Foothill College Outdoor Art Installation

The Foothill College Art on Campus Task Force invites proposals for a site-responsive public art installation that honors Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) communities. The permanently installed artwork will be fixed on a pre-existing concrete wall centrally located in the cultural hub of the campus at Foothill College, 12345 El Monte Road, Los Altos Hills, CA 94022. The wall has two distinct sections with combined dimensions of 76"x 80" (Section 1) and a second section starting at 80" in height and decreasing to 35" across a length of 16'. Any work affixed to the wall should not extend more than 6 inches in depth due to an adjacent active delivery zone.

Artwork must be an original design suitable for viewing by all ages, site-specific to Foothill College's unique physical, cultural, natural, and/or historical features. Proposals incorporating dimensional materials will be given higher priority. Artists should consider structural and surface soundness, using materials that can withstand outdoor weather conditions and are resistant to theft, vandalism, and excessive maintenance costs. Artwork may not be used for advertisement or promote business, products, viewpoints, or include intellectual property breaches, trademarks, brands, or images of drugs. All proposed artwork must comply with standard engineering practices, be constructed of durable materials capable of withstanding fire, earthquakes, and adverse weather, and conform to ADA standards.

The all-inclusive budget for the commissioned project is $7,000, covering artist fees, materials, fabrication, installation, transportation, insurance, documentation, engineering, travel, permits, and contingency. Up to three semi-finalist artists or teams will be selected and paid a $500 honorarium to develop site-specific proposals. Semi-finalists will present their proposals in 30-minute virtual interviews with the Art on Campus Task Force, with one finalist selected for installation beginning in August 2025 and completed by end of October 2025. Applicants must be 18 or older, live and work in the United States, and have a U.S. mailing address. Strong consideration will be given to artists based in California's greater Bay Area and those from BIPOC communities. Applications should include a letter of intent (one page maximum), résumé(s), artist statement(s), up to 20 digital images of past work with annotated list, and three references minimum for the lead artist.