Eligibilty: MFA Graduate Students, early-stage Houston area artists and artist teams
Location: Louise J. Moran Fine Arts Courtyard, University of Houston Schoool of Art
Budget: $20,000
Deadline: March 30, 2026, 11:59 PM

The YardWorks Selection Committee invites proposals from UH MFA graduate students, Houston artists and artist teams at the early stages of their careers to design, fabricate, and install temporary works of public art for the Louise J. Moran Fine Arts Courtyard on the campus of the University of Houston.

YardWorks is a partnership between Public Art of the University of Houston System (Public Art UHS) and the School of the Art (SoA) at the University of Houston. It is an annual program granting Houston-based emerging artists exhibition opportunities for their site-specific installations and public art projects. The program includes a professional dialogue component as well as a guided experience along all stages of the exhibition process, from concept development to fabrication to installation.

Commissions remain on view from November 2026 through September 2027 at the Louise J. Moran Fine Arts Courtyard, in the heart of the University of Houston’s campus Arts District.

This call is extended to UH MFA graduate students and Houston-based artists and artist teams at the early stages of their careers with a demonstrated studio practice. Priority will be given to artists who have limited experience with art in the public realm. School of Art faculty and Public Art UHS staff are available for assistance during the planning and execution of the work. Three finalists will be selected for interview; then a finalist will be selected.

While the selected work can take a multitude of forms and materials, it must be resilient to weather, and safe for public interaction.

The goals of the project include the following:

• Provide a first opportunity for MFA graduate students, Houston-based and early-career artists and/or artist teams to create work for the public realm.

• Place high-quality works of site-specific art that complement and activate the Louise J. Moran Fine Arts Courtyard.

• Engage academic and community audiences through 2-3 events or programmatic components that are responsive to the selected artist and artwork.

For more information about the program and past YardWorks projects, visit our website.

This opportunity is open to individiual artsits and artist teams.

Applicants meeting the following are eligible for consideration:

• Must be 18 years or older

• Artist/artist teams must be able to work at the required scale and be availabile to complete installation/deinstallation by the deadlines: October 2026 and September 2027, respectively.

• Current full-time UH System employees are not eligible to apply. Graduate students holding part time, temporary, teaching, or fellowship positions remain eligible.

Note: Submissions not meeting all eligibility criteria or application requirements will be withdrawn from consideration.  

The total amount budgeted for the project is $20,000 and is inclusive of all work including, but not limited to, design proposals, artists’ fees, design, engineering, permits, insurance costs, studio and project administration, travel, fabrication, materials, installation, required documentation as well as de-installation at the end of the project’s run at the Louise J. Moran Fine Arts Courtyard. The artist is expected to be on-site to oversee and/or execute the installation and deinstallation of the artwork.

The project budget does not include any additional costs related to planned events or programmatic components of the installation. Costs related to programmatic components will vary with each project but will be the responsibility of Public Art UHS and the UH SoA in consultation with the artist.

To receive payments, the finalist will be asked to use PaymentWorks, a third-party company that serves as our accounts payable system. The finalist will complete paperwork and return it through a secure portal for direct deposit payment into their bank account. A contract will be issued with the artist and the university to perform the work.

INSURANCE

Public Art UHS maintains insurance for works of art once installed on the UH campus. The selected artist or artist team must maintain appropriate insurance for all other stages of the process.

The Louise J. Moran Fine Arts Courtyard is located at the center of the UH School of Art, Fine Arts Building. It is a pleasant, tree-filled, multiuse area frequented by the School of Art community, particularly students, and the University at large. The 4 floors of the Fine Arts Building surround the courtyard, providing a myriad of vantage points. A site visit is strongly recommended.

Site address: 4188 Elgin St. Houston, TX 77204

Click here for diagrams, maps and photographs of the site. 

Note: A site visit is highly recommended for developing artist proposals

• Artworks should be suitable for public display to a diverse and international audience
• Artworks must be free of safety hazards
• Artworks must meet Texas Accessibility Standards (ADA) requirements where applicable
• Artworks should require minimal maintenance
• Artworks should be proportional to the scale and volume of the space
• Be mindful of existing courtyard seating, lighting, landscaping, etc.
• Artwork cannot hang from railings or the roof.
• The courtyard serves as a community gathering space and should be considered as such.

All applicants are expected to consider the issues of outdoor works of art, along with time and budget. Public art projects should be fabricated of low-maintenance materials that take into consideration all types of weather. 

