Pleasant Ridge Public Exterior Wall Art

The City of Pleasant Ridge is seeking proposals from artists or artist teams to design, create, and install public art on a park-facing exterior wall of a steel public works building. Murals or any other form of exterior wall art will be considered. The total area for the wall art is approximately 1,500 sq. ft. (100 ft. x 15 ft.). The site is located at the City DPW complex at 92 Amherst, Pleasant Ridge MI 48069.

The Pleasant Ridge DPW building is in Gainsboro Park, the City's primary park located in a neighborhood setting. The location for the artwork faces the main pathway through the park and will primarily be viewed by people walking and biking on the pathway. The purpose of the project is to enhance the visual appeal of the DPW building within Gainsboro Park, and to promote civic pride and cultural appreciation. The artwork must be appropriate for public display and will become property of the City of Pleasant Ridge upon completion.

The chosen artist will work with the Pleasant Ridge Art Council to finalize artwork design, prepare the wall surface if necessary, create and install the mural or wall-based artwork within a mutually agreed-upon timeline, and provide a maintenance plan or recommendations for longevity. Proposals must include a cover letter, artist statement, concept proposal with sketches/renderings if available, resume/CV for lead artist and team members, portfolio of up to 10 images of past relevant work, budget breakdown, and proposed timeline. Questions will be accepted via email until August 27, 2025, with answers shared by September 3, 2025. The application deadline is September 12, 2025 at 11:59 p.m. MDT. Selection will be based on artistic quality and originality, relevance to the city's culture and values, feasibility and execution plan, experience with public art, community engagement approach, and overall cost-effectiveness. Any qualified artist is eligible to apply.