Call to Artists - Spring Crest Park Project

City of Waukee Public Arts Program
Call to Artists
Waukee Spring Crest Park Project
Waukee, Iowa
Issue Date: October 5, 2026
About the City of Waukee
Waukee is one of the fastest-growing cities in Iowa, located in the Des Moines Metropolitan
Area. Over the past two decades, Waukee has transformed from a small rural community into a
dynamic, high-growth city recognized for its quality of life, strong schools, and thriving local
economy. The city's population has increased rapidly-from approximately 5,100 residents in
2000 to over 34,000 today-and projections indicate continued strong growth in the coming
decade.
Waukee offers a friendly, community-oriented vibe featuring quality schools, parks, trails,
entertainment, and enrichment opportunities.
Waukee Public Art Program
In 2020, the Waukee City Council and management staff began developing the city's
comprehensive plan: a vision and practical blueprint for the city's future. Through the planning
process, the City noted that a coordinated public art program would enhance the positive
identity and image of Waukee, and sought to make public art a critical element in the city's
culture. From those planning meetings, the Waukee Public Arts Advisory Commission (PAAC)
was established via city ordinance in July, 2022 and soon after, the Commission was staffed
with a diverse mix of seven citizen representatives.
Over a nine-month period, the City gathered community input, obtained the advice of a public
arts consultant, and studied successful art programs across the country. Those efforts
culminated in the City of Waukee Public Art and Culture Master Plan which was unanimously
approved by the Waukee City Council in November, 2023.
Details about this Opportunity
Currently, Spring Crest Park has 5 acres of open space, playground and trails in western
Waukee. A standout feature of this playground is the hillside playscape with long slides and fun
climbs. It's partnered with other play zones to suit a range of ages and abilities. Trails wind
around the park. The park was designed by Genus Landscape Architects with construction led
by Elder Corporation.
This park was designed to fit the community. The neighbors of the Spring Crest neighborhood
gave design input and in March 2024 , the 3rd grade class of Waukee Elementary gave us their

dreams for the perfect local park, like a long slide down a big hill, inclusive play for kids of all
abilities and things that would be fun even as they got older.
In Phase 2, the park will expand to a total of 13 acres with sport courts, trails, parking and even
more fun! The park design calls for a sand volleyball court, pickleball courts, half basketball
court, rental pavilion and additional trails to connect the two areas. Timeline on this future
phase is yet to be determined.
The City is seeking public art to enhance this public facility that should:
Be playful and engaging
Consist of materials and characteristics that will allow children and adults to safely
interact with the artwork
Fit with the park's character and theme
Be located on the identified pedestal and be limited to 4,000 PSI weight restriction.
Project Budget
The preliminary budget for this work of art is $50,000. The budget will include all costs
associated with the project including, but not limited to: artist's design fees, travel, materials,
fabrication costs, documentation, transportation, subcontractor costs, shipping and installation,
maintenance, and honorariums. The final project budget will ultimately be determined once an
artist has been selected.
Selection and Project Criteria
This is an open call for artists who meet the eligibility requirements. Artist's submission
materials will be reviewed by the Waukee Public Art Advisory Commission. If necessary,
interviews may be conducted with selected artists or artist teams.
Upon selection of an artist or artist team whether based solely upon submission materials or
upon interviews, one artist/artist team will be commissioned to develop, fabricate, and install
permanent artwork.
The selection committee will be composed of the seven members of the Waukee Public Art
Advisory Commission with consultation by the Waukee Parks and Recreation Director.
The selection committee will evaluate the artist proposals and narrow the proposals down to
three finalists. Each finalist will receive a stipend of $500 to refine their proposal before a final
interview to determine the selected artist.
Selection of finalists will be based on the following:
* Quality of letter of interest
* Quality of work samples
* Background and prior work experience
* Demonstration of project understanding and ability to meet project schedule
* Consideration of project criteria in conceptual design proposal

The artist's concept, final proposal and budget, and ultimately the final artwork will need to
meet certain criteria.
Artwork should:
* Be colorful and eye-catching; high-impact and engaging.
* Be low maintenance and durable
* Be aesthetically and photographically pleasing both up close for visitors to the facility
and for passersby;
* Be appealing and visible during all seasons. No separate lighting necessary for night
viewing- area is well lit.
* Be safe to interact and play with
* May be one or multiple pieces of art
Eligibility
Artist or artist team:
* Must have completed 2 commissioned outdoor public works of art of at least $25,000 in
value.
* Must show an understanding of the community of the City of Waukee; special
consideration will be given to those artists who show familiarity with the site, and the
City of Waukee as a whole (no travel costs will be covered for any pre-selection site
visits).
* Preference given to artists who reside in Iowa, Illinois, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska,
Wisconsin, South Dakota; special consideration will be given to artists with an Iowa
connection.
* Must be able to participate in a virtual interview, if needed.
Proposed Schedule
October 5, 2026 Call for Artists announced
November 2, 2026 Submission deadline / proposals forwarded to Waukee Public Art
Advisory Commission for review
Week of November 16, 2026 Waukee Public Art Advisory Commission selects artist/artist team
finalists
December, 2026 Final Concepts and Artist interviews
January, 2027 Approval of artist contract/Final Concept by Waukee City Council
January, 2027 Fabrication begins

Early Summer 2027 Project installation complete
Schedule may be subject to change.
Required Submission Materials
In digital format only.
Provide the following in a single PDF document (work sample JPEG's can be sent in separate
files):
Contact information for artist / artist team members
One-page letter describing interest in project and approach to design; please include
statements addressing eligibility criteria, community engagement, and project criteria
One-page biographical information or resume for lead artist(s) (include one paragraph
for each team member if artist-led team)
Three references (contact information only) for recently completed projects of similar
scope
Work samples: include 3-5 work samples showing projects completed within the last 5
years with up to 3 digital images of each project. Save all standard JPEG images and
label each with applicant's full name and number in sequence with list of work samples
One-page document listing all work samples. Please provide a brief description and
budget for each
Please submit all materials via email to Nick Osborne, Assistant City Administrator at
nosborne@waukee.org . Include "Waukee Spring Crest Park Project" in the subject line. All
materials must be received by 4:30 p.m. CST on November 2, 2026. No submissions will be
accepted after this time. Receipt of submission will be acknowledged via email.
Questions regarding this Call for Artists can be directed to Nick Osborne, Assistant City
Administrator nosborne@waukee.org or 515-978-7902

Photos of the Spring Crest Park

Art Pedestal