Are you eligible to apply?

The roster is open to:

• individual visual artists
• artist teams or artist collectives

You are eligible to apply if you:

• live in the United States or British Columbia
• are at least eighteen years old as of August 1, 2025

If selected, you agree to:

• register as a WA state vendor
• follow state requirements, such as contractor licenses and paying prevailing wages
• pay applicable taxes
• fulfill contract terms with ArtsWA
• travel as needed during the proposal process
• design and propose artworks for review and approval by our conservation team and site committees
• work within a fixed budget and timeline
• create artwork for public spaces

How to apply  

The 2025 -2029 Public Artist Roster application will be on our Submittable page. If new to Submittable, you will need to create an account. Each applicant may submit only one application. You cannot apply both as an individual artist and as part of an artist team.   

Important dates  

• Tuesday, June 17, 2025, 5PM (Pacific) – DEADLINE  

• Tuesday, May 6, 2025 - Application opens  

• Friday, August 8, 2025: We notify applicants  

• September 2025 to July 2029: Period when we will use this roster  

(Not ready to apply yet? We will accept midterm applications in spring 2027.)  

Please allow time to prepare your materials and apply. You can save your work and come back to it. We do not accept late, incomplete, mailed, or hand-delivered applications.  

Application materials  

You will need to provide the following when you apply:  

• your contact information  

• eight images of your artwork  

• details about each image (title, date, medium, budget, commissioning agency, etc.), and a short 1-3 sentence description  

• a brief biography (250-word limit)  

• a statement about your work (250-word limit)  

• your project preferences, (project types, regions, budgets, etc.)  

• your demographic information (optional, we won’t share this with the panel) 
  

Please carefully choose and review your materials. If accepted, we share the portfolio that you submit with local art selection committees. Committees review portfolios and choose artists based on their goals for the artwork. They consider audience, locations, local context, and other qualities.  

What are the project opportunities?

All our projects are site-responsive, meaning they consider audience, environment, architecture, local values, and other factors. The artworks we commission vary greatly in size, materials, and aesthetics.   

On occasion, we collaborate with artists on different types of projects. When applying you will be asked if you are interested in the following:  

Architecturally integrated projects: Collaborate with the building’s design team to combine artwork with the architecture (i.e., flooring, railings, glazing, lighting, etc.) to create a permanent artwork.     

Community-engaged commissions: Engage with the community to shape the design of a permanent artwork through workshops or other forms of social practice.     

Our project managers work with artists and committees at each site to facilitate the process of acquiring artworks throughout the state.     

Note, we do not commission:    

• water features    

• clock towers    

• memorials    

• logos or signage    

• school mascots   
  

Project Sites  

We use the roster to choose artists for 20 to 40 projects per year. Approximately two-thirds of our artworks are in K-12 public schools.     

Currently, all K-12 school projects will be located indoors.   

Indoor projects can be more equitable for artists and provide more options for those who are new to public art. Outdoor artworks can be more expensive to produce, install, and maintain. We will continue to commission outdoor artwork for colleges, universities, and state agencies.  

The State Art Collection  

Your artwork joins the State Art Collection. In 1974, Washington State created the Art in Public Places program (AIPP). With nearly 5,000 artworks, we have one of the nation’s largest state-owned art collections. It includes a wide variety of materials and styles by regional and national artists.  

What does a project budget cover?  

Project budgets must account for all design, fabrication, and installation costs. This includes materials, transportation, licenses, insurance, sales tax, studio space, and all other expenses.     

We use the roster to choose artists for projects with budgets between $50,000 and $250,000. Most budgets fall between $60,000 and $125,000. For projects above $250,000, we hold open calls for artists.     

You can specify which budget ranges you are willing to work with when you apply. 

How do we accept artists?  

Voting panel  

Five panelists review the applications. The panel includes artists and arts administrators. We screen for incomplete, ineligible, and late applications before sharing them with the panel.  

What criteria do panelists use to vote on applications?  

Panelists use the following criteria:  

• you communicate a unique vision or perspective  

• you demonstrate an authentic relationship to your subject matter  

• you show an ability to engage a site and/or community  

• you demonstrate skill in your technique 
  

Approval and notification  

The panel recommends a Roster of artists to the ArtsWA Board for approval at their August meeting. You will be notified of the Board’s decision by August 8, 2025. We will use this Roster until the next call in 2029.  

You will create artworks for schools, colleges, and state buildings that are community assets and part of the State Art Collection. 
 

If accepted to the roster and selected for a project, you agree to:  

• register as a WA state vendor   

• follow state requirements, such as contractor licenses and paying prevailing wages   

• pay applicable taxes   

• fulfill contract terms with ArtsWA   

• travel as needed during the proposal process   

• design and propose artworks for review and approval by our conservation team and site committees  

• work within a fixed budget and timeline   

• create artwork for public spaces

If I’m currently on the roster, do I need to reapply? 

Yes! If you’re currently on the roster, your term will end this August.* To be considered for the 2025-2029 Artist Roster, you must reapply.  

*If you have an active project with ArtsWA, it will continue. If you’re selected for the 2025-2029 roster, you will be ineligible for a new project during the standard hiatus (2 years from the signature date on your commission contract). 

Terms and Conditions  

• You must be the creator of the artworks you submit.    

• You must give credit to any partners on projects.    

• We do not accept late, incomplete, mailed, or hand-delivered applications.     

• Acceptance to the roster does not guarantee you will receive a project.    

• ArtsWA does not prohibit the use of artificial intelligence (AI) as a creative tool, but imagery or images solely created through AI are not acceptable as work samples or commissioned artworks because they are not protected by copyright.   
  

Artist team dissolution  

• If accepted and your team dissolves, we will remove you from the roster. Any team member may reapply for the next roster call.     

• If you identify a lead artist and your team dissolves, the lead artist may remain on the roster. We will ask them to update their portfolio to reflect their current work.   
  

Appeals  

• If unsuccessful, you may appeal the Board’s decision as per Washington Administrative Code (WAC) 30.12.036. 

About the Selection Panel

Click here to learn more about the selection panel.

Who we are  

ArtsWA is the Washington State Arts Commission. We recognize our unique position to advance and support art and artists across Washington. Our goal is to build and care for a dynamic contemporary art collection that is accessible and valued. We seek impactful and lasting artworks that reflect Washington’s diverse communities.     

Art in Public Places Vision Statement  

Art in Public Places is uniquely positioned to advance and support art and artists across Washington. Our goal is to build and care for a State Art Collection that is impactful, accessible, and valued. We seek lasting artworks that reflect Washington’s diverse communities.    

Agency Policies  

We comply with all local, state, and federal laws and regulations concerning civil and human rights. You can learn more about our policies on Accessibility, Diversity, and Nondiscrimination here. 

Questions?  

For technical issues or any other questions, please contact: 

• Michelle Avitia, program coordinator: michelle.avitia@arts.wa.gov | 360-485-1344 

• Mike Sweney, program manager: mike.sweney@arts.wa.gov | 360-228-4080 

If you need an accommodation in order to complete the application, please contact: 

• Alexis Sarah, agency accessibility coordinator: alexis.sarah@arts.wa.gov | 360-228-6359