Colorado Avenue & Columbia Street Roundabout Public Art Commission

Art in Public Places, a non-profit organization based in Bend, Oregon, is seeking artists and artist teams to create a public art sculpture for the Colorado Avenue & Columbia Street Roundabout. The roundabout is 80 feet in diameter and located in the Southern Crossing neighborhood, connecting downtown Bend to the westside over the Colorado Bridge. The site experiences approximately 15,000 cars daily on nearby streets and 20,000 cars crossing the Colorado Bridge daily.

The total project budget is $130,000, which includes all costs for engineering, fabrication, installation, landscaping, insurance, and traffic mitigation. Artists must submit a letter of interest and six digital images of completed outdoor sculptures or installations from the last 12 years. The selection committee will evaluate submissions based on artistic excellence, innovation, originality, experience with public art projects, and ability to enhance the natural landscape. Three to four finalists will be selected and receive a $1,500 stipend for travel and design time. Finalists will present design renderings via Zoom in mid-March 2023, followed by public input and final commission selection in late April 2023. Installation is scheduled for spring 2024.

Eligibility is open to artists and artist teams residing in Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, California, Arizona, Texas, New Mexico, Wyoming, Colorado, and Utah. Black, Indigenous, People of Color, Women, and LGBTQAI+ community members are highly encouraged to apply. The application deadline is January 4, 2023 at 11:59 p.m. MST.