Esperanza Park Roundabout Public Art

The City of Cathedral City, California, and the Cathedral City Public Arts Commission invites artists to create a sculpture for the entryway roundabout in the city’s newest public space, Esperanza Park.  

Artists with demonstrated experience in creating public art, particularly in community-based or culturally relevant contexts, are encouraged to apply. Artists who have a meaningful connection to communities that have experienced disinvestment or who identify with the values reflected in the themes of resilience, transformation, and hope are especially encouraged to submit qualifications.

Emerging artists with strong portfolios and a clear interest in public art will also be considered.

About Cathedral City

Nestled in the heart of the Coachella Valley, Cathedral City is a vibrant and culturally rich community centrally located between two of Southern California’s major metropolitan areas—just 107 miles east of Los Angeles and 123 miles northeast of San Diego. Framed by breathtaking desert landscapes and dramatic mountain vistas, Cathedral City is known for its inclusive spirit, artistic energy, and strong sense of place. The city is home to a diverse and dynamic population, with a proud majority Hispanic community that deeply influences the local culture, traditions, and public life. Cathedral City also lies on the reservation lands of the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians, whose ancestral presence and ongoing stewardship contribute to the area’s historical and cultural depth. As a community that values creativity, heritage, and connection, Cathedral City offers a uniquely inspiring canvas for artists to share their vision and help shape a more vibrant public realm.

About the Project

The Public Arts Commission invites artists to create a sculpture for the entryway roundabout in the city’s newest public space, Esperanza Park.  Esperanza Park is a new 7.5 acres park featuring children’s play areas, shaded picnic spaces, fitness equipment, sports fields, basketball courts, a dog park, and connectivity to the regional CV Link, a regional multi-modal trail system.    The park’s opening was the culmination of a community-driven effort, years in the making, bringing a vital recreational space to a previously underserved neighborhood, locally known as the Dream Homes community. The name Esperanza meaning “hope” in Spanish, reflects the community’s vision for this vibrant new gathering space.  The public art installation will be located in the roundabout at the park’s main entrance. 

This past May, staff facilitated a bi-lingual discussion with residents seeking input on the neighborhood’s ideas for this public art piece.  The residents shared their ideas on what they would like the piece to represent which included the themes of resilience, rising from the ashes, transformation, metamorphosis, growth, regeneration, rebirth, safety, and inviting for all children.  The residents also shared some of their ideas on imagery that accompanied these themes which included children with flowers, police officer with boy and girl, butterfly with rainbow colors, rainbow after the rain, big butterfly with children underneath it/looking at it, butterfly coming out of a cocoon.  Lastly, staff sent out coloring sheets to the neighboring elementary school and asked the students to share their ideas for the art piece.  Samples of the student artwork is attached https://www.cathedralcity.gov/exhibits.  These concepts should serve as inspiration in the development of the artistic vision for this piece rather than a limiting factor.

 A recent article about the park opening is available here:

https://www.nbcpalmsprings.com/2025/08/03/esperanza-park-opens-in-cathedral-city-bringing-hope-to-dream-homes-neighborhood

Site Description

Esperanza Park is located at 30610 San Diego Drive in Cathedral City. The 7.53-acre park is uniquely situated on a narrow strip of land bordered by the Dream Homes neighborhood on one side and the Whitewater River Channel with the Coachella Valley Link (CV Link), a regionl multi-modal trail on the other. Because of the site’s linear shape ranging from just five (5) feet wide at both ends to approximately two hundred twenty (220) feet at its widest point in the middle, all amenities were thoughtfully arranged in collaboration with community members. The result is a park layout that accommodates a variety of recreational features, including a futsal field, basketball courts, fitness stations, and more.

Because the site has no direct street frontage, park access presented a unique challenge. To address this, three vehicular and pedestrian entrances were created from the Dream Homes neighborhood. Visitors may enter from parking lots at Mia Place or Chia Place, or from the new central driveway, which features a roundabout and center planter, which is the optimum location for the future public art installation.  Exhibit B  https://www.cathedralcity.gov/exhibits

SELECTION PROCESS

Shortlist Selection and Ranking

 1.      PASS/FAIL Review. Staff will initially review each application for completeness.  Complete applications will be reviewed by the Public Arts Selection Committee and those that receive a pass rating from a majority of the panel will then be scored and ranked. Applications that are incomplete will be rated as fail and will not advance in the review process.

