HomeMy WebLinkAboutRequest for Qualifications 2025 - COD RoundaboutREQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS
PUBLIC ART PROJECT FOR SCULPTURE IN ROUNDABOUT AT SAN PABLO
AVENUE AND EAST ENTRANCE OF COLLEGE OF THE DESERT
Artist Eligibility
The City of Palm Desert, California, and the Palm Desert Cultural Arts Committee invites
experienced artists residing in the U.S., Canada, or Mexico to apply for a major public art
commission. Applicants must be 18 years of age or older.
About Palm Desert
Located just over 100 miles east of Los Angeles, Palm Desert is a premier resort destination
and thriving year-round community at the heart of California’s Coachella Valley—a region
made up of nine distinct cities. To the west lies Palm Springs, celebrated for its midcentury
modern architecture and storied Hollywood history. To the east is Indio, known for its
agricultural roots and vibrant murals featuring contemporary Latinx art.
Palm Desert sits at the center of the Valley, offering a blend of these influences with its own
distinctive, upscale character. Surrounded by dramatic mountain ranges and wide-open
desert, the city is a dynamic hub of nature, education, and culture. It is home to the Coachella
Valley’s three institutions of higher learning, the renowned McCallum Theatre—the region’s
largest indoor performing arts venue—and El Paseo, a premier shopping and dining district.”
El Paseo also features a rotating outdoor exhibition of public art, showcasing 18 sculptures
by artists, a tradition that has been ongoing since 1992.
About the Project
The Cultural Arts Committee invites artists to create a signature sculptural installation for the
roundabout at the north end of San Pablo Avenue. The selected artwork will serve as a visual
landmark and reinforce the corridor’s evolving identity as a vibrant, design-forward public
space. Artists are encouraged to consider scale, visibility, and durability in their concepts, and
may propose either a single large-scale piece or a series of coordinated elements. Works that
incorporate lighting to enhance nighttime presence are strongly encouraged. Water and
kinetic features will not be considered.
Site Description
The roundabout is located at the northern end of San Pablo Avenue, directly adjacent to the
east entrance of College of the Desert. It sits within a dense civic and community campus
that includes Palm Desert’s Civic Center Park—home to a public art collection, sports fields,
skate park, and event lawn—as well as being adjacent to the dog park, YMCA, Palm Desert
Community Center and Gymnasium, and City Hall. The site is highly trafficked by students,
families, city staff, and residents accessing public services and amenities. Just south of the
roundabout, San Pablo Avenue continues as a revitalized, pedestrian-friendly corridor that
leads to Highway 111 and El Paseo, Palm Desert’s premier shopping and business district.
This location offers high visibility from multiple directions and serves as a symbolic entry point
to the City’s civic and cultural center.
REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS
Artwork Design, Safety, and Durability Requirements
− Sculpture Height
o Single Work: Sculpture installed at the center of the roundabout must be
between 13 feet and 25 feet tall.
o Multiple Works: If proposing multiple sculptures, each piece must be between
13 feet and 15 feet tall to remain within the roundabout’s designated
breakaway zone.
− Workable Area: The roundabout’s unpaved center is 40 feet in diameter, with a 32.5-
foot diameter usable for artwork, as shown in Exhibit A.
− Design Approach: Artwork should be designed “in the round”, meaning it looks
complete and engaging from all angles.
− Site Grading: The roundabout is graded flat. The top-of-curb elevation varies by less
than 0.1 feet in any direction (north, south, east, or west), as shown in Exhibit A.
− Foundation Restrictions: Some areas of the roundabout are unavailable for
foundations due to underground utilities. Coordination with local utility agency will be
required. These areas are identified in Exhibit B.
− Driver Safety: Artwork must not distract drivers or create disorientation. Highly reflective
materials are discouraged.
− Visibility: The sculpture must maintain clear sightlines for drivers and pedestrians. It
must enhance, not compromise, site safety.
− Scale and Detail: Artwork should be bold enough to capture the attention of drivers but
not so intricate that it requires close viewing or prolonged inspection.
− Materials: Artwork must be made from durable, permanent outdoor materials that are:
o Safe for public environments
o Low maintenance
o Proven effective in similar public art installations
− Weather Resistance: The sculpture must withstand extreme desert conditions,
including:
o High winds
o Intense sun
o Summer temperatures over 110°F. Artists are encouraged to research
materials and colors for proven desert durability.
− Security: Artwork must be designed to discourage theft and vandalism.
− Public Appropriateness: Artwork must be suitable for all ages.
− Breakaway Design: Sculptures must include breakaway connections (e.g., bolts)
between the sculpture and its foundation to meet traffic safety standards.
− Pedestrian Activity: The roundabout is not intended for pedestrian access. Interactive
features and designs that encourage people to stop or take selfies are discouraged.
− Prohibited Features: Water elements and kinetic (moving) features are not allowed.
Photos of the roundabout are outlined in Exhibit C. Additional construction plans are available
upon request.
How to Apply
Interested artists or artist teams must apply through the project listing on
www.CallForEntry.org.
REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS
Submission Requirements
All applicants must provide the following materials:
1. Artist Qualifications
a. Current Artist Resume: pdf
• (maximum three pages) – Include relevant public art experience.
b. Letter of Interest: pdf
• Express your interest in the project and how your past artworks and
experience demonstrate that you can successfully meet art design
goals of this project.
c. Three Professional References (Name, Title, Organization, Phone, Email):
• One client who can verify the successful completion of at least one
public art project (including contact information).
• Two additional creative references.
• Please reach out to individuals who can discuss your work and artistic
experience in advance and secure their permission to be contacted.
