New Mexico Blue Bus Shelter Art - Call for Artists

The Art in Public Places Program of New Mexico Arts at the NM Department of Cultural Affairs (NMDCA), in collaboration with the Art in Transit Program (AITP) of the North Central Regional Transit District (NCRTD) seek to hire 9 artists to create digital artwork to be printed and installed to perforated steel panels for 3 Blue Bus bus shelters across Northern New Mexico. Selected artists will create original works of art, digitize and submit to the Art in Transit Committee for review and approval. Artwork should showcase each community, the local culture and connections while highlighting the cultural homelands and use of local landscapes, agricultural practices, diversity of lifeways, traditions, landmarks and languages. Artists should incorporate their lived experience and connections to the community. Chosen artists will be commissioned to create a digital artwork or digitize non-digital artwork to fit a 2 or 3 panel bus shelter. All printing, installation will be handled by NCRTD.

AIPP Mission Statement 

The Art in Public Places (AIPP) program enriches New Mexico’s public spaces through an innovative and diverse public art collection. Since its inception in 1986, the program has placed more than 3,000 works of art in all of New Mexico’s 33 counties. Our goal is to reflect the diversity of the arts in New Mexico, the Southwest, and the nation while building a dynamic public art collection for the State of New Mexico. 

Through a fair and open public process, committees made up of local and regional representatives work with New Mexico Arts staff to select artwork for their communities. The Art in Public Places program then commissions large-scale projects that are designed for integration directly into the architecture or landscape of a given site, or the program purchases existing original artwork to be placed in or around public buildings permanently or on loan.

Project Intent 

The Art in Public Places Program of New Mexico Arts at the NM Department of Cultural Affairs (NMDCA), in collaboration with the Art in Transit Program (AITP) of the North Central Regional Transit District (NCRTD) seek to hire 9 artists to create digital artwork to be printed and installed to perforated steel panels for 3 Blue Bus bus shelters across Northern New Mexico. Selected artists will create original works of art, digitize and submit to the Art in Transit Committee for review and approval. Artwork should showcase each community, the local culture and connections while highlighting the cultural homelands and use of local landscapes, agricultural practices, diversity of lifeways, traditions, landmarks and languages. Artists should incorporate their lived experience and connections to the community. Chosen artists will be commissioned to create a digital artwork or digitize non-digital artwork to fit a 2 or 3 panel bus shelter. All printing and installation will be handled by NCRTD and subcontractors.  

Each bus shelter panel measures approximately 53” x 77”. Three bus shelters in total in Taos, Española, and Santa Fe. Two bus shelters have 2 panels, one bus shelter has 3 panels. One artist will be selected per bus shelter.

Guiding themes for artwork:

·         Connection to local culture and community

·         Highlight local cultural homelands and use of local languages, landscapes, and agricultural practices

·         Showcase the diversity of our lifeways, traditions, and landmarks

·         Communicate your lived experience

Blue Bus bus shelters are experienced by the local public, school children, residents, users/riders, and passersby.

Please CLICK HERE to download a PDF of images and additional bus shelter information including measurements and basic schematics/drawings.

Project Amount 

Artists will be paid $5,000 per completed artwork (digital file approximately 53” x 77”, file size/dpi resolution requirements will be provided to finalists selected). This amount includes all fees and expenses associated with the project, e.g., materials, equipment, labor, taxes, and travel. 

Selection Process and Criteria 

The Art in Transit Committee is made up of representatives from across Northern New Mexico including Rio Arriba County, Santa Fe County, Taos County, Los Alamos, Ohkay Owingeh, and Taos Pueblo. Under the guidance of an AIPP Project Coordinator, the Art in Transit Committee is responsible for prospectus development, submission review, finalist selection and ultimately selecting the final artists/artworks to be printed and installed at the bus shelters.

The selection criteria shall include, but is not limited to: 

• The qualifications of the artist(s) as evidenced by the supporting materials. 
• Proven ability to undertake projects of the described scope. 
• Artistic merit and superior caliber craftsmanship as evidenced by the images. 
• Suitability of submission to project intent and scope.  - (digital artwork and/or ability to digitize existing artwork, demonstrated themes similar to those within the scope of this project, etc.).

