Portland International Airport Concourse B Public Art Commission

The Regional Arts & Culture Council and the Port of Portland invite artists and teams living in the U.S. or Canada to submit qualifications for a series of permanent artworks for Concourse B at Portland International Airport. The art budget is $650,000. Project installation occurs in spring of 2021.

The newly renovated and expanded Concourse B will open in 2021, serving Alaska Airlines. Passengers will access the concourse by elevator, escalator, or stairs and enter a light-filled space with high ceilings and ample access to views of the surrounding outdoors. The concourse will extend approximately 300 feet and have two levels, with 10 gates and seating at ground level. There are two complementary art sites: a 300-foot long wall on the north side of the concourse (a series of square modules with grooves that can have any pattern combination, with flexibility to substitute materials such as glass, fabric, or bronze), and a 166-foot L x 3.5-foot H glass handrail of 9 sections on the second level along the south side. The artwork should be inspired by land and environmental stewardship; acknowledge the contributions of regional Indigenous Peoples and culture; and draw inspiration from the area's natural environment and cultural heterogeneity.

Eligibility is open to professional, practicing artist teams who reside in the U.S. or Canada. RACC staff, Artist Selection Panelists, and Port of Portland employees or their immediate families are not eligible. Applications must include a statement of interest (2000 characters or less) and a two-page résumé as a PDF. Work sample requirements: 8-10 images and 0-3 videos (8-10 total samples). The deadline for submission is 11:59 PM Mountain Time, Wednesday, November 6, 2019. No more than 4 finalists will be selected for the interview phase. Each finalist/team will be paid a $5,000 honorarium to develop a proposal and will be reimbursed for travel expenses. The total budget of $650,000 fully includes artist design fees, travel costs, permits, insurance, fabrication, transportation, and installation of the artwork on site.