Dakota Nature Park Public Arts Project

The Brookings Public Arts Commission, in partnership with the City of Brookings, SD, seeks an artist to develop, fabricate and install permanent outdoor artwork located at the Dakota Nature Park.

PROJECT DESCRIPTION 
The Brookings Public Arts Commission, in partnership with the City of Brookings, SD, seeks an artist to develop, fabricate and install permanent outdoor artwork located at the Dakota Nature Park.

The public art project is planned for an area where visitors will enter the driveway into the Dakota Nature Park.  The artwork should be highly visible within the surrounding park environment and serve as a marker or “gateway” drawing attention to the location of the Dakota Nature Park.  The artwork should also visually complement the overall aesthetic of being organic, inspired by nature, and belonging in the natural environment as reflected in nearby foliage and landscape features.

The completed work must be accessible to all by considering those with special needs, while meeting all requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act. Completed artwork must also be composed of the highest quality materials and constructed according to best practices to withstand the potentially harsh weather conditions of South Dakota.

PUBLIC ART SITE CRITERIA DETAILS:
Sculpture to be organic/nature-inspired image.
Sculpture maximum height of 12-14 ft. high.
Sculpture maximum size of 20-23 ft. 
Sculpture to be able to withstand 40-70 m.p,h, winds.
Sculpture able to withstand extreme weather temperatures of –30 to 100 degrees.
Consideration for lighting and base stability of sculpture.

BUDGET AND ARTIST RESPONSIBILITY:

The total project budget is $250,000 for artist fee, materials, fabrication, insurance, travel, transportation, shipping and installation costs. The total budget should also include engineering fees, excavation requirements, footings and electrical costs associated with the artwork. Although, depending on specific final artwork proposals, some site preparation, could be included in the overall Dakota Nature Park project construction budget.

PROJECT TIMELINE:

January 23, 2026:  Application Deadline for Sculpture Proposal

March 27, 2026:  Selection of Finalists and Notification

April 24, 2026:  Finalist Proposals Due

May 22, 2026:  Final Selection of Artist

June 30, 2027:  Installation of Artwork

APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS
Applications must include the following from each individual applicant and/or team member:
● Letter of Interest Include brief description of how completed past work may relate to the Dakota Nature Park project and/or a brief statement of possible approach to project. 
● 5 to 10 Images of Current or Completed Projects
● Image Identification List For each completed project image, include project location, overall scale description, date of completion and project budget. Past project budgets should be updated and relevant to current costs. For any previous projects completed as a team member, indicate artist’s role for each image submitted.  
● Professional Resume  
● Three References Include name, email address, and phone number.  References should have professional knowledge, or preferably experience working with the artist/designer. 
 

This call is open to all artists and/or artist teams living or working in the United States whose completed works reflect projects of similar scale and scope of the proposed Dakota Nature Park project.