City of Newport South Beach Pathway Sculptures

Oregon Coast Council for the Arts (OCCA) is to commission 8 permanent sculptures for the South Beach Placemaking Project for the City of Newport, Oregon. This opportunity is open to artists with public art sculpture experience, with preference for those located in the Pacific Northwest.

Oregon Coast Council for the Arts (OCCA) is to commission 8 permanent sculptures for the South Beach Placemaking Project for the City of Newport, Oregon. This opportunity is open to artists with public art sculpture experience, with preference for those located in the Pacific Northwest.

Newport is located on the central Oregon Coast in Lincoln County at the 45th parallel.

Newport is a hub for marine sciences with the Oregon Coast Aquarium, The Hatfield Marine Science Center and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration all located in the South Beach area. Newport has an active commercial fishing fleet, a US Coast Guard base and a working bay front with fish processing plants. The history of the area includes Native American culture best documented and expressed through the Confederated Tribes of the Siletz Indians (http://www.ctsi.nsn.us/).

Newport hosts over 1.25 million visitor trips annually. These sculptures will be placed on SE Ferry Slip Rd, opposite the Oregon Coast Aquarium which receives approximately 500,000 visitors per year.

Newport has a temperate climate with an average annual rainfall of 71 inches. Prevailing winds come from the northwest in the summer and from the southwest in the winter. Winter wind gusts regularly exceed 60 mph, with sustained winds of 25-45 mph. Winter storms with high winds and the salt air of the marine environment require durable materials when considering outdoor public art in Newport.

Proposed Project Timeline:

Project Details:

Themes: local natural landscapes, marine sciences, coastal environment, marine industries, cultural heritage and historical narratives. The history of Lincoln County includes Native American culture best documented and expressed through the Confederated Tribes of the Siletz Indians. (www.ctsi.nsn.us) The area also has a rich history in timber, fishing, farming and tourism.

There are three plinth designs:

Plinth A is 18” tall and 48” diameter (qty 6 ea.)

Plinth B is 18” tall and 96” diameter (qty 1 ea.)

Plinth C is 18” tall and 64” wide, semicircular 33” radius (qty 2 ea.)

Please email publicarts@coastarts.org for a copy of the detailed shop drawings for the plinths

Artist must identify which plinth style their sculpture is designed for (Style A, B or C)

Sculptures must be no more than 10’ high and weigh less than 500 pounds.

Evaluation Criteria:

Art submitted to the Art Seen program will be evaluated on five criteria categories:

Visual Impact (30%) - A high score will be given to an artist who has uniquely organized the art elements and content and has created a striking and memorable piece of work. 

Composition and Design (30%) - A high score will be given to a piece of art that that reflects Newport’s coastal environment, Indigenous history or culture, Newport’s industries (fishing, ocean sciences, forestry) or our current population (Siletz tribal members, Hispanic, particularly from Guatemala, long term families from original settlers, new comers)

Craftsmanship and durability (30%) - A high score will demonstrate a mastery of skill and a clear understanding and application of the specific medium’s qualities that will withstand the coastal environment of salt air and high winds.

 Location (10%) A high score will be given to artists from the Pacific Northwest.

Budget $8,000 - $10,000 per sculpture

Location: SE Ferry Slip Rd, Newport, OR

Artists are allowed to submit up to two entries.

Each piece submitted will be part of a new application, and a $25 fee will be applied to each.

Concrete plinths A, B and C are already installed.

Sculpture structural engineering will occur before contract execution. Artists must supply installation methodology and shop drawings for engineering review.

All costs associated with delivery and installation of the sculptures to Newport, Oregon will be the responsibility of the artist. 

All artwork must be the original design and artwork of the artist/s and be suitable for viewing by all ages.

Selected artwork will be scheduled for installation based on approval of the PAAC, the City of Newport, the Port of Newport and the Oregon Coast Aquarium.

The PAAC will determine the location of each piece.

All artists must be over eighteen (18) years old to be eligible. OCCA and the City of Newport Public Art program is open to all professional artists regardless of race, gender, age, belief or national origin.  

Artists must submit photographs or sketches of the specific art that is being entered. 

Entries must be the original design and artwork of the entrant. Designs must not include any breach of intellectual property, trademarks, brands, business names, corporate or organizational brandings. 

Entries must be suitable for viewing for all ages. No images of sex, violence, drugs, or alcohol will be considered.

Artwork submitted may not be used for advertisement or to promote a business, product, or viewpoint.

Artists may submit work on their own and/or as part of a team.

Artwork can be of any medium but must be able to withstand coastal weather conditions including salt air, extreme wind and seasonal rain, as well as resistance to theft, vandalism, rust and corrosion, excessive maintenance, and repair costs.

Interested applications should contact Rachel Browning, public art administrator at publicarts@coastarts.org to receive the South Beach Placemaking Guide, engineering report, detailed plinth drawings and sample contract.

Artist must be 18 years of age or older.

Artists must provide a minimum of two photographs or sketches per proposed sculpture and title of the sculpture, proposed materials, approximate weight and dimensions of the piece.

Artist must identify which plinth style their sculpture is designed for (style A, B and C)

There will be a $25.00 entry fee for each submission.