Prospectus #291 Spaceport America Sundial Public Art Project

The Art in Public Places Program of New Mexico Arts at the NM Department of Cultural Affairs (NMDCA), in collaboration with Spaceport America seek an artist/artist team to create a public art sundial – a functional work of art. The sundial artwork will be installed outside the newly built STARC (Spaceport Technology and Reception Center) at Spaceport America, an earthbound but aspirational space dedicated to inquiry in the high desert southwest of New Mexico. The intent of the sundial is to creatively represent the origins of measurement and human curiosity.

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 Spaceport America seek an artist/artist team to create a public art sundial – a functional work of art. The sundial artwork will be installed outside the newly built STARC (Spaceport Technology and Reception Center) at Spaceport America, an earthbound but aspirational space dedicated to inquiry in the high desert southwest of New Mexico. The intent of the sundial is to creatively represent the origins of measurement and human curiosity.

At its essence, a sundial is a chronometric device that translates Earth’s rotation into a visual, accurate representation of time. By intercepting the sun’s rays, it uses the position and length of a shadow to indicate the hour, essentially serving as a bridge between celestial mechanics and terrestrial life. Sundials are at least 3,500 years old.

In this installation, the sundial acts as a functional work of art, reminding us that time is not merely a digital abstraction but a physical consequence of humanity’s journey through the solar system. It connects the cosmos, the blue sky, the sun, and the vast, beautiful Jornada de Muerto basin to the mechanical and tactile realism of Spaceport America. It should evoke curiosity and wonder.

A sundial is the ancestor of the clock, the calendar, and the computer. It is one of humankind’s first attempts to understand the universe. People in New Mexico, no matter who they are or when they live, have always honored the workings of the cosmos.

·         Interactivity: More than just a work of art, a sundial invites the observer to engage with the environment and with time itself. It highlights the changing seasons through the shifting length of the shadow – long and sweeping in winter, short and sharp in summer. It should spark curiosity about cosmic motions.

·         Symbolism: It stands as a monument to constancy. While technology evolves, the relationship between the sun and the Earth remains the most reliable metronome in human history. A sundial attests to both the motion of the Earth in relation to the sun and the consistency of that motion over the centuries.

·         Artistry: The artist/artist team has the choice of evoking other feelings and emotions about time, space, technology, the vast desert and sky, and the human condition, as we reach for the stars at New Mexico’s Spaceport.

A sundial consists of two fundamental components that work in tandem:

1.      The Gnomon: Derived from the Greek word for “one who knows,” the gnomon is the vertical or angled element that casts the shadow. In a scientifically accurate installation, the gnomon’s angle is typically set to the latitude of its location, aligning it parallel to the Earth’s axis of rotation.

2.      The Dial Plate: The surface onto which the shadow is cast. This plate is inscribed with hour lines and, often, seasonal markets. As the sun moves across the sky from east to west, the shadow moves across the plate in the opposite direction. During the peak of the sun’s arc, the sundial will indicate the solar noon.

Artists may interpret these elements as they see fit to fulfill their artistic vision, while maintaining the elements that would keep this artwork a functioning sundial.

The intent of this open competition is to select finalists that demonstrate highly unique and creative expressions of historical and/or scientific objects and their functions, while evoking a sense of wonder by the viewer. The high desert open landscape invites experimental but functional approaches to this important object of measurement.

Installation Location

The sundial is to be installed at a prominent location near the new STARC (Spaceport Technology and Reception Center) building, accessible to the public and to customers at the spaceport. All visitors will drive around the sundial to reach the building and can walk over to the installation.

