Call for Artists: Portland Plaza Projects

In this article

The City of Portland seeks artists to create temporary projects for PBOT Street Plazas. Selected artists can take a variety of approaches, including temporary sculptures, ephemeral and ecological artworks, ephemeral 2D works (such as chalk drawings or posters), socially engaged projects or social practices or events. Projects should imagine new possibilities for the city's public realm and the communities who gather there.

Scope of Work

Each artist will work with the Office of Arts & Culture and PBOT to develop their project. The desired artistic approach will either explore the identity of the neighborhoods surrounding the public plazas or explore ways that the community can use these spaces to foster social inclusion and connection. Projects should be resource-light and durable or flexible or easily reproduceable, and they should consider maintenance impacts.

Budget

The project budget for each art commission is $10,000, inclusive of all artist fees, project costs, travel, presentation, documentation of the work, and applicable taxes. Projects will be realized between July and September 2026.

This project series is funded by PBOT Percent for Art funds administered by the Office of Arts & Culture.

Project Timeline

• May-June 2026 -project planning and design
• July 2026 - projects begin
• September 2026 - projects completed and all on-site materials removed

Eligibility

The call is open to artists who live, work, or play in Portland. Indigenous artists who live in Western Oregon or Southwestern Washington are also eligible for this program. Artists may apply as a team, but the application should clearly describe the contribution of each collaborator. The Office of Arts & Culture encourages diversity in its collection. Artists whose work is well-represented in the city's collection are eligible to apply, but the artist selection panel will consider artistic diversity as one factor in the selection process.

Application Deadline

The deadline to submit your application is 2 p.m. (PST), Monday, May 29, 2016.

Applications should be emailed to Eric Fredericksen ([email protected]) and must include:

• Up to eight artwork images or up to five minutes of time-based work documentation
• Brief letter of interest (<300 words)
• Resume
• Image/Documentation Identification List (title, date, brief project description if appropriate)
• Three references

Project Background

The Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) manages more than one-fifth of Portland's land area, making it uniquely positioned to support communities in reimagining city streets as places for connection, responding to the growing demand for people-centered public spaces.

PBOT partners with business districts, local businesses, non-profit organizations, and community organizations to support Public Street Plazas in neighborhoods throughout Portland. Street plazas create public spaces that strengthen community, build culture, and enhances public life.

Most street plazas feature simple design elements and temporary, movable amenities. These plazas have become popular outdoor spaces for socializing, outdoor dining, community events, or just relaxing.

Twenty street plazas have been created over the last five years. In 2026, an anticipated five new plazas will be installed. A map and guide to all Portland Street Plazas is available on our website.

Arts and culture are key aspects of the life of these plazas, primarily through events, performances and community artworks such as street paintings. PBOT and the Office of Arts & Culture are now partnering to develop new approaches to art in plazas. This program is designed to welcome the ideas and practices of Portland's artists into highly visible and lively contexts, allowing new views of art and the public realm.

Selection Process

The selection process will take place in late May 2026. A panel of arts professionals, client representatives and community members will review the applicants' images, qualifications and other materials. The panel will recommend 3-5 artists to be awarded the commission.

Notification of Results

Applicants will be notified of the panel's decision by e-mail in early June 2026. The Office of Arts & Culture reserves the right not to select any of the applicants