Public Art Consultant Prequalified List

RFQ Date Issued: Friday, August 1, 2025.
Application Deadline: Saturday, November 1, 2025 by 5:00PM PST

OVERVIEW AND INVITATION TO SUBMIT QUALIFICATIONS

The City of Pasadena’s Cultural Affairs Division seeks qualifications from professional public art consultants to establish a diverse Prequalified List of individuals/firms with experience in the field of public art to provide curatorial and project management services for private development public art projects.

The purpose of this Request for Qualifications (RFQ) is to enhance and add to the City’s existing list of Prequalified Public Art Consultants as part of its Private Development Public Art Program. Private developers/property owners within the City of Pasadena who intend to pursue an on-site public art commission, to fulfill their obligation as part of the public art ordinance, are required to select a consultant from the Prequalified List. Consultants are hired by and contract directly with private developers/property owners, not the City of Pasadena. Placement on the Prequalified List is not a guarantee of future work or consultant services.

Applicants who demonstrate professional-level experience and capability will be added to the Prequalified List. Staff conduct regular evaluation of consultants on the Prequalified List to ensure professional standards are maintained and up to date with best practices in the field.

Individuals/firms interested in applying are encouraged to:

• Review the City’s Private Development Public Art Guidelines (https://www.cityofpasadena.net/planning/wp-content/uploads/sites/30/Guidelines-for-New-Private-Development.pdf?v=1754069939172) and Public Art Master Plan (https://www.cityofpasadena.net/planning/arts-and-cultural-affairs/public-art-program/public-art-master-plan/)
• Submit application questions well in advance of the deadline to: Corey Dunlap, Public Art Coordinator, cdunlap@cityofpasadena.net
• Carefully review this RFQ and submit a completed application using the link provided prior to the posted deadline.

 

PRIVATE DEVELOPMENT PUBLIC ART PROGRAM

First established in 1992, the City’s Private Development Public Art Program was created to promote art in public places as a cultural resource for the community, and act as a mechanism to enhance the commercial vitality and economic stability of the City.

Private developers/property owners within the City of Pasadena may choose to commission an on-site public art commission to fulfill their obligation as determined under the Private Development Public Art Program ordinance. The public art mandate may be satisfied by financing cultural and artistic facilities, programs, or artwork at or in the immediate vicinity of the development site.

Developers opting to commission an on-site public art commission are required to hire a professional public art consultant from the City’s Prequalified Public Art Consultant List. The public art consultant will work with the developer and design team to establish a strategic public art plan and administer the artist selection and artwork commissioning process.

Public Art Program:
The City of Pasadena’s Public Art Program focuses on two areas: new private development and City construction projects. The goal of the Pasadena Public Art Program is to build a publicly available collection of contemporary art that celebrates the human spirit and condition. The Public Art Program seeks to assemble a cohesive collection that encourages public dialogue, understanding and enjoyment of public art. Public art serves as the perfect medium for illustrating the broad range of cultural expression practiced in the Pasadena community.

For more information about the City’s Public Art Program, visit www.cityofpasadena.net/arts or contact Cultural Affairs Staff at arts@cityofpasadena.net.

PUBLIC ART CONSULTANT SERVICES

A successful candidate for the Prequalified Public Art Consultant List will possess a broad understanding of public art and contemporary visual arts; proven top-notch organization skills; excellent oral and written communication skills; and ability to use Microsoft Office and Adobe products.

Consultants must have established experience working with private developers/business owners in the public art development process, identifying qualified public artists with demonstrated experience, issuing artist RFPs, managing artist contracts, oversight of fabrication and installation, public art project management services, and a track record of successful permanent public art exhibitions.

CULTURAL ACCESS POLICY & EQUITY STANDARDS

Pasadena is a community that is enriched by a cultural infrastructure that encourages access and diversity in the arts. Sharing culture is essential to full participation in a community. To promote inclusiveness in the arts, access is interpreted as a key point in each of the following policy elements initiated through Cultural Nexus. Each policy statement is defined by standards that recognize cultural diversity and access as an integral feature of all actions to broaden participation in the arts. The Cultural Affairs Division and the Arts and Culture Commission will work collaboratively with appropriate City staff, departments, and commissions to facilitate the implementation of these policies and standards.

Cultural resources are accessible when individuals and organizations are able to enjoy arts and culture. Opportunities to improve access to arts and culture in Pasadena are continuously evolving, and are supported by the goals of the general plan, artists, cultural leaders, non-profit art institutions and private industry. The creation of an online arts and culture resource directory by the Division of Cultural Affairs for artists and the general public exemplifies an effort to promote “access” to the arts for all members of the community.

These guidelines were approved by the City’s Arts & Culture Commission in 2007 for implementation throughout various activities, events, partnerships, and programs as prioritized by the Commission in the Annual Work Plan.

Read the full policy here: Cultural Access Policy and Equity Standards | City of Pasadena 

ELIGIBILITY

This opportunity is open to California-based arts professionals, public art consultants and/or firms, based in the United States, with demonstrated experience managing successful public art projects. Qualified applicants must possess at least five (5) years of experience providing public art project management services for municipalities or other public art agencies, and be eligible to work in the United States.

BIPOC and Pasadena-based consultants are encouraged to apply. 

EVALUATION

The purpose of this application is to gather information that will be used to evaluate the applicant’s qualifications and alignment with the City’s established Public Art Program Guidelines. Cultural Affairs Staff will review and evaluate all completed applications for consideration. Qualifying applicants will be added to the Public Art Consultant Prequalified List. All applicants will be notified of the evaluation results.

Note: Placement on the Prequalified List is not a guarantee of future work or consultant services. Individuals/firms may be removed from the Prequalified List at the City’s discretion.

APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS

Consultants may only submit one application for consideration. Consultants must submit their complete application package through the application listed below. 

The application package will require the following information:

1. Consultant Identification
   a) Provide the name of the individual or firm, principal place of business, website, business social media account (if any), name of the primary contact person, email, and phone number.
   b) Provide the names of principals that will perform the services and their resumes. Include previous projects, experience, education, credentials, etc.
   
   
2. Letter of Interest
   Submit a brief letter of interest outlining relevant experience completed within the past ten years that best represents the anticipated services listed in this RFQ (2 page maximum). Applicants are encouraged to highlight experience working with a diverse group of stakeholders including developers/business owners, design teams, architects, City staff, Arts Commissions, selection panels, artists, and community members.
   
   
3. Related Project Information / References
   Present at least three (3) comparable projects completed for municipalities or other public agencies within the past ten years that best represent your experience. Include specific project name, dimensions, medium, location, public art budget, brief description of project, client name/organization and contact person together with title, telephone number and email.
   
   
4. Rate Sheet
   A sample rate sheet that shows the different types of services offered and compensation, such as required project percentage, hourly rate, or flat rate for each.

DEADLINE

Applications must be received by 5PM PST on Saturday, November 1, 2025. 
Submissions will only be accepted through the following online application at the bottom of this page. 

The City of Pasadena, as a municipality, must abide by this application deadline in the interest of fairness in public processes. Submissions will only be accepted through the Jotform page listed above. Incomplete and/or late applications will not be considered. Emailed, faxed or paper applications will not be accepted. Applicants are strongly encouraged to submit well in advance of the deadline to prevent missing the deadline.