Hoffman Center for the Arts Wonder Garden—Outdoor Sculpture Opportunity Request for Qualifications
- Application deadline: May 15, 2025
- Budget: $45,000
- Contact email: [email protected]
- HCASubmittable page
- Downloadable RFQ PDF
About the project
Hoffman Center for the Arts (HCA), a non-profit organization on the North Oregon Coast, will commission a piece of public art for the entrance to our horticultural “Wonder Garden” at 596 Laneda Ave, Manzanita, Oregon. This project is made possible thanks to a generous donation. The objectives of this project are to pay homage to the long lineage of artists and artistic practices on the Oregon coast, to highlight the artistic diversity of our region, and to increase awareness of the Hoffman Wonder Garden and Hoffman’s continued presence as a dedicated cultural center in our growing community.
Anticipated timeline:
-
- April 14-May 15, 2025: RFQ open
- May 2025: Finalists selected & site visits scheduled
- August 2025: Finalist proposals due
- September 2025: Artist selected
The timeline for sculpture fabrication and installation will be determined with the selected artist.
About the location
The Wonder Garden is a small botanic garden the size of a city lot that sits on a corner of Manzanita’s main street, Laneda Ave. The garden is three blocks west of Highway 101, directly in the line of sight of cars and pedestrians as they head to the beach. It is, at heart, a celebration of horticulture. The Wonder Garden has been conceived, designed, planted, and maintained for the love and wonder of plants.
Site images (more available on request):
About the process
The process will begin with an open Request for Qualifications from interested artists. Three finalists will be selected from these applications to submit full proposals, from which one artist will be chosen. The finalists and winner will be selected by a committee of artists and community members, based on artistic excellence and innovation. The finalists will each receive a $1,000 proposal fee and will be asked to schedule a site visit in Manzanita. The budget for this art commission will be $45,000. The scope of the project includes artwork design, fabrication, transportation to the project site, and installation. Companion landscaping will be provided by the HCA.
Requirements:
- Artists should live in Oregon.
- Artists should be working with materials that can withstand long-term exposure to the elements without unreasonable degradation.
- Unless otherwise discussed, artists should create a new, site-specific work for this project.
- Art must be able to be relocated in the event of new construction at the Wonder Garden site.
- The art should be inspired by the concept of a “gateway” to the Hoffman Wonder Garden, though no literal gates are expected.
How to apply
The RFQ is open for submissions, April 14 through May 15, 2025, through the HCA Submittable page. Applicants will need to create a free account to submit, or use an
existing one.
Application materials:
- Letter of interest (one page or less; PDF or JPEG)
- Resume (two pages or less; PDF or JPEG)
- Images or videos of relevant work (6-10 uploads; PDF, JPEG, PNG, SVG, TIF, MOV, MP4)
Thank you for your interest! If you have any questions or need any assistance, we are here to help. Please direct your inquiries to [email protected]
