Call to Artists: Art Desert Art Acquisition

Call Opens October 17, 2025

At a Glance

• Application deadline: November 7, 2025 - 5 pm PDT
• This art call is for the purchase of artwork that the City will use to install in art deserts throughout the City. Art deserts are neighborhoods with limited publicly owned art.
• The total budget for this art call is $26,000, purchasing a minimum of three art works, but could be more depending on the art modes selected and total cost of each art piece/design.
• Looking for art in the following categories: outdoor sculptures, murals, and utility box wraps.
• All art will be for outdoor exhibits and art mediums must be able to withstand Pacific Northwest elements.
• Artist compensation per art mode:

*The City of Kirkland reserves the right to choose different combinations of the art modes below to include all or some of the art modes. The City also reserves the right to change the art selection if the art originally selected does not physically fit sites are selected.   

• Target Installation Deadline: 2026

Summary

The Kirkland Cultural Arts Commission (KCAC) seeks submissions of completed work for purchase of art sculptures, and completed art designs for murals and utility box wraps for outdoor exhibition. Works should be of durable materials that can withstand the diverse Pacific Northwest elements. Artists should be aware that there is no protection from the weather when the art is exhibited, and we ask that the artist take into consideration the Pacific Northwest weather for each of our four distinct seasons.

The location of where the art will be exhibited is still being determined by City staff, however the KCAC is looking for art that will be displayed in art deserts throughout the City. Art deserts are neighborhoods with limited publicly owned art. The KCAC has determined where art deserts exist in the City and has prioritized the areas by neighborhoods calculating the density of the City owned art by population. The top-level priority neighborhoods are Bridle Tails, Everest, and Kingsgate.

The amount of art compensation depends on the art mode and mediums. The total art budget is $26,000 with the intent to purchase three art works at a minimum but could be more depending on the art modes selected. Compensation will depend on the size and art mediums used. Here is the compensation end range showing the maximum amounts for each art mode: outdoor sculpture - $6,000 to $8,000, mural - $4,000 to $8,000 (including production), and box wrap - $1,500. The City of Kirkland reserves the right to choose different combinations of the art modes to include all or some of the art modes. The City also reserves the right to change the art selection if the art originally selected does not physically fit after sites selected.  

City of Kirkland

Kirkland is a city of approximately 90,000 in East King County, and is known for its Lake Washington waterfront, vibrant downtown, parks, and robust public art collection. The Kirkland City Council has taken action to ensure that the City is safe and welcoming for residents and visitors. With this project, the City seeks public art that addresses those aspirations and reflects the City’s diversity, including racial and ethnic diversity, diversity of sexual identity and orientation, gender diversity, and diversity of age and ability.

Artist Eligibility

This call is open to any artist.

The KCAC strongly encourages submissions from artists residing or working in the Pacific Northwest (Washington, Oregon, Idaho & Northern California).

The City of Kirkland Supports Equitable Opportunities

The KCAC, in alignment with the City Council, seeks to dismantle structural racism and inequities in Kirkland. The KCAC affirms that all people, their cultures, and their art contribute to the meaning and understanding of our shared humanity and should be honored and celebrated. The KCAC strives to proactively solicit and curate art that reflects the diversity of the Kirkland community, encourages a sense of belonging for all people, and supports the expression of historically marginalized communities. The art created by Black, Indigenous, and People of Color performs a unique role in our community and helps provide inspiration to resolve societal inequity and injustice. This important work of bringing equity to art is pivotal to the KCAC’s efforts to confront injustices of the past and reveal inequities of the present to build a more diverse, inclusive collection of public art, now and in the future.

The funding for this art call come to the City through a grant received from 4Culture, the cultural funding agency for King County, Washington.

Exhibition Guidance

The artwork should invigorate, inspire, and energize the Kirkland community, communicate Kirkland as a safe, inclusive, welcoming, and belonging place, celebrate diversity and honor social and racial justice qualities that are in accordance with:

• City of Kirkland Resolution R-5693 (2025) which reaffirms the City’s Commitment to Being a Safe, Inclusive, and Welcoming Community Where All People Belong
• Resolution 5434 (2020) ensuring the safety and respect of Black people, committing to examining and dismantling interpersonal, institutional, and structural racism in Kirkland
• Resolution R – 5548 (2022) – adopting the Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging 5-Year Roadmap
• Resolution R – 5686 (2025) - declaring Kirkland as a welcoming, inclusive, and safe city for the Two Spirit, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer/Questioning, Intersex, Asexual Plus (2SLGBTQIA+) people and recognizing their human rights and well-being

This request for artists seeks works that reflect the tenets of these resolutions. More information about the City's ongoing work to dismantle structural racism, including links to the Resolutions, can be found here.

Artist Selection Process

The Kirkland Cultural Arts Commission (KCAC) has selected some of its members to become a sub-committee that will make the selection for this art call. The selection will be based on the evaluation of written submissions. The sub-committee may also conduct an interview process; however, it reserves the right to select an artist based only on the evaluation of written submissions of work. All submissions and interviews will be evaluated based on the Scoring Rubric Criteria (below). The sub-committee will present its recommendations to the full Kirkland Cultural Arts Committee for its approval, with the final approval provided by the Kirkland City Council.

