Call to Artists
City of Auburn 2025-26 Downtown Sculpture Gallery

The City of Auburn invites sculptors to submit applications for Auburn’s Downtown Sculpture Gallery. The works selected for this public art exhibition will be on loan to the City for a period of twelve months (12) and can be available for sale during that time.

Each selected artist will receive a $1,000 stipend. At the conclusion of the exhibition a sculpture from the exhibition may be purchased for inclusion in the City of Auburn’s permanent collection. The purchase budget is $10,000. Artist are required to be living or working in the Pacific Northwest (Washington, Oregon, Idaho, California and Montana) and deliver their artwork in person to Auburn, Washington.

Application deadline: March 17, 2025 at 10:59 PM Pacific Time
 

PROJECT DETAILS

City of Auburn’s Downtown Sculpture Gallery showcases 12+ sculptures throughout its historic downtown and around the City. Public art is an integral part of the exciting renewal efforts on Main Street and underscores the critical role that artists and public art play in the revitalization of Auburn’s urban core.   

Eligibility
Open to work by artists or artist teams living or working in the Pacific Northwest (Washington, Oregon, Idaho, California and Montana). Applicants may submit up to ten sculptures for consideration.

Duration of Installation
The selected sculptures will be on view for 12 months from September 2025 – September 2026.   

Artwork Specifications
PLEASE SUBMIT ONE IMAGE PER ARTWORK BEING CONSIDERED FOR SELECTION (any detail images need to be combined into one JPEG please). Artwork may be in any media and must be durable, suitable for outdoors and able to withstand the elements as well as interaction with pedestrians and the general public. Existing sculptures as well as artwork proposals are accepted. Proposals can be submitted as a sketch/illustration combined into one JPEG with examples of other work that demonstrates artistry, proficiency and finish quality. Please do not submit artworks that are not available for selection for the opportunity.

Artwork Location
The artwork will be located throughout Auburn’s downtown and locations assigned by City staff.  If there are preferences, they should be stated in the application materials. Artwork can be either welded onto or bolted onto a steel plate that is attached to a concrete pedestal. The concrete pedestals cannot be drilled into for the installation of the artwork (with the exception of the flush concrete pads), steel plates fitting the existing bolt pattern can be utilized, or artists can provide their own steel plate to fit upon the surface of the pedestal.

Stipend
The artist will be awarded a $1,000 artwork loan contract. The artist is responsible for transportation and installation of the artwork (installation with some city assistance). The artwork is insured by the City for the time the sculpture is on display, but not insured for any damage incurred during installation and/or deinstallation. The City of Auburn will provide signage to identify the artwork and will be featured on the City of Auburn’s website and included in a promotional brochure.

Purchases
At the conclusion of the exhibition, the selection committee may select a work or works to be purchased for inclusion in the City of Auburn’s permanent collection. This will be determined in Spring or Summer of the exhibition year. A budget of $10,000 has been set aside for this purpose. There will be a “People’s Choice” vote held online and via printed ballots throughout the duration of the exhibition. The winning sculptor will receive a $500 “People’s Choice Prize”. No commission will be taken from artwork sold to private sales, but the City reserves the first right of refusal.

Design Parameters

• 5 of the 13 pedestals are placed directly on the sidewalk pedestals and must conform to the following guidelines for pedestrian safety:
• Artwork must not weigh more than 5000 lbs.
• From base of sculpture to 7’ in height the artwork must be no wider than 3’ 8”.  This is to ensure adequate pedestrian passage.
• 7’ to 12’ in height the sculpture can have a 5’ max width
• Two of the 13 pedestals are placed within a raised/narrow planter box that is approximately three feet in height and three feet wide. This location is best suited for smaller scale work that will be eye level.
• One of the 13 pedestals is adjacent to the sidewalk and can be approx. 12” wider (5’ maximum width) than the dimensions listed above.
• One of the 13 pedestals is within a raised planter box that is 20’ length x 5’ width and 18” pedestal is placed within the box. This artwork must fit within the planter area and be installed using the square pedestal base.
• One of the 13 is a flush to the ground concrete pad that is 4’ x 4’ and is adjacent to the sidewalk. The sculpture needs to fit within the 4’ x 4’ area and not extend past the base.
• Two of the 13 are flush to the ground concrete pads that are in a pedestrian plaza currently in development, with dimensions TBD, but must be safe to be installed and walked around for pedestrian traffic.

