Barber Park Recreation Center—RFQ

Orange County seeks qualifications from artists or artist teams to create public artwork for the Barber Park Recreation Center in southeast Orlando. The artwork should foster interaction and playfulness and may include freestanding sculpture, a light-oriented canopy, seating and shade structures, sensory textures, kinetic components, or vibrant two-dimensional artwork. The approved artwork budget is $29,100. Several artists selected to develop site-specific proposals will each receive a $300 design stipend.

Dynamic, playful public artwork incorporating vibrant colors and connections to the recreation center’s lively community, with optional sensory textures and kinetic components.

Open internationally to professional artists working in any appropriate media. Student artists may apply only if they secure an experienced public artist to mentor and oversee their work. Individual artists and artist teams may apply, with one submission allowed. Submit 1–5 images; up to one video may be included, and the total number of media files must be 1–5. The RFQ accepts images of finished sculptures or conceptual drawings. Applicants must also provide blind-jury Artist, Career, and Letter of Interest statements, each limited to 1,000 characters, plus a professional résumé; teams must provide a résumé for every member. Similar-budget public-art experience is helpful but not required. Sculptures must be freestanding and not climbable. Selected artists must work with a structural engineer to confirm stability under Florida sun, heat, and hurricane-force winds, complete W-9 vendor registration, sign Orange County’s artist agreement, and obtain required insurance. The comprehensive $29,100 artwork budget covers design, fabrication, materials, installation, insurance, travel, public presentations, required meetings, an identification plaque, and related incidental expenses. Several shortlisted artists will each receive a conditional $300 stipend to prepare a site-specific proposal.