Artist Opportunities
CALL TO ARTISTS
Request for Qualifications
Traffic Control Box Vinyl Wraps 2026-27
Deadline – Monday, August 31, 2026, at 11:59 PM Mountain Standard Time
Description
The City of Chandler is looking for eight Arizona-based artists or artist teams to create digital artwork that will be printed and installed on metal traffic control boxes at locations across the city. While the City is primarily seeking digital illustrations, original work by photographers, painters, drawers, printmakers, and other 2D artists will also be considered. We anticipate the average lifespan of these boxes to be 5 years depending on a variety of environmental factors.
For this project, selected artists or artists teams will work with ASU students who are part of the Chandler Creative Arts Fellowship Program. The Fellows are tasked with collecting data on Chandler communities by immersing themselves in local cultural events and visiting cultural institutions. This research serves as the foundation for the selected artists’ final designs. Artists will be supported by ASU staff and are expected to meet with students in-person on multiple occasions for brainstorming and design finalization. Preference will be given to artists who have not completed a traffic control box for the City of Chandler in the past.
The dimensions of the traffic control boxes can change with short notice. Any changes in dimensions will be promptly communicated with the selected artists. Artwork should be designed to fully cover all faces of the cabinets and will be installed using vinyl adhesive wraps. Selected artists will be paid a stipend of $1,600 per box, which will cover all design costs. Production and installation costs will be covered by the City.
This is a request for qualifications, not a request for proposals. We are only requiring examples of past work. The eight selected artists will be given additional information before submitting designs.
Qualification submissions are due by 11:59 PM MST on Monday, August 31, 2026, and can be submitted digitally via the webform found here: https://forms.gle/JEPPcBSF4LMgNvme8
Submission Criteria – All entries must include:
- Current contact information, including email and phone number
- Digital Images: Up to 5 images can be submitted per artist or team of past completed projects. All images should be 1500 – 2000 pixels in the longest direction.
In one document:
- A current resume or curriculum vitae (CV) including artist(s) accomplishments. Resume or CV should not exceed 2 pages per artist team member. If a resume is not available or does not accurately represent your qualifications, please submit a list of your artistic accomplishments. Please note, no previous public art experience is required to participate in this opportunity.
- Optional – an introduction not to exceed 500 words explaining your previous completed projects (if applicable) and any inspirations you will draw on for this project.
- A corresponding image list with all pertinent information is also required. Image list should include artwork title, year completed, size, materials used, and budget (if applicable).
Selection Process and Schedule
All artist submissions will be reviewed by the City of Chandler Arts Commission. All entries must be submitted by 11:59 PM MST on Monday, August 31, 2026. The City anticipates selecting eight artists/artist teams for this project. The projected timeline for this RFQ is as follows:
August 31 Submission deadline
Late September Selected artists notified
Early October Contract finalized / Meet with ASU students
October-December Fellows conduct research
December Research due to artists
Early February First draft designs due
Late February Final designs due
Mid-March Installation
April Wrap-up celebration
Submission Delivery Details
Submissions must be received by 11:59 PM MST on Monday, August 31, 2026. Submissions must be sent digitally via the webform found here: https://forms.gle/JEPPcBSF4LMgNvme8
Any incomplete submissions will be rejected.
Contact: Hanley Ange, Visual Arts Specialist at 480-782-2697 or [email protected]
Interested, but need more information? Does this sound daunting? Visual Arts Staff Peter and Hanley are happy to answer any questions you have, go over your submission info with you, and provide feedback. Please do not hesitate to reach out.
Here are more examples of previous boxes:
CALL TO ARTISTS
Art Quilts 31: Constructed Softly
Due Date: Monday, September 14 by midnight MST
Juror: Shelley Rothgeb
DESCRIPTION
This exhibition considers how textiles build meaning through softness, layers, mark making, and time—honoring processes often coded as feminine while welcoming all makers and interpretations—honoring voices often hidden and silenced through the open expression of ideas. Through layering, construction, and stitch, these soft materials may be transformed to challenge hierarchies, elevate overlooked labor, and assert the quiet force of making as an act of presence and power.
“This theme resonates with me on a personal level. Having a background in architecture and construction management, I struggle with the conflict between the perceived masculine world of architecture and my artwork. My career in architecture was very industrial focused. While my artwork inherently focuses on nature and organic forms. These two ideas feel worlds apart, but collide in my consciousness. My latest works have been a reflection on the collision of these two worlds.”- Juror, Shelley Ann Rothgeb
How will you interpret “Constructed Softly”? You are invited to interpret this theme from your own perspective. Challenge stereotypes, find your own voice and explore the power in your work. Artists are encouraged to think broadly about layered and stitched fiber works that explore construction through softness, fiber technique and accumulated labor.
