Bollard Beautification (Castro Street Bollards Interim Art Project)

The City of Mountain View's Visual Arts Committee invites professional artists and artist teams to design and commission public artwork on concrete bollards located at intersections in the Castro Street Pedestrian Mall. Each artist or artist team will be responsible for artwork on a pair (2) of bollards. The VAC is seeking six (6) artists or artist teams total, with twelve (12) bollards available.

Eligibility is open to professional artists/artist teams residing in one of the following 11 San Francisco Bay Area counties: Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, Napa, San Benito, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, Solano, and Sonoma. Artists under 18 may apply if they are a student or recent graduate of a school in Santa Clara County with a sponsor over 18. Priority will be given to applicants residing in Santa Clara County. Proposals should demonstrate how the artist or artist's work reflects the City's Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Goals. Artists must demonstrate successful completion of similar works in the past.

Applications must be submitted online via CaFE at www.callforentry.org and should include: artist resume, signed application checklist, three (3) to seven (7) images of current work completed within the past five years, annotated image descriptions (including art title, date created, dimensions, media type, and installation location), and a proposal including artwork design, location, medium type, and estimated commission time. All artwork images must demonstrate the artist's capability to create durable artwork adequate for outdoor elements and public settings. Selected artists will receive a stipend of $1,500 for design and installation of art on two bollards ($750 per bollard). The project budget is all-inclusive of artist fees, expenses, taxes, materials, travel, shipping, site preparation, and fabrication/installation. Artists must incorporate the cost and installation of an anti-graffiti coating. Installation will occur between August 26-29, 2024 (8AM-8PM). The VAC will evaluate applications based on originality of artistic style, type of artwork proposed, representation of diversity/equity/inclusion, ability to withstand outdoor conditions, maintenance requirements, experience with public art commissions, and experience with similar-sized projects.