Landmark Sculpture: Fruitville Road and US 41 Roundabout

The City of Sarasota, Florida is seeking a professional artist to create an outdoor landmark sculpture for placement within a roadway roundabout located at the intersection of Fruitville Road and US 41 (N. Tamiami Trail) in downtown Sarasota. This project is part of a public art initiative focused on acquiring diverse public works of art to be permanently displayed in numerous roundabouts throughout the city. Professional artists residing in the United States who have successfully completed projects of similar scale and budget are eligible to apply.

The selection process will initially involve selecting several finalists deemed qualified to design and produce the work of art. Three selected artist finalists will each receive an honorarium of $2,000 to present a site-specific maquette or other visual depictions. The final candidate will be asked to engage the city and community stakeholders before designing the artwork. The project budget is not to exceed $175,000, which includes all costs associated with design, site plan, engineering, production, transport, installation, lighting, travel expenses, and required insurance. The City will fund the construction of the artwork foundation.

Design criteria include: high-quality, free-standing outdoor sculpture of original design; minimal maintenance requirements with no water features; non-interactive work appreciated from a distance; maximum height of 20 feet; structurally sound and meeting Florida Building Code standards; minimum six-foot offset from the edge of the inside travel lane; materials suitable for Sarasota's subtropical climate; no signs, traffic control features, auditory devices, reflective surfaces, flashing lights, moving parts, or advertising; no text, words, or alpha-numeric characters; lighting not directed at motorists, bicyclists, or pedestrians; anti-graffiti coating; and a two-year warranty on materials and craftsmanship. The selected artist will transfer copyright and Visual Artists Rights Act rights to the City of Sarasota.