2. Work Samples
a. Six to Ten digital images of completed past work.
• File types: JPG, PNG, 300dpi/15MB max
b. Accompanying image list. Artists are required to include basic specifications of
each image:
• Title
• Medium
• Dimensions
• Year
• Budget
• Location
• Client
Shortlist Selection and Ranking
1. PASS/FAIL Review. Public Art staff will initially review each application for
completeness. Incomplete applications will receive a fail rating. Complete applications
will be reviewed by the Cultural Arts Committee and those that receive a pass rating
from a majority of the panel will then be scored and ranked.
2. Ranking. For each application that receives a pass rating from a majority of the
Committee, each criteria will be scored and when the scores awarded for all criteria
are totaled, the Committee will select up to five (5) artists to create a design proposal,
maquette, and give a presentation. All artists who are selected to present their concept
proposals to the Cultural Arts Committee will receive an honorarium of $1,000
inclusive of all expenses.
Pre-Proposal Conference Call
Following the final shortlist selection, City staff will host a mandatory conference call to
provide finalists with additional information and instructions. This is also an opportunity to ask
questions. The conference call date and time is tentative; see timeline below.
REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS
Finalist Selection
1. Presentation – Shortlisted finalists will develop and present to the Cultural Arts
Committee one (1) conceptual art design proposal. Finalists will have the option to
present to the Committee either in person or virtually. All proposals must address the
art design goals. Each artist will have thirty (30) minutes to present the concept to the
Committee followed by questions from the Committee.
2. Finalist Submission: A complete submission must include all of the following or may
result in disqualification.
a. Conceptual Design Drawings/Renderings – Include artwork dimensions and
proposed placement within the roundabout.
• Narrative: Include title, Medium, and concept
c. Proposed Timeline – Include the following milestones:
• Design Development
• Construction Documents/Engineering
• Fabrication
• Transport/Logistics
• Installation
d. Itemized Project Budget Estimate – Include anticipated costs for all phases of
the project.
• Artist’s fee, design, engineering, materials, fabrication, transportation,
insurance, etc..
e. Material Description – List all materials to be used and explain their durability
in extreme weather.
f. Fabrication Plan – Indicate whether artist will self-fabricate the artwork or
contract with a third party. Regardless of fabrication method, the artist must
maintain creative and quality control throughout the process and remain the
primary point of contact with the City. If contracting, please:
• Name the fabricator
• Describe their qualifications
• Explain your oversight role in the process
g. Lighting Details (if applicable) – Include wattage, lumens, and color
temperature of any proposed lighting.
h. Foundation Design – Provide a general explanation of the foundation concept
and confirm your ability to have a California-licensed Professional Engineer
review, approve the design and structural calculations, and communicate with
local utility agency.
i. Maintenance Plan – Describe any anticipated maintenance requirements and
cost.
Selection Criteria
The selection criteria are as follows:
− Artist’s work samples provide evidence of understanding of craft and successful
collaborative work on large-scale public art projects.
− Proposed artwork exhibits artistic merit, quality, and innovative design.
− Proposed artwork is appropriate to site size and materials.
− Proposed artwork meets all requirements of this Request for Qualifications.
− Safety of proposed artwork is approved by the City’s Public Works Department.
REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS
A community engagement survey will be conducted to gather local input for City Council
consideration. From the five shortlisted proposals, the Cultural Arts Committee will
recommend three finalists to City Council. The Council will review public feedback and the
Committee’s recommendations before selecting the final artist. The selected artist must then
execute the City’s Agreement (draft available upon request).
Project Budget
The budget for this project is $200,000. The selected artist or artist team will be responsible
for all fees including artist fee, design, engineering, materials, fabrication,
shipping/transportation, construction oversight, travel, hotel mileage, insurance, taxes, and
other associated costs. The City will be responsible for installation costs (contractors, heavy
equipment rentals, traffic control, etc), uplighting costs, and permit fees. All artists who are
selected to present their concept proposals to the Cultural Arts Committee will receive an
honorarium of $1,000 inclusive of all expenses.
Application Deadline
Applications must be received via www.callforentry.org by Thursday, September 4, 2025, at
11:59 p.m. (Mountain Zone Time).
Submittal Timeline (subject to change at the City’s discretion)
Timeline Date
Release Request for Qualifications (RFQ) July 1, 2025
Application deadline Thursday, September 4, 2025, at 11:59 p.m.
(Mountain Zone Time)
Review of Applications by Cultural Arts
Committee
September 15 through November 12, 2025
Notification of Shortlisted Finalists Week of November 17, 2025
Shortlist Conference Call December 3, 2025 at 11:00 a.m. PST
Finalist Presentations to the Cultural Arts
Committee
Wednesday, January 14, 2026
Community Engagement Survey January - February 2026
Cultural Arts Committee meeting and final
three selection and recommendation to the
** Preferred completion and installation by April-May 2027 or Fall 2027, depending on the
timeline proposed by the selected artist and approved by the City.
Additional Information
For additional information on this project, please contact Erica Powell at 760-776-6346, or via
email at epowell@palmdesert.gov
Disclaimer: The City of Palm Desert reserves the right, at any time, to modify this Request for Qualifications, to modify the City’s
Agreement, to reject any or all proposals, and to re-open the competition. The final artwork becomes the property of the City, and the
City receives all rights to reproduce the artwork.
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RFQ - Exhibit A
RFQ - Exhibit B
San Pablo Phase II Roundabout
Location: San Pablo and entrances to College of the Desert/YMCA
RFQ - Exhibit C