Monumental Public Art Sculpture

The City of Orlando invites professional artists and artist teams to submit preliminary conceptual proposals for the design, fabrication, and installation of a permanent monumental sculpture for a new community park in the Lake Nona community, a 14.2-acre recreational destination located along Luminary Boulevard.

The City of Orlando invites professional artists and artist teams to submit preliminary conceptual proposals for the design, fabrication, and installation of a permanent monumental sculpture for a new community park in the Lake Nona community, a 14.2-acre recreational destination located along Luminary Boulevard.

The park is envisioned as a vibrant gathering place that promotes recreation, wellness, and community connection. Planned amenities include pickleball and basketball courts, a splash pad, playgrounds, outdoor fitness pods, meandering walking trails, shaded seating areas, picnic pavilions, and a performance pavilion designed to host community events.

The City of Orlando is seeking an original, large-scale, contemporary sculptural artwork that serves as a visual landmark for the park while complementing the modern architecture and landscape of the surrounding Lake Nona community. The artwork should be bold, modern, unique, and memorable creating a distinctive identity for the Park and an engaging experience for visitors of all ages.

Artists are encouraged to think boldly and propose innovative, contemporary sculptural works that establish a strong sense of place. The City of Orlando welcomes designs that are timeless, visually compelling, and reflective of the forward-looking vision of the Lake Nona community. The selected artwork should become an iconic destination within the park while enhancing the visitor experience for generations to come.

Artwork Budget: $130,000.00

The project budget is inclusive of all costs associated with the commission, including but not limited to:

• Artist fees
• Design
• Engineering
• Fabrication
• Transportation
• Installation
• Insurance
• Permits
• Travel and accommodations
• Equipment rentals
• Taxes
• Contingency
• Any other project-related expenses

Artwork Type: Permanent monumental three-dimensional sculpture

Pedestal: A custom concrete pedestal will be provided by the City of Orlando. The final size, shape, and engineering of the pedestal will be developed in collaboration with the selected artist to accommodate the artwork. Integrated uplighting will also be provided by the City of Orlando.

Installation Timeline: Installation will be coordinated with park construction and is anticipated for Summer/Fall 2027.

Surrounding Area: Park is within a residential neighborhood with neighborhood center near by.

Artwork Requirements

The proposed artwork must:

• Be an original work created by the applicant.
• Be designed for permanent outdoor installation.
• Be fabricated from durable materials appropriate for Central Florida's subtropical climate.
• Withstand prolonged sun exposure, high humidity, heavy rainfall, and hurricane-force winds.
• Meet all applicable structural, engineering, accessibility, and public safety requirements.
• Be appropriate for a highly active, family oriented public park environment.
• Avoid design elements that could be climbed, scaled, or used as play equipment, in order to prevent safety hazards in a highly active, family-oriented park setting.

Materials susceptible to excessive fading, corrosion, deterioration, or frequent maintenance should be avoided.

Artist Responsibilities

The selected artist will be responsible for:

• Final artwork design and engineering
• Fabrication
• Transportation to the project site
• Off-loading and installation
• Coordination with City staff and project contractors
• Adherence to the approved project schedule
• Participation in the public artwork unveiling and related promotional activities
• Including all travel and accommodation costs within the project budget

The selected artist must be capable of completing fabrication and installation within approximately 6–8 months following contract execution.

Reference Materials

A Google Drive folder containing project reference materials will be made available to all interested artists.

The folder includes:

• Site plan identifying the proposed sculpture location
• Photographs of the community Park at Poitras East
• Photographs of the surrounding architecture and landscape for contextual inspiration

Artists are strongly encouraged to review these materials prior to preparing their proposal.

The provided site plan may be used as a base image for artists to digitally superimpose their proposed sculpture, demonstrating scale, placement, and relationship to the surrounding environment. Contextual renderings are encouraged to assist the selection committee in evaluating each proposal.

Please Note: AI-generated renderings or concept images will not be accepted. All submitted renderings must represent the artist's original concept.

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1wRlHIe9VAIa0L8VJ0gjXKTQcT0kCHDCB?usp=share_link

Applicants must submit the following materials no later than October 18, 2026, 11:59pm EST:

• Current résumé or curriculum vitae (CV)
• One-paragraph professional biography
• Artist statement describing the conceptual vision for the proposed artwork
• Preliminary project budget
• Proposed payment schedule
• Proposed project timeline outlining the anticipated design, engineering, fabrication, transportation, and installation phases. The selected artist must be capable of completing the artwork within approximately 6–8 months.
• A minimum of three (3) images of previously completed outdoor public artworks (including title, location, dimensions, year completed, and budget, where applicable)
• A minimum of three (3) professional references from previous clients, project partners, or organizations that have commissioned or worked directly with the artist on large-scale public art projects. References should include the contact’s name, organization, email address, phone number, project title, and a brief description of the artist’s role. The City of Orlando reserves the right to contact references to verify the artist’s experience, project management capabilities, ability to meet timelines and budgets, and overall performance working on public art commissions.
• Detailed description of the proposed artwork, including:
  • Materials
  • Approximate dimensions
  • Estimated weight
  • Installation requirements
  • Estimated insured value
• Required maintenance narrative outlining anticipated long-term care requirements
• Conceptual rendering(s) of the proposed artwork, including at least one image superimposed onto the provided site plan to demonstrate scale and site integration.

Please Note: AI-generated artwork, renderings, or concept images will not be accepted.

Proposals will be evaluated based on:

• Artistic excellence and originality
• Responsiveness to the project goals and site
• Compatibility with the surrounding modern architecture and Lake Nona community
• Experience completing large-scale public art projects
• Durability and long-term maintenance considerations
• Feasibility within the project budget and timeline
• Demonstrated ability to successfully complete projects of similar scope and complexity