The St. Pete Arts Alliance presents a Zoom panel discussion with successful professional public art creators and those in the public arts sector – to discuss how an artist can develop the credentials needed to qualify to compete for a public art commission.

Topics covered

  • Requirements for public arts qualifying artists

  • How to build a public arts resume 
  • How to find calls to artists

  • Public commissions
  • Private commissions
  • How to build a winning proposal

  • Understand the site and its requirements and limitations
  • Budgeting to the award amount

  • Writing the story of the proposed art
  • Steps to expect with a call to artist

  • Making the first cut
  • Fabricating the maquette
  • Presenting to the commission
  • Contracting the art
  • Collaborating with a fabricator

  • Insurance
  • Engineering
  • Installation
  • Civic requirements – approvals needed before installation
  • Managing the schedule

Panelists:

Greg Belew – Architect, designer, consumer of Public Art in his museum installations
Leslie Tharp – Blacksmith, creator, installer of Public Art Pieces
Mark Aeling – Public Art artist with a national reputation
Cecelia Lueza – Public Art artist and Muralist, international artist, converting 2D art into 3D installations
David Ramsey – of the St. Petersburg Public Arts Commission, arts supporter

Moderator: Wayne Atherholt

SPAA Workshops are a program of our Virtual Arts Resource Center, supported by the Bank of America Foundation, Pinellas Community Foundation, TD Bank Foundation and the City of St. Petersburg’s Office of Cultural Affairs.