Call to Artists | City of Surprise Police Substation Public Art

Overview

The City of Surprise invites professional artists and artist teams to submit qualifications for the design, fabrication and installation of a permanent public artwork at the new Police Substation located at the northwest corner of 163rd Avenue and W. San Ysidro Road in Surprise, Arizona. The selected artwork will be integrated into a highly visible exterior boundary wall facing 163rd Avenue and should create a welcoming civic landmark that reflects the values of service, integrity and justice.

Site Details

The artwork site is an approximately 154-foot-long by 8-foot-high exterior boundary wall facing 163rd Avenue. Artwork may reach a maximum height of 6 feet and will be mounted directly to the wall with no more than 3 inches of separation. Installation may occur across multiple sections of the wall. Metal artwork with architectural integration is preferred. Materials must be durable, low maintenance and appropriate for long-term outdoor exposure in the Sonoran Desert climate. Artists are encouraged to consider lighting and opportunities for visual impact during both day and night.

Project Requirements

• Reflect themes surrounding service, integrity and justice
• Consider the civic identity and purpose of the Police Substation
• Create a visually engaging landmark
• Respond to the surrounding neighborhood and growing community
• Be durable, maintainable and appropriate for long-term outdoor installation
• Consider incorporating the color blue into the artwork or lighting

Selection Process

Up to three finalists will be selected to participate in a proposal phase. Each finalist will receive a $1,500 honorarium plus itemized travel and lodging costs to develop a conceptual design, meet with stakeholders and participate in an interview with the selection panel. The final selected artist will receive a contract of approximately $165,000 for the design, fabrication, transportation, engineering, installation and oversight of the artwork.

Evaluation Criteria

• Quality, creativity and strength of work samples — 25%
• Demonstrated experience and qualifications for projects of similar scale — 25%
• Ability to engage community and stakeholders during the design process — 25%
• Alignment with project goals and site context — 25%

Application Materials

Applicants must submit contact information, three written statements (Artistic Practice Statement—200 words maximum; Experience & Qualifications Statement—250 words maximum; Community Engagement Statement—200 words maximum), and five past work samples with accompanying information. Accepted work sample formats include JPG, PNG, MOV and MP4. Video samples should not exceed two minutes.

Key Dates

• Application Deadline: August 31, 2026 at 11:59 p.m. Arizona Time

Contact

For questions or accommodation requests, contact Danica Marlin, Art in Public Places Coordinator, at [email protected] or 480.714.3899. Applicants requesting accommodations or additional application support should contact the City at least two weeks before the deadline.