The mission of the Arts Council is to promote, present, and support artists, arts organizations, and arts activities in order to further the development of the arts community and to benefit the public by expanding awareness, access, and participation.
CALL FOR UTAH ARTISTS: Request for Qualifications
SUBMISSION DEADLINE: Friday, October 31st, 2025 by 5:00 PM (MST)
ELIGIBILITY: Emerging, mid-career, and established practicing artists or artist-led teams whose primary residential address is located in Utah.
PROJECT BACKGROUND
The Salt Lake City Arts Council’s Public Art Program invites artists and artist-led teams residing in Utah to submit qualifications for potential inclusion in the 2026 – 2028 Pre-Qualified Artist Pool for upcoming public art opportunities located in Salt Lake City, Utah.
The Pre-Qualified Artist Pool supports Utah-based public artists by integrating more artwork and artistic elements into citywide infrastructure. It also serves as a community resource for recommending artists for a variety of new public art commissions. In recent years, the Public Art Program has received increased interest from private developers, local businesses, other Salt Lake City divisions and departments, and community members seeking to collaborate with local artists. Artists in the Pool will be featured on a public roster that is publicly available to anyone looking to commission public art.
The Public Art Program will continue to issue individual calls for artists for other site-specific public art opportunities in Salt Lake City. These are often open to all Utah artists, including but not exclusive to those currently represented in the Pool.
Please note that previous inclusion into the 2023-2025 Pre-Qualified Artist Pool does not guarantee acceptance into the 2026-2028 Pre-Qualified Artist Pool. Current Pool members will not automatically be considered and must follow all reapplication requirements to be eligible.
PRE-QUALIFIED ARTIST POOL OVERVIEW
The 2026–2028 Pre-Qualified Artist Pool is designed to expand opportunities for Utah public artists and integrate more artistic voices into Salt Lake City’s built environment. Artists selected for the Pool may be considered for a range of upcoming public art commissions across Salt Lake City, including projects tied to new infrastructure, community identity, and placemaking initiatives. All commissions and projects by the Salt Lake City Arts Council are paid opportunities.
The Salt Lake City Arts Council invites applications from emerging and established Utah-based artists working in a wide range of media and artistic practices.
Examples of projects commissioned by the Salt Lake City Arts Council through the Pre-Qualified Public Artist Pool include:
- Public art integrated into new infrastructure projects such as bridges, traffic roundabouts, streetscapes, and parks.
Recent commissions include Liberty Park’s basketball surface court mural and a sculpture at the 600 South Main Trax Station.
- Projects that highlight community identity and placemaking.
Examples include the 2022 truck wraps project, created in partnership with SLCgreen
- Mural commissions on existing City buildings or other available walls.
Current projects include the ongoing Ballpark Mural Program in collaboration with the CRA.
Other opportunities may include:
- Opportunities to serve in an advisory capacity to consult, plan, and be a part of a design team, along with the project architect, engineer, etc., to provide expertise and review of artistic elements on various public art projects.
Pool artists will have the option for their contact information (website, social media handles) to be listed on the Salt Lake City Public Art Program’s website to serve as an artist roster for the community, including private developers or other commissioning agencies. Click here to see a list of the 2023-2025 Pre-Qualified Artist Pool.
All opportunities that may be available to artists in the Pool are optional; selection to the Pool does not bind an artist to any particular opportunity. All City-funded public art projects will be managed by Salt Lake City; privately funded opportunities, which may become available to artists through their inclusion on the Pool, will have no further Arts Council involvement or oversight. For public art projects developed as part of our Percent-for-Art funding, please refer to our official Artist Selection Process.
With a Pool project, the Salt Lake Art Design Board will determine the artist(s) from whom they will request a proposal. The specific requirements for each project will be the basis for selecting the artist(s) from the Pool. Depending on the scope of the project, the Board may select one artist for the project or may identify multiple artists to receive the project criteria and to develop full proposals. Artists developing proposals will sign an agreement and receive an honorarium based on the overall commission budget. In order to be selected, proposals must meet the specified criteria, including the project application timeline, scope, goals, and budget.
ELIGIBILITY
Emerging, mid-career, and established practicing artists or artist-led teams whose primary residential address is located in the State of Utah are eligible to apply. Artist teams of any size may apply; all applicants must reside in Utah. Artists who apply as part of a team may also apply as an individual artist, in a separate application.