Guiding themes for artwork:

·         Static artwork only (interactivity can be proposed, but kinetic features are to be avoided)

·         Artwork of any media/materials that can withstand a permanent installation outdoors in southern New Mexico with high heat, high winds, and high sun exposure

·         Artwork should engage visitors while serving as a functional work of art

·         Audience for this site includes STEM students (high school and middle school grade levels), legislators, potential customers, and invited visitors

·         This project should not heavily detract from the current public artwork on site: GENESIS by Otto Rigan, installed in 2015, located near the entrance to the site

The LSC is interested in artwork of all media conducive to exterior installation within the allotted installation areas. Artwork should incorporate the themes and ideas described above. Artists should also consider the identified installation location available and how to best utilize the space: please CLICK HERE for site renders/measurements/details.

The project must be durable, low maintenance, permanent, safe for both children and adults and must meet all applicable code requirements, including ADA compliance.  At the selected artist’s expense, the artwork may require certification by an electrical, civil and/or structural engineer licensed to practice in the state of New Mexico and reviewed by a professional fine art conservator (if applicable).

Project Amount 

$300,000 total to commission one artist/artist team to create and install a site-specific artwork installation for the designated exterior installation area near the STARC building at New Mexico Spaceport America. This amount includes all fees and expenses associated with the project, i.e., materials, equipment, labor, permits, engineering documents, insurance, taxes, travel, installation, shipping, identification plaque, and written and professional photographic documentation of the completed project. There is no additional funding.  THIS IS A REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS ONLY. DO NOT SUBMIT PROPOSALS FOR ARTWORK AT THIS TIME, PLEASE SEE SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS BELOW.

Selection Process and Criteria 

The Local Selection Committee is made up of representatives from the owner/user agency (New Mexico Spaceport America): Owner Agency representative, User Agency Representative, Architect/Facilities Representative, Local Artist, Local Arts Professional, and Local Project Director. For Education Institutions such as Colleges and Universities, a Member of the Board of Regents, and a currently enrolled Student are also members of the Local Selection Committee. Under the guidance of an AIPP Project Coordinator, the Local Selection Committee is responsible for prospectus development, submission review, finalist selection and ultimately selecting the artist or artist team to be awarded the commission project. Artists may research the project using any resource except for direct discussion with individual members of the Local Selection Committee or the New Mexico Arts Commission.

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 submitted. 
• Suitability of submission to project intent and scope. 

Up to five finalists will be invited to submit a formal proposal for the project. Finalists will receive a $4,000 honorarium for a written proposal, presentation, and a maquette and/or digital rendering of the proposed artwork. One site visit will be required of each finalist to include an in-person presentation of the artwork proposal to the Local Selection Committee and public at the site.

Additionally, each individual finalist or team will receive a travel stipend based on mapped mileage according to the following schedule:

$500 for travel and lodging between 51 – 300 miles one-way.

$900 for travel and lodging between 301 – 800 miles one-way.

$1,800 for travel and lodging 801+ miles one-way.

Artists or artist teams short-listed as finalists for this project will be required to enter into a Finalist Presentation Contract with the State of New Mexico. A sample Finalist Presentation Contract is available upon request.

The artist or artist team that is ultimately awarded the commission project will be required to enter into a Professional Services Contract with the State of New Mexico. A sample Professional Services Contract is available upon request.

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 

September 2026 – Application Deadline 

September 2026 - Jurying of Applications by Project Committee 

September 2026 – Notification of 5 Finalists 

December/January 2026 – Finalist Presentations (in-person) at NM Spaceport America

January 2027 – Finalist Selection Notification

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, September 4, 2026

Submission Requirements 

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:
    • What excites you about this project? How might you approach the project if given the opportunity?

·         Are you a resident of the United States? 

·         Military Affiliation: Active Duty, Veteran, N/A?

·         Demographics – indicate identity and/or community affiliation.

• 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, 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/artist teams currently residing in the United States. Artists submitting qualifications should demonstrate a level of experience and professionalism that is commensurate with the project scope and budget.

AIPP regulations state that 1% funds may not be spent 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 New Mexico Spaceport America or NM Department of Cultural Affairs (NMDCA) 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 proposals but may not become employed by New Mexico Spaceport America or NMDCA for the duration of the project.