Call for Art - Olympia Art Crossing Project

The City of Olympia is seeking an artist or artist team to develop site-specific artwork for each of two projects as part of the Olympia Art Crossings Project. Olympia Crossings: An Art Plan for City Gateways identifies eight locations for public art along civic boulevards. This solicitation is for Art Crossing #4 – Harrison/Division and Art Crossing #5 – Henderson/Eskridge. These locations are based in neighborhoods and mark primary gateways approximately one mile from the center of downtown Olympia.

Applicants must identify Art Crossing #4 or Art Crossing #5 as their preference, and indicate willingness to be considered for the second location. Projects will be awarded to two separate artists/teams. Budget is $55,000 per project.

See full application at www.olympiawa.gov/art-crossing-call

This project is supported in part by an award from the National Endowment for the Arts.

The City of Olympia is seeking an artist or artist team to develop site-specific artwork for each of two projects as part of the Olympia Art Crossings Project. Olympia Crossings: An Art Plan for City Gateways identifies eight locations for public art along civic boulevards. This solicitation is for Art Crossing #4 – Harrison/Division and Art Crossing #5 – Henderson/Eskridge. These locations are based in neighborhoods and mark primary gateways approximately one mile from the center of downtown Olympia.

Applicants must identify Art Crossing #4 or Art Crossing #5 as their preference, and indicate willingness to be considered for the second location. Projects will be awarded to two separate artists/teams. Budget is $55,000 per project. 

The City of Olympia is committed to being an inclusive, affirming and equitable place for our community members and staff to live, play and work. The City does not discriminate in employment or in the delivery of services and resources. We strongly encourage applications from artists who are members of communities historically underrepresented in public art. 

The selected artist or artist team will develop artwork that responds to the neighborhood and community surrounding the site. The Art Crossings plan recommends a pair of markers at each location, scaled for visibility from the boulevard. The artwork must also create a distinctive sense of place specific to the opportunities for each site, and enhance the pedestrian experience day and night.

“Olympia Crossings” is the project’s theme and overarching concept. Artists are encouraged to interpret this theme in developing their artwork.

See full application at www.olympiawa.gov/art-crossing-call

This project is supported in part by an award from the National Endowment for the Arts.

- Letter of Interest: Explain your interest in the opportunity, your general approach to concepts and design for the selected Art Crossings location, your connection to Olympia, and relevant skills such as large-scale outdoor artwork, engineering and fabrication coordination, and the selection and use of durable materials, you would bring to this project. If relevant, describe how your cultural heritage informs your work.* For team applications, identify one lead artist and briefly describe how the team collaborates.
- Eight digital work-sample images
- Annotated image list: For each work sample, include the project budget, location, client or commissioning agency, title, year, media, and a description of no more than 50 words explaining your role. 
- Three professional references
- Resume

*If your work draws from cultural influences other than your own, explain how you obtained permission from the artist or community to whom the source material belongs, how you will credit the source, and how your approach demonstrates respect for and understanding of the people and cultural traditions represented or referenced.

This opportunity is open to artists with a connection to Olympia, Washington. Olympia-based artists and/or artist teams are strongly encouraged to apply. City of Olympia staff, Arts Commissioners, selection panel members, project personnel, their immediate family members, and artists who have previously completed an Art Crossings project are not eligible.