Public art commissions

Public Art Program

City of Phoenix — Office of Arts and Culture · Phoenix, Arizona, US

Representative organizer image for Public Art Program
Representative organizer imageImage: phoenix.gov ↗

Documented selection route

Most selections use open RFQs and a project selection panel; most calls are posted on PublicArtist.org.

Program history & cadence

Projects arise through an annually updated public-art plan.

A documented program is not a current invitation to apply. Selection routes and program history reflect the linked dated sources. Confirm current availability, eligibility and application terms with the organizer.

Program context & project planning

How the program works

Selection considers teamwork as well as the artwork

Phoenix says most artist selections start with an open request for qualifications. Panels assess work quality, suitability for the project and ability to collaborate with community members and design professionals. A panel may recommend an artist directly or invite finalists to develop concepts and interview. Recommendations require additional civic review before contracting. This is a useful reason to document an artist’s specific role in past collaborations, rather than showing finished images without explaining delivery responsibilities.

City of Phoenix — Public Art FAQ ↗ · Reviewed

Big Art Partners planning question

Can the portfolio demonstrate successful collaboration with the relevant design disciplines and community stakeholders?

The public-art plan contains several kinds of work

Phoenix’s annually developed plan coordinates with the capital-improvement budget and identifies projects citywide. The FY2026–2031 overview distinguishes artists on design teams, permanent site-specific commissions, temporary commissions, existing-work purchases for the portable collection, master planning and major refurbishment. An entry in this plan therefore does not automatically mean a sculpture call is open. For artists and production partners, the category helps clarify whether a future brief concerns a new object, integrated design or care of an existing work.

City of Phoenix — FY2026–2031 Public Art Plan ↗ · Reviewed

Big Art Partners planning question

Is the prospective project an acquisition, an artist design-team role, a new commission or refurbishment?

View all documented programs and opportunity records from City of Phoenix — Office of Arts and Culture ↗

Sources & review dates