Senate Street Median Sculpture - Columbia, SC

One Columbia for Arts and Culture, in partnership with the Congaree Vista Guild, is seeking qualifications from South Carolina based artists or artist teams to design and fabricate a colorful, highly visible, site-specific public art sculpture for the median at the 900 block of Senate Street in Columbia, South Carolina. This opportunity calls for a bold, engaging work that enhances the visual identity of the corridor and contributes to the vibrancy of the surrounding district. *Applicants must be current residents of South Carolina or maintain an active studio in South Carolina to be considered.

The selected artist will be commissioned to design, fabricate, and install a sculptural artwork within a street median environment. The work should be:

• Visually striking and highly visible from multiple vantage points
• Designed with color, form, and scale that stands out in an urban streetscape
• Appropriate for a high-traffic roadway setting
• Durable and suitable for long-term outdoor installation

Artists should consider visibility, safety, and the experience of pedestrians and drivers in their approach.

Applicants must submit:

• Brief statement of interest that includes:
  • Interest in the site or community
  • How you practice aligns with the project goals
  • Awareness of durability, safety, and public interaction
• Portfolio of past work (up to 6 images)
• Please use works that most closely relate to this project in:
  • Scale
  • Context (civic, streetscape, median, park, etc.)

Note: Concept proposals are not required at this stage.

Artwork Goals

The goals of this project are to:

• Create a memorable landmark along Senate Street
• Reflect the creative energy of Columbia
• Contribute to a vibrant, walkable, and visually engaging corridor
•  Enhance the identity of the surrounding district through bold, contemporary public art

Location Description

The project site is located in the median of the 900 block of Senate Street in Columbia, SC.

• The site is characterized by:
• Vehicular traffic
• Strong visibility from multiple directions
• Pedestrian access within the median itself

Artists must design with public safety, sightlines, and scale in mind.

Budget

The selected artist will receive $18,000 inclusive of all costs associated with the project, including:

• Design and engineering
• Materials and fabrication
• Transportation and installation
• Insurance

Payment Schedule:

• 50% upon contract execution
• 50% upon successful installation

Timeline

RFQ Release: July 20, 2026

• Deadline for Qualifications: August 20, 2026
• Notification of Shortlisted Artists: August 31, 2026
• Finalist Proposal Period: October 5-9, 2026
• Project Completion / Installation: April 1, 2027

Shortlisted artists will receive a $250 stipend to develop conceptual proposals.

Only artists who are current residents of South Carolina or who maintain an active studio in South Carolina are eligible for this project.

Artists are eligible if they:

• Have experience with public art or large-scale outdoor work
•  Are able to work within the United States
• Are not currently enrolled as a student in a degree program
• Are current residents of South Carolina or who maintain an active studio in South Carolina.