The City of Ocala Public Artist Roster

National open call for a list of qualified, professional visual artists, reviewed and approved by the Ocala Municipal Arts Commission, used as a reference by the city of Ocala for city, external organizations, and private entities for public art commissions. 

The City of Ocala Public Artist Roster is a pre-qualified list of professional visual artists that serves as a resource for public art selection and commission at the City and as a reference for external organizations and private entities. The Roster may be used in combination with an open call, invitational or as the sole resource for identifying appropriate artists/teams for select projects based on an expedited selection process, need for specific skillset, or a curated opportunity. For each project, the qualifications of the artists will be reviewed by the Ocala Municipal Art Commission (OMAC) and recommended for final approval by City staff.

Applications to the call are reviewed on the artist’s experience and portfolio. Previously accepted roster artists must reapply to remain on the Public Artist Roster.

There is no application fee.

Timeline:

• Application Deadline: April 27, 2026
• OMAC initial review of applications begin: June 5, 2026
• Accepted artists contacted no later than October 2026

Contact:
Emily Parkman, Cultural Arts Supervisor, City of Ocala Cultural Arts at artinfo@ocalafl.gov, 352-629-8447.

• Current contact information
• 8-10 images of separate selections of artworks (.jpg, .jpeg, or .png at 72 dpi minimum, uncompressed)
• Artwork information for each image in .docx or .pdf format (title, date, dimensions, medium, project cost/budget, commissioning agency, project timeline, timespan/life of the work if limited, location of work, and description of artwork concept)
• Artist’s Statement .docx or .pdf format (one page including artist focus, preferred medium and project types, and capability to meet project timelines and budgets)
• Artist Resume .docx or .pdf format (two pages maximum)
• 2-3 professional references

You are eligible to apply to the Public Artist Roster if you:

• Are a professional visual artist or an artist team/collective. (Teams of up to five artists may apply. Team members cannot apply as individual artists. If submitting as a team, portfolios should include works created by the team and not those of the individuals on the team.)
• Live in the United States or have the legal ability to work in the United States.
• Must be 18 years or older.
• Create public art or artwork well suited for public spaces and have experience creating public art in one of the following categories:

o   Public Art – for artists/ teams that create large scale murals or standalone works for the public environment that are permanent or temporary in nature and whose works possess the appropriate durability for the art’s lifespan.

o   Interactive/Media Arts – for artists/teams that focus on work that is either produced, modified, and/or transmitted by means of digital technologies, such as video/photography, monitor/LED screens, projections, virtual reality, augmented reality, sound installations, and locative media.

o   Integrated/Infrastructure – for artist/teams with design practices that can be integrated into a wide range of projects including building design, works integrated into City buildings, Public Works projects, and works incorporated into landscape design.

o   Creative Placemaking – for artists/teams that focus on engagement through personal interaction and/or ephemeral artwork which facilitates collaboration between artists, organizations, and communities. This category will serve as a resource for artist-driven community engagement that occurs during events, community building, or community planning events.