Call to Artists: Graphic Design Package

Call to Artists: “The Natural Beauty of Juanita Creek” Graphic Design Package

Project Description

The Kirkland Cultural Arts Commission (KCAC) seeks an artist or artist team to design and develop a graphic design package. The design will serve to promote our Behavior Change Campaign; the City’s  effort to better understand how residents currently care for and maintain their yards and lawns, and how we can support environmentally sustainable, safe, and practical yard care solutions. For more information on the campaign, refer to the Behavior Change Campaign Summary Strategy & Schedule(PDF, 510KB) .

The purpose of this art call is to create a design that will be applied to digital media, including social media and the City website, as well as physical features, including a utility box. We’re looking for an artist to create a design that highlights the natural flora and/or fauna surrounding Juanita creek, as well as the importance and beauty of a healthy creek. We welcome both abstract and more literal art pieces. In addition to working with the KCAC, the artist will be working directly with the Storm and Surface Water division of the City of Kirkland Public Works Department to meet the goals of the Behavior Change Campaign.

Specifically, we are looking for:

1. A repeating design, submitted in multiple sizes to accommodate wrapping small items (i.e. a mug) and large items (i.e. a traffic utility box)
2. Between two and five icons that can be used across social and print media
3. A website banner
4. A sticker design

City of Kirkland Description

Kirkland, a city of approximately 97,000 in East King County, is known for its Lake Washington waterfront, vibrant downtown, parks, and public art collection. Kirkland is a diverse community with many immigrants; according to the US Census, 26 percent of the city’s households speak languages other than English at home. 

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 (BIPOC) 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.

Artist Selection Process

An art selection committee composed of members of the Kirkland Cultural Arts Commission (KCAC), advised by city staff and other relevant stakeholders when appropriate, will make the artist selections for the graphic design package call to artists. Artist selection will be based on the evaluation of written submissions. The committee may also conduct an interview process of all or selected submitting artists; however, it reserves the right to select an artist based only on the evaluation of written proposals. All proposals and interviews will be evaluated based on the Scoring Rubric Criteria (below) and committee deliberations. The committee will present its recommendations to the full KCAC for approval, with final approval of the selected artist provided by the Kirkland City Council.

The KCAC reserves the right not to select any submissions received from this call for artists. Applicants should be prepared and available to present their submissions virtually during an interview process if selected. Submitting artists should note the potential interview dates for their scheduling purposes and must be able to meet the project timeline.

Required Application Material

• Statement of interest (no longer than one page) describing why the proposing artist(s) should be considered for this opportunity, a brief explanation of the proposed concept and how the concept, vision, and proposed work address this specific call.

• Two (2) to five (5) digital images of work samples that demonstrate the artists’ capabilities, approach, and style. New renderings or concept sketches specific to this art call are not required but may be submitted if desired.
• Brief artist(s)’ biography, resume or curriculum vitae (CV). If the applicant is a student, a letter of recommendation from an art teacher or art mentor will be accepted in lieu of a résumé.

Additional Requirements and Guidelines for Final Designs

Completed designs of selected artist(s) must fulfill the following:

• The completed designs must be submitted in a digital format--either high-quality JPG or PDF.
• For the utility box: The completed artwork must integrate the front, back, sides, and top (fully covering all sides) of the utility box. Artists should plan for an expected vinyl wrap lifespan of 5 - 10 years.
• Artists will work with Kirkland’s Public Works Department to ensure that the artwork meets the goals of the Behavior Change Campaign.
• Proposed art should be appropriate for installation in the public right of way in highly trafficked areas and digital media and must be:
  1. Family Friendly
  2. Cohesive with the proposed materials (digital and physical)
  3. Cohesive with the theming and goals of the Behavior Change Campaign
  4. Reflective of Kirkland’s diverse community
  5. Compliant with standards for street-side public safety, including the following: proposed art should not contain representations of traffic lights, signs, or signals; should not blend into or mimic the surrounding streetscape; nor should they include large areas of black or dark colors to avoid overheating.
     
     

Project Budget and Contract Requirements

The selected artist or artist team will be paid a $4,000 stipend for digital files appropriate for digital media and covering a utility box. Materials created with the resulting artwork will be paid for by the City of Kirkland. Artists’ stipends will be paid after a City of Kirkland Service Agreement with outlined scope of work is signed by both the artist and the City. The City of Kirkland is required to have the below-listed documents from a vendor in or der to enter into a contractual agreement. Required documentation includes:

• IRS Form W-9
• State of Washington Business License with City of Kirkland endorsement.

For assistance with requirements, 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. Final selections are based on total points scored, interviews with applications, and committee deliberations. The KCAC recommends selections to the Kirkland City Council for final approval.

1. Responsiveness to the Project Call: Theme and Other Project Specifics —50 points. How well does the proposed work respond to the specifics of the call, in terms of theme, location (if applicable), and medium (if applicable)? Scale key: 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 proposed 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 key: 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 proposed work show artistic value, including formal qualities, technical ability, relevance to the current historical context, and the creative expression of content? Scale key: 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 proposal, 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 key: not competitive (1); fair (2-3); good (4-5); great (6-7); excellent (8-9); exceptional (10).
   
   

Timeline

-  Call to Artists Opens: October 12, 2026

-  Application deadline: October 30, 2026

-  Applicant Interviews: Between November 4, 2026, and November 11, 2026 (if needed, exact dates and times to be determined)

-  KCAC Meeting to approve artists: November 18, 2026

-  Artist Selection and Contract: The art committee will announce its selection by November 23, 2026.

- Contracts must be completed and billed prior to: December 18, 2026. 

-  Preliminary Designs Due: December 18, 2026

-  KCAC Feedback on Preliminary Designs Due to Artists: January 1, 2026

-  Final Designs Due: February 5, 2027

-  KCAC Meeting to approve Final Designs: February 17, 2027

-  City Council Meeting to approve Final Designs: March 2, 2027

-  Installation/Implementation: Mar 2027 – June 2027

For questions and to request assistance to fulfill these project requirements, please contact Abby Harrod at Aharrod@KirklandWA.gov and Marisa Allison at Mallison@KirklandWA.gov.