Center for the Arts - 20th Anniversary | Major Outdoor Art Installation

Center for the Arts (“The Center”) in Jackson, Wyoming releases this Request for Qualifications (RFQ) in pursuit of a bold, imaginative, and enduring outdoor sculpture installation for The Center Park to celebrate our 20th anniversary in 2027. We seek works that capture the imagination through a strong connection to place, while inviting curiosity and engagement. Interactive elements are encouraged but not required. This opportunity is limited to the first 250 applicants, please consider applying early.

Information session via zoom, 2/6/2026 at 12:30 MST
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88146023672?pwd=axK1aS58YCGaV6uHHa5GLpV3iRVerN.1

Meeting ID: 881 4602 3672
Passcode: 021197

About Center for the Arts

For two decades, Center for the Arts has been the creative heartbeat of Jackson, Wyoming—a campus that provides a permanent home for the valley’s arts and cultural organizations and serves as a vibrant gathering space for community members. Our mission is to connect our creative community by providing a dedicated campus, supporting excellent programming, and nurturing a collaborative spirit. We are committed to ensuring creativity is accessible to all, regardless of background, identity, or ability.

About the Site

The Center Park is an expansive green space—formerly a high school football field—on the south side of The Center’s campus, framed by views of Snow King Mountain and steps from downtown Jackson. Works should complement, not constrain, the park’s flexible use for diverse summer events. The sculpture is meant to enhance these events and provide opportunities for further public engagement.

Center Campus Outdoor Installations

The Center campus has hosted a variety of outdoor installations over the past 20 years in different scales and locations, featuring local, regional, and national artists. Currently on view is Finders Keepers, a large-scale, site-specific willow-branch installation created by Patrick Dougherty with the help of community volunteers in the summer of 2022. A smaller-scale work on our Cache Street sculpture pad is Bixby the Elephant by HACER. Examples of past nationally-recognized artists include Matthew Day Jackson, Eduardo Navarro, Glenn Kaino, Anna Tsouhlarakis, Ati Maier, and James Luna. We also proudly feature the work of local and regional artists on our campus on a regular basis.

For this project, we are focused on The Center Park and anticipate the de-installation of the Patrick Dougherty sculpture in fall 2026 to make room for a new, prominent installation in 2027. More information is available on our website including Current Exhibitions as well as Past Exhibitions.

Project Details

One artist or team will be selected to create an outdoor installation unveiled in 2027 as part of The Center’s 20th anniversary celebrations. The work must be four-season durable, capable of withstanding mountain weather and heavy snow loads. The anticipated display term is three years (through 2030), although shorter-term and/or permanent proposals will also be considered. Ideas for community engagement opportunities and/or an artist residency program related to the piece are welcome. 

Project Goals

• Engagement: Encourage exploration and discovery through a visually compelling design.
• Beautification: Elevate The Center Park as a year-round canvas for creativity.
• Vibrancy: Add daily energy to The Center campus.
• Community Connection: Inspire interaction and shared experience.
• Durability: Withstand long mountain winters for multiple seasons.

Budget

Up to $150,000 (all-inclusive) to cover: artist fees, design, engineering, permits, fabrication, transportation, installation, equipment, insurance, travel, maintenance, de-installation (if temporary), and contingency. This may also be used for a temporary loan agreement for existing work. 

Selection Process

Jackson Hole Public Art, a Resident of the Center for the Arts campus and a key institutional partner, has been engaged as the Project Manager for this initiative. JH Public Art will manage a panel of Center representatives and external arts professionals to review submissions and select a group of finalists to submit formal proposals. Partner credentials, renderings, and additional materials may be requested from finalists at that time. An honorarium of $500.00 will be provided to all finalists for preparation of final materials.

The following criteria will be considered throughout this process:

• Artistic Vision & Mission Resonance
• Feasibility & Craftsmanship
• Site Responsiveness & Durability
• Community Engagement & Accessibility
• Budget Clarity & Schedule

Submission of qualifications does not constitute a commitment by The Center to commission an artwork, and The Center reserves the right to modify the scope, budget, or schedule of the project prior to contract execution.

Anticipated Timeline (Timeline subject to change)

• January 16, 2026 – RFQ issued
• February 6, 2026 – Virtual site visit hosted via Zoom for interested applicants
• March 1, 2026 – Submission deadline for SOQs
• March 20, 2026 – Finalists selected and notified
• April 2026 – Formal proposals requested from finalists (honorarium provided)
• April 30, 2026 – Final proposals due
• May 2026 – Finalist interviews; site visits conducted as needed
• June 2026 – Artist/artist team selected and contract awarded
• Fall 2026 – Pre-installation planning and permitting
• Winter 2026/Spring 2027 – Fabrication
• Spring/Summer 2027 – Installation
• September 2027 – Unveiling and community celebration

Cover Letter – brief expression of interest in this specific project and overview of relevant experience.

Resume & CV – background, qualifications, and contact information.

Work Samples – up to 10 examples of relevant past work with captions (title, year, materials, location)

References – contact information for up to three previous clients, collaborators, or commissioning entities.

Applicants should not submit detailed concepts or designs at this stage. Detailed proposals, including renderings, budgets, and technical plans, will be requested from select finalists only and will be supported by an honorarium.

Open to professional artists and artist-led teams who are legally able to work in the United States and who have demonstrated experience delivering outdoor public artworks of comparable scale, budget, and complexity. Applicants must show the capacity to successfully design, fabricate, and install a long-term outdoor work in a public setting—either through prior public art projects or through partnerships with qualified fabricators, engineers, or other specialists.

Multidisciplinary collaborations are welcome, including partnerships that integrate architecture, design, landscape, and community engagement expertise. The Center values and encourages proposals from artists of diverse identities, geographies, and cultural perspectives, and is committed to supporting equity and representation in public art.