Park Art Bench Project

Discover Wauwatosa

Project Scope

The City of Wauwatosa is constructing a new park. Public art remains a priority for the city, and art installations will be incorporated into the park in various ways. In addition to a sculpture from an award-winning, internationally recognized artist, four public art benches (yellow-circled locations on the map) will be created by artists and installed in the new park for residents and visitors of all ages to enjoy.

While the subject of the art is at the discretion of the artist, the ideal public art bench will be a work of art that is functional, durable, aesthetically pleasing, and appropriate for permanent public display. Public art benches will be installed on a level, 4 feet x 8 feet surface. Locations of the benches were selected based on proximity to other seating locations in the park. Public art benches must be large enough to accommodate two seated adults. Each bench will have a plaque to identify the artist’s name and the title of their work

Proposal Requirements

The artist(s) must be over 18 years old.
Proposals must include a mock-up of the public art bench and a written description of the concept (approximately 100-200 words).
Artists may submit multiple proposals. An artist will be selected to create only one (1) public art bench.
Artists must have artwork completed by Monday, May 5,2025, assuming no delays in park opening (more details in the Timeline section below). Artists must ensure that their work/personal schedules allow for this availability.
Proposal submissions deemed as advertising or billboards for a business will be rejected. Submissions considered rude, offensive, or political in nature will also be rejected. This project’s goals are to unify and draw the community together.
There is a modest travel budget available for out-of-town artists in addition to the selection award. Artists must indicate if travel accommodations will be needed in proposal submissions.

Proposal Requirements

1. Timeline

The proposal submission deadline is Friday, August 30, 2024. Selected artists will be announced
on Friday, September 13, 2024.

The public art bench installation will take place in May 2025. As of the release of this document,
the park is targeting a May 26, 2025 opening. As construction continues, delays may occur.
Artists must have their work completed a minimum of 3 (three) weeks prior to the targeted
opening date. Selected artists will be informed of changes to the installation period and final
confirmation of installation deadline will be provided as the park opening date approaches.
Artists must ensure that their work/personal schedules allow for this availability.

2. Payment

Each artist selected will be awarded $8,000 to design and produce their public art bench. There
is a travel stipend of $1,000 provided to artists, dependent on the distance they are traveling.
$4,000 will be released at the time artists begin the creation of the bench. The remaining
amount will be released after the public art bench installation and final delivery.

3. Materials and Equipment

Artists are responsible for acquiring their materials from the budgets provided. This will be
discussed at length with each artist once public art bench locations are assigned. Artists will be
asked to sign a liability waiver.

4. Submission Process

Please review the site description on the above, and concept a specific bench with the
site’s dimensions in mind. Use form below to submit your concept. Email bgleesing@wauwatosa.net with any questions.

Selection Process

Phase 1: All proposals will be reviewed for outlined requirements. Proposals that do not meet
submission requirements will be removed from the selection pool.

Phase 2: A focus group consisting of 3-5 local arts professionals will review all remaining
proposals. The focus group will work to determine the proposal’s relevance and
appropriateness. The group will narrow the selection pool down to 6-8 proposals.

Phase 3: The Wauwatosa Tourism Commission will review the remaining 6-8 proposals and
select 4 (four) that best fit the scope and spirit of the project. Finalists will be informed no later
than September 13, 2024.

Selection Criteria

Proposals that integrate the following elements will be preferred:

Reflects the vibrant culture of Wauwatosa with a strong and unique design concept.
A park bench constructed with durable and safe components that require little to no
maintenance.
Appropriate for viewing and use by visitors of all ages.