The City of Laramie, Wyoming, Laramie Main Street Alliance, and Laramie Public Art Coalition have partnered to complete a beautification of 3rd Street, the main road and state highway in downtown Laramie. The Wyoming Department of Transportation (WyDOT) will complete updates to intersections, curbs, and sidewalks in summer 2025. The opportunity exists for artwork that acts as a gateway to the downtown neighborhood on both the south and north sides of 3rd Street. Artwork that is visible both day and night and interactive with cars and pedestrians has been identified through previous planning.
 
The artwork will signify the entrances to downtown, becoming a core part of the community experience. The selected artist or artist team will be contracted to create a design based on community visits and information gathering sessions. Interested artists should be adept at working with community and excited about the prospect of creating an artwork that reflects the spirit of Laramie, Wyoming.

OVERVIEW
In 2025, the Wyoming Department of Transportation (WyDOT) will overhaul traffic and pedestrian features of Third Street, Laramie’s unwelcoming gateway. Laramie Main Street and the City of Laramie partnered on a community-driven vision for this corridor. The 2017 plan, “3,2,1...Third Street,” cited the need for public art. Gateways are also highlighted in the 2014 Laramie Public Art Plan:

“The gateways to Laramie are cited most often as places in need of transformation. They are the first and last impression of Laramie for residents and visitors. The need to transform the gateways is not a new desire; it was identified in the City of Laramie’s 2007 Comprehensive Plan...and is included in the draft Parks and Recreation Master Plan. Public art alone cannot address the issue, but (we) can spearhead the effort, or work in tandem with other entities.”

The City of Laramie is in the process of hiring a design firm to help with additional community informed beautification efforts for the 3rd Street corridor. The artist or artist team selected will work closely with this team to ensure artwork and other elements are complementary. Easements for the artwork sites will be confirmed with the design firm. The conceptual design can determine where the artwork will be installed, within the 10 block footprint of the 3rd Street Plan.

Laramie Public Art Coalition is administering the call for artists on behalf of the City of Laramie.

Funding for this project in part by the National Endowment for the Arts Our Town program, the Guthrie Family Foundation, and the City of Laramie.

BUDGET
$300,000 in total: $15,000 for conceptual design phase, including artist fee and travel.
$285,000 to complete the approved artwork, including artist fees, travel, fabrication,
installation, and other costs.

SELECTION PROCESS
A selection committee including members of the community, local artists, a City Hall staff member, a representative of WyDOT, and a representative of Laramie Main Street will select finalists to interview based on artistic merit, artist(s) proven ability to work in community, and project interest.

Finalists will be paid $100 to participate in a virtual interview, including a short presentation on relevant past projects. Should the selection committee need additional time with the finalists, additional compensation and travel stipends will be discussed. One artist or artist team will be selected to work with the Laramie team.

SCHEDULE
● RFQ released: Friday, January 24, 2025
● Artist Information Session: Thursday, February 6, 2025 at 5:30 PM MT via Zoom
Link to join
A recording of the Zoom info session will be linked at
https://www.laramiepublicart.org/opportunities
● Submission deadline: Monday, March 3, 2025 at 11:59 PM MT
● Finalists notified: By March 28, 2025
● Finalist interviews: Week of April 7, 2025
● Artist selected by April 18, 2025
● First artist visit to Laramie: May 2025 (date to be determined with artist and team)

Schedule subject to change, especially as it relates to the final selection of the artist or artist team. The Selection Committee can move forward with additional finalist interviews and visits, should it be necessary for consensus.

Artwork installation schedule to be determined by the Artist and the Internal Design Review Team including the City of Laramie, Laramie Main Street Alliance, and Laramie Public Art Coalition. Installation to ideally occur in fall 2026.

City of Laramie
Laramie, the Gem City of the Plains, is a city of about 30,000 sitting at 7,200 feet in the high plains of Wyoming. Surrounded by abundant nature, the city is home to the only four year university in the state, the University of Wyoming. 

Laramie Public Art Coalition
Mission: Laramie Public Art Coalition (LPAC) cultivates belonging, joy, and curiosity through public art in Albany County, Wyoming. LPAC is an independent, non-profit 501c3 that provides the greater Laramie community with a structure and inclusive processes to create successful public art projects that reflect the community’s identities and values and contribute to community vitality.

At LPAC:
● We believe art is for everyone.
● We strive to create an inclusive and transparent process for creating in the community.
● We meet people where they are.
● We value artists and their contributions to our community and space.
● We enhance public space and create opportunities for challenging conversations.

Laramie Main Street Alliance
Mission: Laramie Main Street Alliance strives to preserve historic Downtown Laramie while enhancing its economic and social vitality.

Transformation Strategy: Develop Downtown as a home for entrepreneurs with a focus on authentic consumer experiences and creative Third Space.

Application Requirements

RFQ Materials shall include:
1. Letter of interest: Include interest in working with the Laramie team and why this project would be a good fit for your artistic practice. (Limit to 2000 characters)
2. Community statement: Tell us about how your artistic practice has included community involvement, referencing a specific project would be helpful. (Limit to 2000 characters)
3. CV/Resume: (2 page limit)
4. Media: Up to 10 digital images of relevant completed artwork. Artist(s) may submit up to two videos of relevant artwork, if it is essential to understanding the work. Label images/media: last name of artist, artwork title, installation date. JPGs only.
5. Media script: Short description of each completed artwork submitted as media. The
media script should include the title of the artwork, the budget of the project, the location, and the artwork intent. (Limit to 100 words per artwork).

All applications must be received through Call for Entry. For more information and help with applying, artists can attend the virtual information session on Thursday, February 6 at 5:30 MT. Link to join.

Application will be disqualified if: the required materials are not submitted and directions for submission not followed OR, in the letter of interest or media work samples, the artist includes a proposal for the artwork. Contact Laramie Public Art Coalition with questions about the call at director@laramiepublicart.org.

Eligibility Criteria

The call is open to all artists ages 18 and over, regardless of race, color, religion, national origin,gender identification, age, military status, sexual orientation, marital status, or physical or mental cognition.