creating ADA-compliant sidewalks, adding streetlights, adding protected bike lanes, deploying wayfinding elements and historic building/site markers, and public art. The main goals include stabilizing and strengthening neighborhoods, creating a sense of identity, and expanding economic opportunities. |
| Artwork Goals Public art for the project is conceptually addressed in the Land Reuse Strategy Cultural Corridor Framework study. Important cultural themes that artwork should consider include the Chicano Movement, contributions of Veterans from the area, Sacred Heart Church and its parishes (including Santa Rita), the historic neighborhoods and the impact of Sky Harbor Airport. Important historical figures that artwork should consider include Father Braun, Ann Ott, and John Wood Lewis. The goals for the public art project are to: • Celebrate local heritage through site responsive artwork that complements historical interpretation. • Enhance the user experience along the corridor and at key nodes, coordinating with wayfinding and mobility improvements. • Ensure durability and maintainability suitable for high use outdoor environments and airport adjacent contexts. |
| Artwork Location Description The Cultural Corridor Project area is generally the immediate area north and south of Buckeye Road between 7th Street on the west and Sky Harbor Circle on the east. It includes the historic Nuestro Barrio neighborhoods of El Campito, Cuatro Milpas and Ann Ott. Artwork will typically be located at specific historical sites and street intersections within the project area where existing rights-of-way space is available and/or vacant Aviation Department land is available. The project team is open to recommendations from the artist for additional artwork locations in coordination with other elements of the project like wayfinding signage and historic markers. |
| Eligibility Professional artists living in Arizona are eligible to apply. |
| Application Requirements |
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Resume: 2 page(s) maximum Work examples: 10 Letter of Interest: 300 word maximum Please describe your interest in this project, and relevant experience, especially as it relates to the artwork themes and project goals. References: 3 |
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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. |
| Selection Information |
| Selection Process A selection panel will be convened by Arts and Culture to review submissions received and make recommendations to the Phoenix Arts and Culture Commission. Members of the panel will include art and design professionals, subject matter experts, and community members. Non-voting advisors to the panel may include City staff and members of the project team. The panel will review the work of all applicants and may select finalists. The panel may choose to conduct interviews with the selected finalists before making a final recommendation to the Phoenix Arts and Culture Commission. After evaluating all submissions, the City, at the request of the selection panel, may ask some or all the applicants to submit supplemental information. |
| Selection Criteria During the evaluation process, applications will be scored using the following criteria: 1. Demonstrated artistic quality of previously completed artwork. 10 points 2. Experience completing projects of a similar scope and scale. 5 points 3. Potential to create an impactful design for this unique opportunity. 5 points |
| Timeline December 4, 2026 Deadline for artist submissions Mid December 2026 Selection panel review January 19, 2027 Arts & Culture Commission approval of selected artist February 17, 2027 City Council approval and award of contract February – July 2027 Artwork Design + Community Engagement TBD 2027/2028 Installation of artwork |
| Additional Resources |
| https://www.skyharbor.com/about-phx/cultural-corridor/ |
| Unnamed Resource (PDF) |
| Contact Information | Phoenix Office of Arts and Culture 200 W. Washington St, 10th floor Phoenix AZ 85003 United States 602-262-4637 arts.culture@phoenix.gov |
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