 2.      Ranking. For each application that receives a pass rating from a majority of the Committee, each evaluation criterion will be scored. After totaling the scores for all criteria, the Committee will select up to three (3) artists (shortlist) to develop a design proposal, create a maquette, and present their concept. All artists selected to present their proposals to the Public Arts Selection Committee will be awarded an honorarium of $1,000, inclusive of all associated expenses.

 Pre-Proposal Conference Call

Following the final shortlist selection, city staff will hold a mandatory conference call to give finalists further details and instructions. This call will also serve as an opportunity to ask any questions. Please note that the date and time for the conference call are tentative (refer to the timeline below).

 Finalist Selection

1. Presentation – Shortlisted finalists will develop and present to the selection committee one (1) conceptual art design proposal. Finalists will have the option to present to the Committee either in person or virtually. All proposals must address the art design goals. Each artist will have thirty (30) minutes to present the concept to the Public Arts Selection Committee followed by questions from the Committee.
2. Finalist Submission: A complete submission must include all of the following or may result in disqualification.  These documents will only be required if artist is one of the finalists selected.

 a.    Conceptual Design Drawings/Renderings – Include artwork dimensions and proposed placement within the roundabout.

 b.    Narrative: Include title, medium, and concept

 c.    Proposed Timeline – Include the following milestones:

• Design Development
• Construction Documents/Engineering
• Fabrication
• Transport/Logistics
• Installation

 d.    Itemized Project Budget Estimate – Include anticipated costs for all phases of the project.

• Artist’s fees, design, engineering, materials, fabrication, transportation, insurance, etc.

 e.    Material Description – List all materials to be used and explain their durability in extreme weather.

 f.     Fabrication Plan – Indicate whether artist will self-fabricate the artwork or contract with a third party. Regardless of fabrication method, the artist must maintain creative and quality control throughout the process and remain the primary point of contact with the city. If contracting, please:

• Name the fabricator
• Describe their qualifications
• Explain your oversight role in the process

 g.    Lighting Details (if applicable) – Include wattage, lumens, and color temperature of any proposed lighting.

 h.    Foundation Design – Provide a general explanation of the foundation concept and confirm your ability to have a California-licensed Professional Engineer review, approve the design and structural calculations, and communicate with the Public Works Department.

 i.      Maintenance Plan – Describe any anticipated maintenance requirements and cost.

 Selection Criteria

The selection criteria are as follows:

• Resident of the United States (pass/fail)
• Artist’s work samples provide evidence of understanding of craft and successful collaborative work on large-scale public art projects.
• Proposed artwork exhibits artistic merit, quality, and innovative design.
• Proposed artwork is aligned with the vision of the project
• Proposed artwork is appropriate to site size and materials.
• Proposed artwork meets all requirements of this Request for Qualifications.
• Safety of proposed artwork is approved by the City’s Public Works Department.
• Artwork is easily maintained including minimal fading of colors and not easily vandalized
• Professional references

A community engagement survey and public meeting will be conducted to gather local input for consideration by the Public Arts Commission. From the three shortlisted proposals, the Public Arts Commission will recommend one finalist to the City Council. The Council will review public feedback and the Committee’s recommendation before approving the final artist. The selected artist must then execute the City’s Agreement (draft available upon request).

Project Budget

The budget for this project is $100,000. The selected artist or artist team will be responsible for the design, engineering, fabrication, transportation, and oversight of the installation. The available budget must cover all artists’ expenses including artist fees, taxes, insurance, materials, tools, travel, expense contingency, and other associated costs. Installation, uplighting costs, and permit fees will be covered by the city.

 Application Deadline

 Applications must be received via www.callforentry.org by Thursday, November 6, 2025, at 11:59 p.m. (Mountain Standard Time)

 Submittal Timeline (subject to change at the City’s discretion)

Application Requirements

All applicants must provide the following materials:

 1.    Artist Qualifications

a.    Current Resume

• (maximum three pages per artist) – Include relevant public art experience.

b.    Letter of Interest

• Express your interest in the project and how your experience and artwork demonstrate your ability to meet the design goals of this project.

c.    Professional References (Name, Title, Organization, Phone, Email):

• One client who can verify the successful completion of at least one public art project
• wo additional professional references (not the same as the client above).

2.    Work Samples

a.    Five to ten high resolution images of relevant, comparable completed work.

