A. PURPOSE AND INVITATION TO SUBMIT PROPOSALS (OVERVIEW)
The City of West Hollywood’s Art on the Outside (AOTO) program funds the presentation of free and publicly accessible artworks at city-owned parks and facilities. Artworks exhibited through this program typically include sculpture, murals, digital screen-based artwork, and performance art. Most exhibitions remain on display for a duration of 6 months to 3 years, depending on the concept, construction, and location of the approved artwork.
The City of West Hollywood’s Arts Division hosts an annual open call inviting artists, curators and arts organizations to submit proposals for temporary public art projects to be exhibited at select pre-approved public locations throughout the City. The Open Call does not specify a particular curatorial theme for proposals in the interest of soliciting the most diverse representation of projects possible.
All applicants should familiarize themselves with the City’s values, history and mission statement to better align their projects with the unique and specific characteristics of West Hollywood’s vibrant, progressive, and welcoming community:
B. CITY OF WEST HOLLYWOOD – ARTS DIVISION
The City of West Hollywood delivers a broad array of arts programs throughout the year, including Art on the Outside (temporary public art), Arts Grants, City Poet Laureate, Drag Laureate, Free Theatre in the Parks, Library Exhibits and Programming, Moving Image Media Art Program (MIMA), Summer + Winter Sounds, WeHo Pride Arts Festival, WeHo Reads, and Urban Art Program (permanent public art). For more information about the various art programs visit www.weho.org/arts.
C. ELIGIBILITY
This is an open call to artists, curators, and non-profit arts organizations based in the United States.
D. BUDGET
Arts Division typically receives more project proposals than there are available funds. The average project budget supported by the Art on the Outside program is $8,000. However, project budgets higher than this figure are still eligible for consideration so long as the submitted budget matches the project scope and demonstrates significant potential impact for the community of West Hollywood.
Proposals should include a comprehensive budget including cost estimates for the following required elements: artist/curator fee(s), preparation of artworks for exhibition, transportation of art elements, preparation of written exhibition didactics and labels, insurance, and installation and de-installation services. And, if necessary, the budget should also include electrical and/or structural engineering fees, extraordinary maintenance costs for the proposed artwork that require a specialist to perform the work.
Any maintenance requirements above and beyond the removal of graffiti by City facilities staff should be considered a part of the artist’s responsibility while the exhibition is displayed on City property and factored into the submitted budget calculations to the best of one’s ability. The City will provide professional graphic design services for signage and didactic material to accompany the exhibition.
E. DEADLINE
Applications must be submitted no later than 5:00 PM PT on Friday, August 8, 2025.
F. APPROVED ART LOCATIONS
Plummer Park (7377 Santa Monica Blvd.) – Outdoor lawn areas – Performances and one-day installations that do not require anchored footings. May be sited on the grassy lawn areas of the park. Note: Access to electrical power and suspension points in this area is limited.
LINK TO MORE INFORMATION ABOUT PLUMMER PARK
Plummer Park (7377 Santa Monica Blvd.) – Long Hall – A city-owned historic building that has been converted into a gallery space with ample wall space for art exhibitions. This is an unstaffed area and all proposals for this location must also include a gallery attendant to provide public open hours.
LINK TO MORE INFORMATION ABOUT LONG HALL
West Hollywood Park (647 N San Vicente Blvd.) – Outdoor performances and one-day installations that do not require anchored footings. May be sited on the grassy lawn areas of the park. Note: Access to electrical power and suspension points in this area is limited.
LINK TO MORE INFORMATION ABOUT WEST HOLLYWOOD PARK
Kings Road Park (1000 N Kings Rd.) – Outdoor performances and one-day installations that do not require anchored footings.
LINK TO MORE INFORMATION ABOUT KINGS ROAD PARK
G. PROPOSAL REQUIREMENTS
Concept: The Arts and Cultural Affairs Commission encourages proposals that demonstrate experimentation, risk-taking, and boundary-pushing characteristics compared to current practices and trends occurring locally, nationally, and internationally in public art.
Materials: Artworks included in the exhibition proposal should be able to withstand the natural elements and be ready to install in a public setting. In most instances, artworks requiring electricity should consider using solar power rather than relying on a dedicated source from the City.
Location: Artwork proposals should include a defined location for the exhibition proposal. Pre-approved art locations are listed on the application form. New locations will be considered on a case-by-case basis and should be discussed with staff prior to applying.
Insurance: Applicant's proposals that are selected for exhibition are subject to the City of West Hollywood's insurance requirements including general liability, auto insurance, and, if applicable, workers compensation.
H. SELECTION PROCESS
The Art on the Outside Subcommittee, of the Arts and Cultural Affairs Commission, will review temporary art project proposals, received through this open call to artists. The Subcommittee will make recommendations to approve a proposal, decline a proposal, or direct staff to invite the artist to provide additional information at a future meeting. Applicants are not required to attend the Subcommittee meeting for the proposal reviews. City staff will notify the applicant of the results of the meeting within 14 days.
Proposals that best meet the Art on the Outside Review and Evaluation Criteria are considered. Established criteria include:
- Artist Qualifications and Experience
- Aesthetics, Concept, and relationship to Site, Location, and Context.
- Diversity
- Proposed Budget
- Public Safety, Materials, Maintenance, and Structural Integrity
- Location
Projects recommended for approval by the Art on the Outside Subcommittee will be forwarded to the Arts and Cultural Affairs Commission for review and approval. Depending upon the project, additional Building and Safety staff or Council approvals may be necessary.
Incomplete applications will not be considered. The Arts and Cultural Affairs Commission through its Art on the Outside Subcommittee reserves the right to recommend changes to a project proposal in coordination with the artist.
J. QUESTIONS
Contact Marcus Mitchell, Public Art Administrator, (323) 848-3122 or mmitchell@weho.org.
K. ACCEPTANCE OR REJECTION OF PROPOSALS
The City reserves the right to reject any and all proposals when such rejection is in the best interest of the City or the proposal contains irregularities. Minor irregularities of the proposal may be waived by the City. The City also reserves the right to cancel this RFP at any time and/or to solicit and re-advertise other proposals. The cost of preparing any responses to the RFP shall be borne by the respondents and shall not be reimbursed by the City. At the sole judgment of the City, any proposal is subject to disqualification on the basis of a conflict of interest. Identify any person associated with the firm that has a potential conflict of interest. The City may not contract with a proposer if the proposer, or an employee, officer or director of the proposer’s firm, or any immediate family member of the preceding, has served as an elected official, employee, board member or commissioner who influences decision making.