2020/2021 Chicago Public Art Prequalified List

The Chicago Public Art Program, a division of the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events (DCASE), invites Chicago-based professional artists, professional artist teams, and nonprofit arts organizations to submit qualifications for potential inclusion in the 2020/2021 Chicago Public Art Prequalified List. The list is a mechanism for selecting candidates for public art commission opportunities via the Percent for Art Ordinance, the Public Art Menu Program, and other special projects of the Chicago Public Art Program. Artists, artist teams, and nonprofit arts organizations prequalified through previous calls must apply to this call to be considered for prequalification in 2020 and 2021.

Each accepted individual artist, artist team, or nonprofit arts organization will be featured on a page on the City of Chicago website with one or two images representative of their body of work, a short statement, their primary medium, and a link to their website. Past public art experience is not required; however, successful applicants must demonstrate the ability to implement design concepts in durable and/or permanent, low- or no-maintenance materials suitable for public and/or outdoor environments, and must have administrative capacity to manage all resources involved in completing a public art project. A guest panel of arts professionals convened by DCASE will select from eligible applicants to create a pool of 50 prequalified Artists/Teams/Organizations from which candidates may be selected for public art opportunities in 2020 and 2021. Each prequalified applicant will be eligible for up to one new commission through the Chicago Public Art Program in a single calendar year.

Applicants must be Chicago residents. Individual artists must be professional artists at least 18 years old, U.S. citizens or permanent legal residents, with at least a two-year history of professional art practice and specialized training in the field. Artist teams must be two or more professional artists collaborating on joint work with a body of joint work spanning at least 12 months prior to application. Nonprofit arts organizations must be 501(c)(3) organizations incorporated in Illinois for at least 12 months, with a primary mission to create, produce, present, provide, or support arts and culture services, located and operating in Chicago. Proof of residency is required. Work sample requirements: 10 images and up to 2 videos (12 samples total).