Who We Are

Art in Public Places is a non-profit organization that has donated public art throughout the city of Bend, Oregon since 1973. For over 40 years Art in Public Places has created an enhanced visual environment for Bend residents and promoted tourism and economic vitality through the artistic design of public spaces. AiPP’s ongoing efforts have steadily increased the public art collection in Bend for everyone to enjoy.

AiPP has donated large scale sculptures to the City of Bend for 20 roundabouts as well as numerous other works of art to Bend Park & Recreation District, Central Oregon Community College, Deschutes Public Library and St. Charles Foundation. Bend’s public art collection is a permanent part of what makes Bend so unique and a wonderful place to visit and reside. 

City of Bend 

Residents and visitors are drawn to Bend for its high desert climate and rich and varied year-round recreation: skiing, cycling, hiking, fly fishing, climbing, kayaking, rafting and golf. Now, with more people working remotely, Bend has grown and flourished, truly a community with diverse backgrounds and a shared love for the place and lifestyle. Bend is home to nationally recognized breweries, Mt. Bachelor ski area, High Desert Museum, Central Oregon Community College and the Oregon State University- Cascades Campus. Today, Bend is the largest Oregon city east of the Cascades with a population nearing 100,000.

Site Context 

The southeast neighborhoods in Bend are experiencing a tremendous amount of new growth and the 15th Street & Knott Road Roundabout is located in the heart of our city’s expansion. The roundabout is located in the SE Bend in the Old Farm District neighborhoods and this area of town is a combination of established neighborhoods, new homes and numerous new subdivisions under various stages of construction. The 15th Street & Knott Road roundabout opened in 2020. 

There are three public art sculptures in southeast Bend. One is in the roundabout at 15th & Bear Creek Road where a sculpture was installed in 2010. AiPP worked with Bend Parks & Recreation District to place a sculpture in 2020 at the entrance to the renovated Larkspur Community Center (15th Street & Reed Market) and a sculpture was commissioned for Alpenglow Park which was installed in August 2022.

Caldera High School opened in 2021 (located on 15th Street between Murphy & Knott Road) and Alpenglow Park (opened in 2022) have significantly changed the overall landscape in SE Bend. Alpenglow Park is a 37-acre park. BPRD installed a pedestrian bridge over the irrigation canal just north of the park as well as a second footbridge which spans the railroad tracks to connect the park and new high school with neighborhoods to the west. 

The proximity of this roundabout to Caldera High School has prompted Art in Public Places to commission a series of wolves depicting a Wolfpack honoring the mascot of the newest high school in Bend. The student groups and Bend-La Pine School District staff were drawn to mascot ideas that represent a community. The school’s website states that, “Students and staff members of Caldera High School are all members of the Wolfpack representing the greater community and each individual has the talents and skills to help everyone thrive”. 

The overall size of the roundabout is 108 ft. in diameter. There is one large area near the center of the roundabout at 41 ft. x 26 ft. for sculpture footings which is often not available given the underground utility lines.

The width of the truck apron varies from 12 ft. to 29 ft. wide. There are utility lines running through portions of the roundabout and it important to note that the sculpture footings cannot span across any utility mainlines or the designated areas for footings. The overall body of the sculpture(s) cannot extend past the area designated for the sculpture above ground which could also hamper utility access. The footings must be a minimum of 5 ft. away from all underground utilities.

Application Requirements

Requests for Qualifications (RFQ)

Project Budget
The total project budget for this commission is $130,000, including City of Bend permit fees, stamped engineering drawings, subcontractors, footings/excavation, delivery, insurance, travel, restorative landscaping, installation and a traffic mitigation plan (signage and flaggers) as per the City permit requirements. Only Finalists will submit an itemized budget for the proposed project.

Only the Artist that receives the Commission (if out-of-state and/or using a business name) will need to secure a Registered Agent (an official address in Oregon) and then register with the State of Oregon as a domestic or foreign entity (anyone outside Oregon) and provide a certificate of good standing from the State that you reside in. This is standard practice for most public entities and will be a necessary step and expense as we finalize the Commission Contract. The Artist must also submit proof of 2 Million in general liability insurance and other insurances as outlined in the contract.

Artist Submission Requirements
Artists and Artist Teams applying must submit all of the following information by October 25, 2023. Please do not submit a design or concept at this time. Artist Teams please submit only one application. Late applications will not be considered.

•Letter of Interest – One (1) PDF upload

1.       Contact Information (name, address, phone, email, website).

2.       Description of most relevant comparable project experience from the last 12 years.

3.       Description of your interest in working on this specific project.

•Six (6) digital images of completed past works of art or public art. With each image, please include title, medium, dimensions, year completed, budget and city/state. Work examples must be from the last 12 years showcasing sculptures/installations in outdoor spaces. Artists are encouraged to submit images of large scale animals that they have fabricated for other projects. (Do not submit images of indoor works of art). 

Finalists Selected Based on the Following:

Letter of Interest

Comparable Project Experience

Artistic excellence on image samples

The selection committee will evaluate all submissions based on artistic excellence, innovation, interactivity, originality and the work’s ability to enhance the natural landscape and enliven this public space. Our selection criteria will require artists to demonstrate experience with public art projects, using materials suitable for public outdoor settings, site-specific design, and collaborating with other artists, architects, engineers, fabricators and City government administrative staff. The potential to create an impactful design for this public art project will score highly on our evaluation criteria.

Selection Process

Phase 1: A selection committee consisting of the AiPP Board and a representative from the City of Bend Engineering department will select 3-4 Finalists. The stipend for travel and design time is $1,750. Finalists are encouraged to use the stipend for a Site Visit to Bend early in the design phase to see the roundabout and, as schedules allow, meet key players from the AiPP Board and an Engineer with the City of Bend.

Phase 2: Each of the 3-4 Finalists will present their design renderings to the selection committee via Zoom. The overall proposal will include design renderings, a detailed budget and a conservation maintenance plan. Public input will be gathered during the phase. Finalists will submit a presentation poster 10 days in advance of the Zoom meeting. The selection committee will make their decision based on eligibility and the scoring criteria described above.

Project Timeline 
Call to Artists announced: September 8, 2023 

Application Due: October 25, 2023

Notification of Finalists: Late November 2023

Design Time and Site Visit: December 2023 to January 2024

Artist Presentation of design rendering proposals via Zoom: Late February 2024

Public Input (2-3 weeks): March 2024

Commission Selection: Late April 2024

Installation: Summer 2024

Questions
Questions about the project may be directed to Marcelene Trujillo, AiPP Project Coordinator via email at artinpublicplacesbend@gmail.com. Assistance in using the CaFE system is available via email at helpcafe@westaf.org.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility

Open to Artists and Artist Teams residing in the Northwest and Southwest United States, specifically Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, California, Arizona, Texas, New Mexico, Wyoming, Colorado and Utah. Black, Indigenous, People of Color, Women, LGBTQAI+ community members are highly encouraged to apply. Artists living in Oregon are highly encouraged to apply.