Artist Responsibility

• Artist is responsible for transporting artwork to and from the installation site.
• Artist is responsible for logistics of installation, including movement from the vehicle to the pedestal. Any special equipment required is the artist’s responsibility to provide.
• Artist will provide detailed and specific installation instructions and work alongside a City staff to secure the artwork into place.
• Artist will provide any special installation materials, including a pedestal if the artwork needs to be elevated above the 18” pedestal base for smaller artwork.
• Artist must be able to demonstrate the selected artwork will be sound, safe, suitable for exhibition in the public realm, and meet all Artwork Specifications outlined.
• Artist will be responsible for repairs needed that are due to build quality of the artwork duration of the exhibition.
• Artist is responsible for complying with terms set forth in this RFP and will be required to sign a loan agreement with the City of Auburn.

Artist selection process and criteria
A selection panel including representatives from the Arts Commission, City of Auburn, and downtown business owners will review the submitted proposals.  The panel will use the following criteria in the selection process:

• Submission of all required application materials by deadline
• Artistic excellence including technical competency
• Suitability for the site including aesthetic content and public safety
• Durability, able to withstand weather and interaction in a highly public area, and maintenance free for the duration of the exhibition.
• Demonstrate structural soundness, safety and stability for an unsupervised general audience
• Ability to attach to existing pedestal (2’ square and 18” in height) and fit within the size parameters

Application Guidelines & Requirements
All applications must include the following:

• Artist’s statement (PDF)
• Current resume or CV (PDF)
• Digital images of the sculptures being submitted for consideration:
  • Up to TEN sculptures can be submitted for consideration*
  • ***Please only apply with images of artworks that you wish to be considered to display as a part of the program; do not submit examples of past work that is not available or eligible for selection for the program***
  • ONE digital image per sculpture being considered (if you want to submit detail shots, please combine them into ONE JPEG)
  • .jpg files only in format required by CaFE.
     
• Artwork details (as outlined in CaFE upload process including: title, media, dimensions, date, etc.)
• (Optional) Drawing/Photo/Description of the base of each artwork and how it will attach to the pedestals.

Timeline
March 17, 2025  -  Application Deadline
April 2025 -  Review applications and notify artists
September 2025 -  Installation of Sculptures

Applications must be received by March 17, 2025 at 10:59 PM Pacific Time

Inquiries can be directed to Allison Hyde,
Arts Program Supervisor: ahyde@auburnwa.gov, 253-804-5043

Application Requirements

Application Guidelines & Requirements
All applications must include the following:

• Artist’s statement (PDF)
• Current resume or CV (PDF)
• Digital images of the sculptures being submitted for consideration:
  • Up to TEN sculptures can be submitted for consideration
  • ***Please only apply with images of artworks that you wish to be considered to display as a part of the program; do not submit examples of past work that is not available or eligible for selection for the program***
  • Digital images per sculpture: 1 (if you want to submit detail shots, please combine them into ONE JPEG)
  • .jpg files only in format required by CaFE.
     
• Artwork details (as outlined in CaFE upload process including: title, media, dimensions, date, etc.)
• (Optional) Drawing/Photo/Description of the base of each artwork and how it will attach to the pedestals.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility
Open to work by artists or artist teams living or working in the Pacific Northwest (Washington, Oregon, Idaho, California and Montana). Applicants may submit up to ten sculptures for consideration.