Public art roster RFQ

ABOUT THE public art program

The Historic South LA Black Cultural District (BCD) and its Implementation Partner, LA Commons, are excited to announce our Public Art Program’s first Request for Qualifications (RFQ) ! 

The BCD’s Public Art Program is intended to serve as a key defining feature for the BCD. This RFQ seeks to identify a roster of artists for multiple artwork opportunities dedicated to the vibrant legacy of the BCD. Artists will be shortlisted from the roster to develop proposals to be evaluated by the BCD’s public art advisors.

The selected artists will be contracted to design artworks and collaborate with LA Commons to realize their design through storytelling, mentoring, and community empowerment. For convenience, LA Commons and/or their project partners will fabricate and install the artworks. Project artists may also be commissioned through other solicitation methods to design site-specific landmarks.

Current Artwork opportunities

To assist the design process, LA Commons has undertaken a site assessment and predetermined the optimal artwork treatments to help define the BCD. These opportunities take into account scale and proportion that complements the surrounding neighborhoods, while complying with all aspects of accessibility, public safety, infrastructure, and other regulatory codes. Effort has also been made to minimize potential vulnerabilities by planning to fabricate with robust methods and materials suitable for a permanent outdoor installation, taking into account inherent resistance to theft, vandalism, and weathering.

The opportunities may include but are not limited to:

• Banners: 2-D artworks for temporary display on City owned street light poles

• Markers: 2-D Neighborhood identification medallions for long term display on City owned street light poles

• Murals: 2-D images for mid-term or long-term display on privately or publicly owned property

• Monuments: Sculptures for permanent or rotating display on publicly owned sites

ELIGIBILITY

This public art opportunity is open to all practicing visual artists based in the United States and its territories, experienced in 2-D art making and/or sculpture.

Black artists with a connection to South LA are encouraged to apply.

Public art experience is not a project prerequisite, and emerging artists interested in being mentored by design professionals are eligible candidates.

Candidates may not submit more than one application nor be listed as lead artist for more than one submission. Artists applying as a member of a team are not eligible to also apply as an individual. If two or more artists are involved in a team, the submission must clearly delineate the respective areas of authority and responsibility of each party in project execution.

Artists must be over the age of 21 and a U.S. resident, eligible to work in the United States and have a valid U.S. Social Security or Tax Identification Number at the time of application submission.

Current California Senate District 28, City of LA, and LA Commons staff and immediate members of their families are not eligible for this project.

RFQ Submissions are due October 30, 2026 @ 11:59pm (pacific time)

For application questions and support, the BCD and LA Commons will host two (2) virtual RFQ info sessions on:

• October 7, 2026 at 10 AM (PDT)

• October 8, 2026 at 5 PM (PDT)

To register for an orientation session, click here.

A recording of the RFQ info sessions will be posted to this page after October 8, 2026.