The sub-committee reserves the right not to select any submissions received from this call for artists. Submitting artist(s) should be prepared and available to present their submissions virtually during an interview process if so selected. Submitted artists must be able to meet the project timeline. *The City of Kirkland reserves the right to choose different combinations of the art modes to include all or some of the art modes. The City also reserves the right to change the art selection if the art originally selected is not a proper fit after specific sites are selected.  

Art Sites 

T

he KCAC’s developed a systematic, data backed, and equitable approach to distribute publicly owned art across all neighborhoods of the City. The Committee worked with City staff to develop a map that identified all City-owned art across the City to facilitate the KCAC’s desires to understand where art deserts (those neighborhoods with limited publicly-owned art) exist in the city and to proactively increase geographic dispersion of art across the City.

The location of where the art will be exhibited is still being determined by City staff, however the KCAC is looking for art that will be displayed in art deserts throughout the City. The KCAC has determined where the art deserts exist in the City and has prioritized the areas by neighborhoods calculating the density of the City owned art by population. The top-level priority neighborhoods are Bridle Tails, Everest, and Kingsgate.

Artwork Specifications & Required Application Materials

This call is for completed work.

The following application materials are required:

• Statement of interest (no longer than one page) describing why you should be considered for this opportunity, an explanation of your work's concept and how the concept, vision, and proposed work address this specific call.
  • Artwork Dimensions: The statement of interest should also include a clear description of the art/art design including:
    • Sculpture art: dimensions, weight, materials used, price, mounting, and installment requirements
    • Murals: provide a range of cost detail for materials and production
    • Utility box wraps: art designs only require samples of the art, but do not require range of cost of materials or price since the City will pay for the printing and installation of the art. The artist will be compensated $1,500 per design.
• Two (2) to five (5) digital images of proposed work.
• Brief artist's biography, resume or curriculum vitae (CV).

Accepted Mediums:

Artists are welcome to submit examples of completed work that contemplate artwork in an array of sizes, types, and mediums. The medium(s) should be weatherproof and appropriate to outdoor display in the Pacific Northwest over a sustained period. The medium(s) should not pose any hazard to the public and the environment.

Project Budget and Contract Requirements

The amount of art compensation depends on the art mode and mediums. The total art budget is $26,000 with the intent to purchase three art works at a minimum but could be more depending on the art modes selected. Compensation will depend on the size and art mediums used. Here is the compensation end range showing the maximum amounts for each art mode: outdoor sculpture - $6,000 to $8,000, mural - $4,000 to $8,000 (including production), and box wrap - $1,500. The City of Kirkland reserves the right to choose different combinations of the art modes to include all or some of the art modes. The City also reserves the right to change the art selection if the art originally selected does not physically fit after sites selected.  

For the awarded artist(s) to contract with the City of Kirkland for display of their work, the following documents are required:

• IRS Form W-9.
• Certificate of Insurance for the duration of the project showing 1) Commercial General Liability for $1,000,000 each occurrence with the City named as an additional insured.
• If the artist(s) plans to drive their vehicle onto the work site (City property), the City will require proof of automobile liability insurance with minimum coverage of $1 million during the project.
• State of Washington Business License with City of Kirkland endorsement.

*Selected artists are responsible for coordinating the installation of the work with City staff.

For questions and to request assistance to fulfill these requirements, please contact Abby Harrod at aharrod@kirklandwa.gov.

KCAC Art Call Selection Scoring Rubric

The Kirkland Cultural Arts Commission (KCAC) uses a scoring rubric—based on City of Kirkland Public Art Policy Guidelines and funders’ intent—in its selection process.  The KCAC recommends selections to the Kirkland City Council for final approval based on the total points scored in these following categories:

1. Responsiveness to the Project Call: Theme and Other Project Specifics—50 points
   • How well does the submitted work respond to the specifics of the call, in terms of theme, location (if applicable), and medium (if applicable)?
   • Scale: not competitive (1-9); fair (10-19); good (20-29); great (30-39); excellent (40-45); exceptional (46-50).
2. Overall Alignment with City of Kirkland Public Art Policy Guidelines – 20 points
   • Does the submitted work reflect Kirkland’s Public Art Vision to maintain a diverse public art collection that values and honors artistic endeavor and the creative process, recognizes the role of public art in a welcoming and inclusive community, invites interaction, fosters civic identity and community pride, inspires a sense of discovery, stimulates cultural awareness, and encourages economic development?
   • Scale: not competitive (1-2); fair (3-6); good (7-10); great (11-15); excellent (15-19); exceptional (20).
3.  Artistic Merit – 20 points

• How well does the submitted work show artistic value, including formal qualities, technical ability, relevance to the current historical context, and the creative expression of content?
• Scale: not competitive (1-2); fair (3-6); good (7-10); great (11-15); excellent (15-19); exceptional (20).

4.  Artist’s Capabilities – 10 points

• Does the work submitted, including the artist’s statement, and submitted work samples, demonstrate the artist’s ability to meet the project requirements and fully realize the project.
• Scale: not competitive (1); fair (2-3); good (4-5); great (6-7); excellent (8-9); exceptional (10).

Timeline – approximate schedule

• Call to Artists Opens: October 17, 2025
• Submissions Deadline: November 7, 2025, 5pm EDT
• Artist Selection Process: November 10, 2025 – November 21, 2025
• Artist Interviews (if requested): November 17 – November 21, 2025
• KCAC Approval of Finalists: December, 2025
• Finalists Notified: December, 2025
• Artist Under Contract: 2026
• Works Installed: 2026