Finalists are encouraged to consult with a professional fabricator and engineer prior to the submission of a final proposal. Artist proposals awarded contracts will be reviewed to ensure conformity with campus standards of maintenance and durability, as well as ADA standards.

The materials outlined below must be submitted by the posted deadline via this form.

• LETTER OF INTEREST | This is your opportunity to express your personality, professionalism, qualifications, and enthusiasm for the project. Please answer the following: What is your interest in YardWorks? What is your imagined design or artistic/conceptual approach to the project? What is your experience, if any, working on public art projects? How will this project bring your career/work to the next level?
  
  
• VISUAL SUPPORT MATERIALS | Applicants should submit up to five (5) images of past works as part of the submitted PDF. Each image file should be formatted to include descriptive information including title, year completed, material(s) and dimensions.
  
  
• ARTISTS RESUME OR CV | Relevant information for all key team members (3  pages maximum per artist or team member).
  
  
• ARTIST STATEMENT | (500 words maximum) The purpose of the artist statement is to inform, add context, and present process and conceptual ideas to the viewer. This may include but is not limited to sources, ideas, materials, and information about your current practice.
  
  
• ARTIST BIO | (250 words maximum)
  
  
• ARTISTIC PROPOSAL | Applicants should prepare a slide deck PDF describing the artistic concept proposed for the courtyard space. Proposals should include visual elements or renderings which show what the proposed artwork will look like, what materials are proposed, and what the creation/fabrication process will entail. In addition, the propsoal should show artwork location(s) within the courtyard, dimensions of artwork(s), and installation method. This proposal should also include activities for public engagenment, community building, and/or supplementary educational components which support the artwork/installation. 
  
  Artists and artists teams should address the following:
  • Artworks should be suitable for public display to a diverse and international audience.
  • Artworks must be free of safety hazards.
  • Artworks must meet Texas Accessibility Standards (a.k.a. ADA) requirements where applicable.
  • Artworks should require minimal maintenance and be designed to withstand the outdoor environment and climate.
  • Artworks should be proportional to the scale and volume of the space.
  • Artists should be  mindful of existing courtyard seating, lighting, landscaping, etc. 

Maintenance and Durability:
All applicants are expected to consider the issues of outdoor works of art, along with timeline and budget. Public art projects should be fabricated of low-maintenance materials that take into consideration all types of weather. Finalists are encouraged to consult with a professional fabricator and engineer prior to the submission of a final proposal. Artist proposals awarded contracts will be reviewed to ensure conformity with campus standards of maintenance and durability, as well as ADA standards.

• PROJECT BUDGET | Applicants should prepare a proposed project budget, including artist fees, material costs, fabrication expenses, installation and deinstallation costs, insurance, etc.

Submissions will be reviewed by the YardWorks Selection Committee which consists of UH faculty, staff, students, alumni and professional artists working in the public realm. The Committee will select three (3) finalists to present proposal concepts. The Committee will select one final YardWorks artist or artist team from the three finalists.

Artwork submissions will be evaluated on the following criteria:

Artistic Merit

• Level of originality and creativity.
• How the artist’s choice of material, presentation, and display affect the visitor experience.
• How the art relates to the site and the courtyard design.
• Visual impact.
• Supports project goals (see above).
• Quality of public programs

Technical Merit

• Demonstrated ability of the artist or team to complete a project on schedule and within budget. Level of technical skill, artistry, and/or craftsmanship exhibited.
• Consideration of structural capacities, including weight, dimensions, and ease of installation.
• Sustainability/durability and ease of maintenance.
• Safety.

• Februaruy 27, 2026 | Yardworks RFP for Issued
• March TBD, 2026 | 12 - 1 PM Teams Info session
• March TBD, 2026 | Writing Workshop (TBD)
• March 30, 2026 | Yardworks RFP closes (Deadline for Submisions)
• April 6, 2026 | Finalists notified + Invitation to present to committee issued
• April 13, 2026 | Finalists present to committee
• May 9, 2026 | Artist or artist team enters into contract with PAUHS
• June 2026 | Design development and fabrication phase begins
• October 2026 | Artwork installation
• November 2026 | Artwork debut and public celebration
• September 2027 | Artwork is deinstalled

*All dates are subject to change

For questions about this opportunity and/or for more information, please direct all inquiries to:  
 
Mike Guidry, Curator of Public Art Collection, PAUHS 
Mguidry2@central.uh.edu

Please submit all questions in writing via email no later than March 27, 2026 by 4:00 PM CST. Questions will be answered as they are received.  
 
An FAQ with submitted questions can be found here.