About the Juror
Shelley was the sixth generation raised on her family farm in Northern Indiana where she inherited a tradition of making. She was the second in her family to graduate from college after her grandmother completed a degree in Commercial Art at the Fort Wayne Art School in the 1930’s. Following in her Grandmother’s footsteps, Shelley attended one year at the Otis College of Art and Design studying fine art. Then, completed a degree in Architecture at the College of DAAP at the University of Cincinnati.
She continued to pursue artistic endeavors while working and raising a family, but finally rediscovered her passion for fiber art in 2019. Since then, she has been awarded entry into multiple juried local, national and international exhibits. She currently serves as the President of the Board of Directors for Fiber Arts Center AZ.
ENTRY REQUIREMENTS
For a $20 fee, artists may submit up to 3 works for consideration. Please follow these instructions:
- Complete artist submission form
- Please complete the online submission form with all of the information relevant to your submission including contact and title card information. You will need the following: title, medium, year created, and sales price for all three artworks, images, and an artist statement with any information you think will be relevant to the juror. When pricing your work, please keep in mind the gallery’s 50% sales commission.
- Access the form here: https://forms.gle/hJ4PDkoZYPhNCfvV7
- Payment: the $20 submission fee can be paid either online or by calling 480-782-2695. Submissions are considered incomplete until the submission fee has been paid.
Pay online here: https://square.link/u/vdMRek3R
SHIPPING/DELIVERY
All delivery and shipping costs are the responsibility of the artist. To ensure your shipping and insurance needs are met when we ship your artwork(s) back to you, we ask you to include a completed return label when you send work for installation. This helps us efficiently process shipping at the end of the show. Art must be received by Saturday, November 7.
EXHIBITION TIMELINE
Entries due: Monday, September 14 by midnight
Notification to artists: Late September
Work drop-off in person: November 3-7
Work shipped to gallery must arrive no later than Saturday, November 7
Opening reception: Saturday, November 14, 4-6 pm
Show closes: Saturday, January 9, 2027
Work pick-up: Monday, January 11, 2027
ELIGIBILITY
All quilt artists are invited to enter. Collaborative work by two or more artists is also permitted. The works must not have been previously displayed at the Chandler Center for the Arts or Vision Gallery. Works should have been completed within the last three years. Both two and three-dimensional textile combinations will be accepted.
INSURANCE
Works are insured while on display at Vision Gallery for 50% of the retail price for the duration of the exhibition. All paperwork must designate whether an artwork is available for sale or is listed as NFS (not for sale), along with the insurance value.
QUESTIONS?
Contact staff at [email protected], or call us at 480-782-2695. Jillian or Hanley will be happy to help you!
Please read full PDF before submitting
Unsolicited Exhibition Proposals
Installation view of the exhibition Concerned, but Powerless, by artist Safwat Saleem
Are you interested in showing your work at Vision Gallery or the Chandler Center for the Arts? We always accept exhibition proposals for both spaces and jury them on a rolling basis in the Summer and Winter. Please click the button below to access our submission form.
Interested artists are encouraged to contact gallery staff prior to submission with any questions they may have. Gallery staff can be reached at [email protected] and 480-782-2695.
Tips
- Incomplete and improperly formatted applications may not receive a response
- Small group exhibitions including 2-4 artists in different media organized around a common theme are more likely to be accepted than solo exhibitions. This benefits both the gallery and the artists as it attracts a wider variety of viewers, but still allows the artists to display a cohesive body of work, as opposed to individual objects.
- Solo artists may still apply, but will be considered for both group and solo exhibitions.
- The quality of your images matters. Make sure your photographs are in focus, well lit, and with a plain background. It is possible to take good photographs with your phone, but if you have a better option – use it! Here is a good tutorial for taking quality pictures of your artwork with a smartphone.
- We do not have a budget for shipping artwork. If you live outside of Arizona, it may be quite costly to get your artwork to and from the gallery.
- Take a look at our past exhibitions to get a feel for the kinds of shows we host.
- If your primary goal is selling artwork, we might not be the right gallery for you. Although we are thrilled when artwork sells, our focus is on hosting engaging, thought-provoking exhibitions for our community to enjoy and not commercial sales.
