City of Auburn, WA - Fire Hydrant Art - Public Art Opportunity

City of Auburn, WA - Fire Hydrant Art - Public Art Opportunity

Downtown Auburn Cooperative, in collaboration with the City of Auburn and Auburn Arts Commission, is seeking artists to participate in an exciting new public art campaign. Interested artists will be permitted to “adopt” fire hydrants around the Auburn Downtown area and create artistic designs for them. The goal of this program is to embrace the artistic talents of local individuals while displaying creative artwork throughout the community. There is no specific theme for this program, though artists are encouraged to incorporate the character and history of Auburn, the surrounding environment, and neighborhood into their artwork.

Application Deadline: September 9, 2026

Budget: $400 per selected artist

City of Auburn, WA - Fire Hydrant Art - Public Art Opportunity

Downtown Auburn Cooperative, in collaboration with the City of Auburn and Auburn Arts Commission, is seeking artists to participate in an exciting new public art campaign. Interested artists will be permitted to “adopt” fire hydrants around the Auburn Downtown area and create artistic designs for them. The goal of this program is to embrace the artistic talents of local individuals while displaying creative artwork throughout the community. There is no specific theme for this program, though artists are encouraged to incorporate the character and history of Auburn, the surrounding environment, and neighborhood into their artwork.

The program is free and open to the public. Online applications will be reviewed following the deadline of September 9, 2026 and selected by a cohort of jurors including community members, City of Auburn Staff, Arts Commissioners, and members of the Downtown Auburn Cooperative. Artists will receive a stipend of $400 per hydrant to cover the cost of design, materials, travel and supplies. Applicants are welcome to submit 1-3 hydrant design(s) for consideration. The selected artists will be notified by a member of the project team by September 18, 2026.

Application Deadline: September 9, 2026

Budget: $400 per selected artist

Eligibility: The opportunity is open to Washington State Pierce and King County artists, with preference given to local Auburn artists.

Application Requirements

• Completed online application by eligible artist(s) in Café application by September 9, 2026 at 10:59pm
• Submit 1-3 proposed fire hydrant design(s), following below design requirements, that the artist is capable of painting accurately to the design on a fire hydrant.
• To submit proposed fire hydrant designs, artists are required to download the template (by clicking the “View Site Details” on Call to Artists), drawing or otherwise illustrating proposed designs, and uploading the proposed design(s) as application images. Artists are requested to submit a concept design of a hydrant and examples from their portfolio,
• Submit 2-7 images of past work as it supports or related to your proposed design and ability to paint that design on a fire hydrant

Selected Artist Requirements

• Artists whose proposed designs are accepted must agree to paint their designs as submitted and approved on the fire hydrants, at dates TBD in Fall 2026.
• Artists must use high quality, outdoor acrylic paint that will withstand the elements over time.
• Invest in several sizes of brushes and plan for extra time that will enable you to paint crisp, clean lines over a bumpy, irregular surface.
• Ensure a smooth and even base coat that covers the surface without streaking. This will require multiple coats of paint. Keep in mind that if you are mixing spray paints it may make touchup work difficult.
• Please be mindful of paint run lines and drips. A razor blade can easily remove mistakes so you can repaint.
• Hydrants are visible from all sides and the design should draw the viewer in from every angle with images or patterns on both the front and back of the hydrant.
• Any writing included in the design should be clear and legible. Paint pens are a great option to get the words onto the ‘canvas’ and the lines can be cleaned up with a fine brush if needed.
• Your finished hydrant needs to be sealed with a protective coating. We recommend exterior grade Rust-Oleum Crystal Clear Enamel.

What is prohibited on the hydrants?

• Inappropriate words, advertisements, graphic content, political messages, etc.
• Glued or attached objects.
• Camouflage or designs that significantly reduce hydrant visibility.
• Please avoid using dark colors or a lot of white as they reduce hydrant visibility.
• Artists are required to tape off specific areas of the hydrant to be kept free of paint. This is to ensure fire code is met and use of the hydrant is not inhibited by layers of paint.

Expectations and Tips for Hydrant Art

Hydrants are a unique medium for art; they are highly visible to people driving by in cars as well as people walking past them on the sidewalk. They have a unique three-dimensional shape that is visible from all sides. They can support art that is bold and visible from a distance or art that is detailed and encourages up close interaction with its viewer. We challenge artists to create fun, colorful, unique, quality pieces of hydrant art that engage viewers from every angle. We strongly encourage art that celebrates Auburn’s people, natural beauty, culture, history, contributions and folklore.

Hydrants pose many challenges to artists. They have rough, irregular surfaces with raised lettering, and they come in a variety of shapes with different sized front caps that must be taken into consideration when creating three-dimensional designs.

The City of Auburn reserves the right to remove or repaint fire hydrants at any time as deemed necessary and does not guarantee a length of time that painted art will be on display.

For more information or questions, please contact:

Allison Hyde
910 Ninth Street SE
Auburn, WA, 98002
ahyde@auburnwa.gov

Application Requirements

• Completed online application by eligible artist(s) in Café application by September 9, 2026
• Submit 1-3 proposed fire hydrant design(s). Artists are required to download the template (Template is saved as “Site Plan” Image on Call to Artists), drawing or otherwise illustrating proposed designs, and uploading the proposed design(s) as application images
• Submit 2-7 images of past work as it supports or related to your proposed design and ability to paint that design on a fire hydrant

Eligibility: The opportunity is open to Washington State Pierce and King County artists, with preference given to local Auburn artists. Artists must be skilled and capable of executing painted designs on an irregular three-dimensional surface accurately as shown in proposed design concepts submitted.