Situated in the center of Oregon, over 200,000 people call Deschutes County home.  Central Oregon, widely known for its stunning mountains, rivers, pine forests and recreational opportunities, will now be home to a new 100,000 square foot library in east Bend known as Stevens Ranch, a new branch library in Redmond and completely renovated and renewed libraries in the communities of La Pine, Sunriver and Sisters and in historic downtown Bend.  The project is funded by a voter approved bond measure.  1% of the brick and mortar costs are reserved for the purchase of art. 

For more information about the future libraries, visit the Deschutes Public Library website.

Budget 

The renovation and new construction of all the branches is scheduled to conclude spring of 2027.  Budgets for art per branch range from $30,000 to $900,000 for a total project budget for art of just under $1.5 million for the county wide library system.  A fundraising campaign will nearly match the amount funded by the 1% program.

The Deschutes Public Library administration appointed a Public Art Selection Committee (Art Committee), comprised of local artists, a project architect and community advocates, to represent the towns served by library branches.  The Art Committee will make recommendations to the library administration for final approval.

VISION:  Deschutes Public Library Art Collection - Diverse, Inclusive and Inspirational

The renovations and new construction throughout the entire library district bring the opportunity for the district to build a new art collection.  Art in all six Deschutes Public Library branches will be diverse in both concept and material.  Works will be traditional and non-traditional and possess a lasting endurance. The DPL Art Committee seeks works in all media and genres: Painting, Printmaking, Sculpture, Glass, Fiber, Functional, Digital, Photography, Installation, Mixed Media, New media/genres.  Suspended from ceilings, mounted on walls, embedded in floors, anchoring a public space, works will exist in both expected and unexpected places within the building and on library grounds.  

First:  Build a roster of qualifying artists from Western states for consideration across all branches.

Second:  Invite artists who have pre-qualified by inclusion in the roster to submit proposals for specific artwork commissions in one or more library branches.

Artists who respond to this call will be considered for inclusion in the Deschutes Public Artists Library Artist Roster.  The Art Committee will invite pre-qualified artists from the roster to submit proposals for specific artwork commissions in one or more library branches.  Up to five finalists will be invited to submit a formal proposal for each commission. Finalists will receive up to a $1,000 honorarium for a written proposal, online presentation and digital rendering of the proposed artwork. Finalists wishing to visit the area may, on a case-by-case basis, be offered an additional stipend to offset travel expenses. 

Immediate Submissions Encouraged:  While the Deschutes Public Library seeks artwork for six library branches with multiple deadlines, we encourage artists to submit NOW, as the art selection committee is actively seeking artworks for all branches, regardless of construction completion timelines.

Application Requirements

Materials Required for Consideration

Images:        Minimum three | Maximum five

Labeled:        Title, medium/media, date, dimensions, estimated value

Resume:       State of residence.  Education/Experience.  List any previously commissioned works from any private or public entity (not required) and  team members if any.  

No Entry Fee 

Mediums:  All mediums and genres are open for consideration.

Eligibility Criteria

ONLY artists residing in the Western United States may apply:  Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming with special consideration given to artists from Oregon.