This Call for Artists is open to all professional artists or artist-led teams regardless of race, religion, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, age, religion, marital status, political opinion or affiliation, or mental or physical disability.
Applicants who are currently represented on the 2023-2025 Pre-Qualified Artist Pool and would like to be considered for the 2026-2028 Pre-Qualified Artist Pool will need to fill out a new application. Any current members of the Pool will not automatically be considered for the 2026-2028 Pre-Qualified Artist Pool unless requirements for reapplication are followed.
ARTIST SELECTION PROCESS
The Salt Lake Art Design Board will select artists for inclusion in the Pool, however, inclusion does not guarantee a Pool commission during the period. Selected artists will remain active for a three-year period from January 2026 – December 2028. If the Board issues another call for artists for the Pre-Qualified Artist Pool at the conclusion of this term, all Utah artists will be eligible to apply or reapply.
The Board will refer to the following criteria when considering eligible applications:
- Application is complete and submitted on time. No applications received after 5:00 pm on Friday, October 31, 2025 will be accepted. No exceptions to this eligibility criteria will be made.
- The artist’s resume reflects evidence of professional competence. Qualifying criteria could include, but is not limited to: education and training as an artist, previous public or private commissions, participation in artist-in-residency programs, indication that the applicant is a practitioner with a self-conceptualized body of work, and representation by a commercial gallery.
- Application represents the artist’s own original creative work.
- Evidence of artistic excellence, including some or all of the following: mastery of skills and techniques, professional approaches to process and presentation, and/or communication of a unique vision or perspective.
- Evidence of the artist’s ability and/or willingness to execute artwork utilizing durable materials that are appropriate for a public space, when applicable.
- Demonstrated ability, knowledge, and experience in community engagement, including the capacity to collaborate in meaningful, inclusive, and culturally responsive ways.
- Demonstrated site responsiveness and potential to create artwork that addresses the physical and/or community context of its placement.
- Demonstrated ability to meet deadlines and work within a budget.
The Board will evaluate each application using this rubric to ensure a fair and consistent review process.
A note for interested applicants: While these criteria will be used as guidelines for the selection committee, the Salt Lake City Public Art Program is seeking candidates across a spectrum of aesthetic styles, knowledge, experience, and skills. We would strongly encourage you to apply, even if you don't believe you meet every one of the qualifications described above.
GENERAL SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS
Submissions that arrive on or before 5:00 PM on Friday, October 31, 2025, and meet all the application requirements will be reviewed.
To be considered for this project, applicants must submit all the required materials via the Submittable website (Submittable.com). There is no application fee. No other method of submission will be accepted.
If you are a first-time user of Submittable, please allow adequate time to learn the use of this system. We recommend that artists complete their application at least 48 hours prior to the stated deadline. Technical assistance will be limited in the 48 hours prior to the deadline. Please allow for two business days to address any and all technical issues related to your submission.
Assistance using Submittable is available 24/7 via their online help center or by calling (855) 467-8264.
For details on accessibility needs when using Submittable, please look over Submittable’s accessibility FAQ.
Any materials not specifically requested as part of this application or exceeding the maximum page length or format requirements will not be considered or reviewed by the Art Design Board and may result in disqualification. Notifications of disqualifications will not be made.
The applicant’s full name must appear on all submitted materials. If applying as a team, indicate the name and contact information of the team’s representative.
1. Letter of interest (last name_first name_letter of interest.pdf) (300 to 500 words)
Describe interest and experience in public art and special qualifications (construction, engineering, fabrication, project management, community engagement, etc.) the Art Design Board should consider. Letter must include artist’s name(s), mailing address, phone and email, social media handles, and website address, if applicable.
2. Résumé and/or CV (last name_first name_resume.pdf)
One resume for each individual or team member applying – 2 pages maximum per artist.
3. Images of Work (last name_first name_.title1.jpeg, last name_first name_.title 2.jpeg, etc.) Six to ten JPG files that are no larger than 1MB each. Submittable metadata fields are required: title, date, medium, dimensions, location, budget, and brief description of the work.
Please Note: If artists are selected as finalists for commission, they may be asked to provide professional references during the commissioning process. These letters must include reference’s name, title, phone number, email address, and relationship. References will not be contacted without prior notification.