Artists selected for this project will be required to enter into an artist agreement with the State of New Mexico. 

PLEASE DO NOT CREATE AND SUBMIT ARTWORK FOR THIS PROJECT AT THIS TIME. WE ARE ONLY REQUESTING QUALIFICATIONS AND PREVIOUSLY COMPLETED EXAMPLES OF SIMILAR WORK, AND/OR ARTWORK THAT DEMONSTRATES YOUR STYLE AND TECHNIQUE.  

Project Timeline (subject to change): 

July 2026 – Project Announced 

August 2026 – Application Deadline 

August 2026 - Jurying of Applications by Project Committee 

September 2026 – Notification of Selected Artists 

September – November 2026 – Contract with Selected Artists & Artwork Creation (60 Day Artwork Creation Period)

December 2026 – Final artwork review and selection

January – December 2027 – Artwork printing and installation at bus shelters  

Questions/Follow Up 

Questions regarding the project should be directed to Meredith Doborski, Public Art Program Director, at 505-396-0326, email: Meredith.doborski@dca.nm.gov  

If you would like to have your submission materials reviewed by an AIPP staff person, please make an appointment no less than two weeks prior to the submission deadline. Technical assistance calls increase dramatically during the final two weeks of the open submission period; therefore, we cannot guarantee review during the final two weeks of the competition. Submission materials will not be reviewed on the day of the deadline. 

Deadline for Submission: Midnight (MDT), Friday, August 14, 2026 

PLEASE DO NOT CREATE AND SUBMIT ARTWORK FOR THIS PROJECT AT THIS TIME. WE ARE ONLY REQUESTING QUALIFICATIONS AND PREVIOUSLY COMPLETED EXAMPLES OF SIMILAR WORK, OR ARTWORK THAT DEMONSTRATES YOUR STYLE AND TECHNIQUE.  

Please read the following information carefully as incomplete or late submissions will not be accepted. Failure to provide any of the published requirements could result in disqualification from the competition. Duplicate submissions will not be accepted. All materials must be submitted via CaFÉ (callforentry.org) according to the specifications outlined below: 

• Artist Statement no longer than 5,000 characters (including spaces). Describe your work, medium, techniques, cultural background and/or experience that influences your art. 
  • Additional Questions:
    • Tell us your transportation story. Do you have a personal story about utilizing public transportation?
    • What is your connection to the area (Northern New Mexico: Taos/Rio Arriba/Santa Fe counties)?
    • What excites you about this public art opportunity? And how might you approach the project if selected?
    • Which bus shelter location would you like to submit artwork for: Española – Jim West Headquarters (3 panels), Taos in front of Smith’s Grocery (2 panels), or Santa Fe by Fort Marcy Park (2 panels)?
• Helpful Links. Please provide any website or social media links that will help us learn more about you as an artist and your artistic practice. An extended biography can also go here (up to 5,000 characters, including spaces). 
• Up to ten images of previously completed artwork. When possible, please submit images of artwork similar to the scope of this project (digital artwork, artwork with local themes, etc.), otherwise, please include images of your artwork that demonstrates your style, technique, and perspective. Complete image citations will be required; including artwork title, medium, height, width and depth, price or value, year of completion, and project description. Please review and adhere to the Image and Media Preparation page on CaFÉ when formatting your images. Tutorials can be downloaded using the links near the bottom of the page. By default, CaFÉ will organize the images in your submission alphabetically. If you wish to present the images to the committee in a different order you must prioritize the images before applying. 

This request for qualifications is open to all artists working in New Mexico. Artists residing within or whom demonstrate strong ties to Northern New Mexico (specifically Taos, Rio Arriba, and Santa Fe counties) will be given preference. Artists submitting qualifications should demonstrate an ability to create similar work commensurate with the scope of this project. AIPP regulations state that 1% funds may not be utilized for artwork created for an institution or agency by an employee of the institution or agency. Qualifications submitted by and on behalf of current employees or family of current employees of NM Department of Cultural Affairs (NMDCA) or North Central Regional Transit District (NCRTD) will not be considered. Applicants may be required to provide verifiable proof of current employment at the discretion of AIPP Program staff. Past employees are eligible to submit qualifications but may not become employed by NMDCA for the duration of the project.