Project Overview
Arts New Orleans, in partnership with Civic Studio and the City of New Orleans, seeks to commission an artist or artist team to design, fabricate, and install 1-3 permanent, site-specific public artworks along the Oretha Castle Haley Boulevard Cultural Corridor in Central City.Funded through the City’s Percent for Art program, this project is rooted in Central City’s rich cultural history, lived experiences, and future aspirations. Deep, intentional community engagement will be central to the artistic process.The selected artist(s) will collaborate closely with residents, community-based organizations, and local stakeholders to develop sculptural artwork(s) that reflect the neighborhood’s identity and foster a sense of belonging, visibility, and dialogue in the public realm. All interested artists are invited to apply for this public art commission. Priority will be given to local artists who live in Orleans Parish or the Greater New Orleans metro area. We also strongly encourage applications from artists who represent the diversity of New Orleans and the local community. Please note that artists who currently have an active Percent for Art contract with Arts New Orleans will not be considered for this opportunity. This opportunity will be conducted as a two-part competition. In Part 1: Request for Qualifications (RFQ), interested artists are invited to submit materials demonstrating their qualifications. From this pool, three finalists will be selected to advance. In Part 2: Request for Proposals (RFP), each selected finalist will receive a $2,000 stipend to develop a detailed proposal for the Activating the Oretha Castle Haley Cultural Corridor Public Art Opportunity. Deadline to Apply: April 29, 2026 at 11:59 PM
Eligibility
To qualify, applicants must:
- Be 18+ and legally authorized to work in the U.S.
- Reside in Orleans Parish or the greater New Orleans metro area
- Meet all contractual obligations and adhere to the timeline provided.
To support a broad range of artists over time, applicants are not eligible to apply if they are currently under contract for another Percent for Art project.All interested artists are invited to apply to this public art commission. Arts New Orleans is committed to centering racial equity in the selection of artists and artworks. Black, Indigenous, Latinx, Asian, and other artists of color are highly encouraged to apply.
How to Apply
Review and download the full scope of the project and the request for qualifications (RFQ) here. The deadline to apply is April 29, 2026 at 11:59 PM
Artists must complete an online application using Arts New Orleans’ Submittable platform. We ask for an artist statement, resume, work samples and a description of each work sample.
Information Sessions
Two information sessions will be held while the RFQ is live. These information sessions are to learn more about the project and the application process. There will be time for Q&A at the end. Session #1: Monday, April 13, 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm, Zoom Register to receive the Zoom link: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/svbdUIBRT_CLjMDT3hfQmw Session #2: Thursday, April 23, 6:00 pm – 7:00 pm, Arts New Orleans Office at 1474 N. Broad Street
Questions?
Contact Arts New Orleans Senior Public Art Project Manager, Maya Curtis, maya@artsneworleans.org
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