INFORMATION SESSION, QUESTIONS, AND APPLICATION SUPPORT
All questions regarding this Call for Artists may only be directed to Salt Lake City Public Art Program staff at the email address listed below. Artists may be disqualified if any unsolicited contact related to this Call for Artists is made with a member of the Art Design Board other than the Public Art Program staff during the selection process.
We do our best to respond to inquiries quickly; however, we may not be able to respond in a timely manner during the final days prior to deadlines stated above. Please allow a minimum of two business days for a response. Be sure to give yourself ample time to consider your participation in this project and reach out to our staff at any stage in the process with any questions or concerns.
Contact: publicartprogram@slc.gov
Website: https://saltlakepublicart.org/for-artists/calls-for-artists/
If you do not have access to a computer or WiFi to apply, the Salt Lake City Public Library branches offer free computer and WiFi access.
If further assistance is needed regarding accommodations to complete the application materials, such as translations and/or interpretation services, please email publicartprogram@slc.gov for assistance and we can connect you with our partners at the International Refugee Committee (IRC).
Virtual Information Session: Interested applicants are invited to a meeting with Public Art Program staff on Tuesday, September 16th, 2025 at 6:00 PM (MST), held virtually.
To join via Zoom, please use the link below at the indicated meeting time:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84072490759
Attendance at this meeting is not required to apply. A recording of the info session will be published on our website afterwards.
ABOUT THE SALT LAKE CITY PUBLIC ART PROGRAM
The Public Art Program, which commissions artists' work for City-owned buildings and public spaces, was established by ordinance in 1984. The Program resides within the Salt Lake City Arts Council.
The Salt Lake Art Design Board is an advisory group of citizens representing different City Council districts, appointed by the Mayor and confirmed by the City Council, to oversee Salt Lake City’s Public Art Program. They are selected for their related arts expertise and willingness to serve the community. The Art Design Board is directed, by ordinance, to select artists for public art commissions in Salt Lake City and recommend those artists to the Mayor for final approval.
Art Design Board members are Colour Maisch, Michael Mejia, Wissam Khudhair, Tiffini Porter, Nate King, and Michelle Buhler. The Art Design Board includes cultural equity in its values, policies, and practices to ensure that all people, including but not limited to those who have been historically under-represented based on race/ethnicity, age, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, socioeconomic status, geography, citizenship status, or religion, are represented in the development of arts policy.
SALT LAKE CITY CORPORATION ADDITIONAL POLICIES
The City may accept Call for Artists (CFA) submittals as deemed to be in the public interest; proceed with further selection processes; reject any and all submissions; or may waive any irregularity, informality, or technicality in submittals received. The Art Design Board and the Public Art Program will determine, in their sole discretion, from the submitted information the most qualified Applicant to meet the stated duties as evaluated under the criteria set forth herein. The determination of the most advantageous proposal shall be final and conclusive.
The issuance of the CFA and the receipt and evaluation of the submittals does not obligate the City to select an applicant submission or enter into any agreement. The City will not pay costs incurred in responding to the CFA unless specified in the CFA. The City may cancel this process at any time prior to the execution of any agreement without liability.
The City reserves the right to revise the evaluation process. Such revision will be announced in writing to all CFA respondents or short-listed teams, depending on the timing of the change. The City also reserves the right to reject any and all CFA responses at any time, or to terminate any negotiations implied in this CFA or initiated subsequent to it. If the Artist Selection Committee receives a submittal it deems incomplete or ambiguous, it reserves the right to request additional information or to reject the submittal.
The Salt Lake Art Design Board and Salt Lake City Corporation reserve the right to reject any or all applications, to reissue this Call for Artists (CFA), or to terminate the selection process or project at any time without prior notice. No applicant shall have the right to make a claim against the Salt Lake City Corporation in the event the CFA is canceled, or the City decides not to proceed with the selection or commissioning process with the selected artist or the alternate artist, awards a contract, or determines not to award any or all contracts specified in this document. No protests will be accepted or reviewed. All submissions are subject to City Code 2.44, governing conflicts of interest.
The City reserves the right to, at any time and for any reason, discontinue negotiations with any initially selected Applicant, and to pursue negotiations with an alternative team. Applicants or their agents are instructed not to contact Arts Design Board members, City officials or employees or attempt to externally manipulate or influence the procurement process in any way, other than through the instructions contained herein, from the date of release of this CFA to the date of execution of an agreement resulting from this solicitation. City, in its sole discretion, may disqualify applicants who violate this paragraph.