• File Types:  JPG, PNG, 300dpi/15MB max

b.    Image list – Identify each uploaded image by file name and include:

• Title
• Medium
• Completion date
• Dimensions (H x W x D)
• Budget
• Location

 3.    Project Proposal - ONLY REQUIRED OF SELECTED FINALISTS

a.    Conceptual Design Drawings – Include artwork dimensions and proposed placement within the roundabout.

b.    Itemized Project Budget Estimate – Include anticipated costs for all phases of the project.

c.    Proposed Timeline – Indicate how long the work would take from contract execution to installation.

d.    Material Description – List all materials to be used and explain their durability in extreme weather.

e.    Fabrication Plan – Indicate whether artist will self-fabricate the artwork or contract with a third party. If contracting, please:

·         Name the fabricator

·         Describe their qualifications

·         Explain your oversight role in the process

f.     Lighting Details (if applicable) – Include wattage, lumens, and color temperature of any proposed lighting.

g.    Foundation Design – Provide a general explanation of the foundation concept and confirm your ability to have a California-licensed Professional Engineer review, approve the design and structural calculations, and communicate with local utility agency.

h.    Maintenance Plan – Describe any anticipated maintenance requirements.

 Artwork Design, Safety, and Durability Requirements

 1.    Sculpture Height – Single Work: Sculpture installed at the center of the roundabout must be between 9 feet and 15 feet tall.

2.    Sculpture Height – Multiple Works: If proposing multiple sculptures, each piece must be between 9 feet and 15 feet tall to remain within the roundabout’s designated breakaway zone.

• Workable Area: The planter area is 12 feet in diameter. The workable area is 10 feet in diameter to allow for hardscape, irrigation and electrical installations. Exhibit C  https://www.cathedralcity.gov/exhibits
• Design Approach: Artwork should be designed “in the round”, meaning it looks complete and engaging from all angles.

3.    Site Grading: The roundabout is graded flat. The top-of-curb elevation varies by less than 0.1 feet in any direction (north, south, east, or west).

4.    Foundation Restrictions: The foundation must remain within the planter limits. Current underground utilities within the planter include irrigation and electrical conduits that can be removed or relocated to serve the future art sculpture. It is recommended the foundation not exceed 10 feet in diameter to allow for hardscape, irrigation and electrical installations. See Exhibit C for the location of the existing irrigation/electrical lines. Some areas of the roundabout are unavailable for foundations due to underground utilities. Coordination with local utility agencies will be required. These areas are identified in Exhibit C.

5.    Driver Safety: Artwork must not distract drivers or create disorientation. Highly reflective materials are discouraged.

6.    Visibility: The sculpture must maintain clear sightlines for drivers and pedestrians. It must enhance, not compromise, site safety.

7.    Scale and Detail: Artwork should be bold enough to capture the attention of drivers but not so intricate that it requires close viewing or prolonged inspection.

8.    Materials: Artwork must be made from durable, permanent outdoor materials that are:

• Safe for public environments
• Low maintenance
• Proven effective in similar public art installations

12. Weather Resistance: The sculpture must withstand extreme desert conditions, including:

• High winds
• Intense sun
• Summer temperatures over 110°F. Artists are encouraged to research materials and colors for proven desert durability.

16. Security: Artwork must be designed to discourage theft, graffiti and vandalism.

17. Public Appropriateness: Artwork must be suitable for all ages.

18. Breakaway Design: Sculptures must include breakaway connections (e.g., bolts) between the sculpture and its foundation to meet traffic safety standards.

19. Pedestrian Activity: The roundabout is not intended for pedestrian access. Interactive features and designs that encourage people to stop or take selfies are discouraged.

20. Prohibited Features: Water elements and kinetic (moving) features are not allowed.

How to Apply

Interested artists or artist teams must apply through the project listing on www.CallForEntry.org.

 Additional Information

For additional information on this project, please contact Anne Ambrose at  760-770-0331, or via email at publicartscommission@cathedralcity.gov

All exhibits are available at https://www.cathedralcity.gov/exhibits

 Applicants must be 18 years of age or older.

 Artists with demonstrated experience in creating public art, particularly in community-based or culturally relevant contexts, are encouraged to apply. Artists who have a meaningful connection to communities that have experienced disinvestment or who identify with the values reflected in the themes of resilience, transformation, and hope are especially encouraged to submit qualifications.

 Emerging artists with strong portfolios and a clear interest in public art will also be considered.