Here and Now: Portable Artwork for the King County Public Art Collection
4Culture seeks to purchase existing, unframed, two-dimensional and low-relief artworks by studio artists living or working in King County, Washington.
Steps to Apply
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About the Project
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About the Project
Budget
Total acquisition budget: $220,000, inclusive of WA sales/use tax, panel honoraria, framing, and contingency.
Purchase prices will not exceed $4,500 per (unframed) artwork, with a per-artist cap of $9,000 (exclusive of sales tax; 4Culture pays tax separately).
Artists or their representatives are responsible for packing and delivering selected artworks to 4Culture, or for insured shipping costs; 4Culture will coordinate and pay for framing.
Background
For nearly fifty years, the King County Public Art Collection (KCPAC)—stewarded by 4Culture—has brought original works of portable art into civic spaces across the region: courtrooms, health clinics, offices, and community centers where people live, work, and connect. This subset of the Collection has become a living record of artistic practice in the Pacific Northwest, and beyond, reflecting individual and collective identities as well as the evolving character of our times.
With the first acquisitions dating back to 1975, the Collection now encompasses approximately 2,000 portable works installed in nearly 200 publicly accessible county facilities. Together, these pieces trace the growth and diversity of artmaking over five decades, mirroring shifts in material exploration and cultural dialogue.
Opportunity
As King County evolves, so does its Collection. Departments such as Public Defense, Natural Resources and Parks, Facilities Management, Public Health, and Metro Transit are reimagining their spaces and requesting new artworks that center the people they serve. Here and Now is an open call to studio artists living or working in King County to contribute to the next chapter of this story.
We invite submissions of existing, unframed two-dimensional and low-relief artworks—including paintings, prints, drawings, photographs, fiber-based, and mixed-media works—with strong visual presence and conceptual clarity.
To ensure flexibility in placement, artworks must not exceed 42 x 28 inches (unframed) in either dimension, with a maximum depth or relief of 1 ¾ inches. Multiples and editions are welcome as distinct images or cohesive portfolios; diptychs and triptychs will also be considered. Applicants may submit up to five artworks for review and consideration.
Curatorial Framework
Here and Now expresses 4Culture and King County’s shared belief that public art should reflect the complexity, vitality, and integrity of our region’s people and places. This purchase centers equity not only in process, but also in its aesthetic and conceptual scope, calling for works that expand how we see, feel, and understand our cultural landscape.
4Culture seeks artworks that illuminate the intersections of identity, material, and place. Through this lens, the acquisitions will be deeply local and broadly resonant: art that speaks to who we are now, and who we are becoming.
We are looking for:
- Authenticity: work grounded in personal, cultural, or collective experience; art that feels lived, not performed.
- Vitality: bold color or presence, clarity of composition, or visual force that rewards sustained attention.
- Accessibility: work that meets the public where they are, inviting reflection and connection while maintaining conceptual and aesthetic integrity.
- Care for People and Place: sensitivity to the landscapes, histories, and diverse voices of King County, attuned to both social and ecological systems.
Our intent is to curate new works that offer a visual portrait of King County today. Here and Now will play a critical role in broadening the scope of the Collection and deepening its resonance.
Additional Information
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Timeline
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Timeline
Selection Timeline*
| Application Release | Thursday, January 22, 2026 |
| Application Deadline | Tuesday, March 3, 2026, 4:00 pm PST |
| Selection Panel Meeting | Wednesday, March 25, 2026 |
| Notification of Results | End of March 2026 |
| Contracting + Delivery | April-May 2026 |
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Are You Eligible?
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Are You Eligible?
This opportunity is open to studio artists living or working in King County, Washington. A King County mailing address is required for eligibility verification. Artists must be at least 18 years old at the time of application. Artists should apply for this opportunity using the form reserved for individual applicants.
Enrolled students and individuals with potential conflicts of interest, including King County employees; 4Culture staff, Board, and Public Art Advisory Committee (PAAC) members; and their immediate family members or business partners, are not eligible to apply.
Purchases may be made directly from artists or through galleries or representatives; any associated fees or commissions must be managed between the artist and their representative. Galleries can apply for up to five represented artists and should contact Fiona Dang at for specific instructions related to navigation of the application system for this purpose.
Selected artists are responsible for packing and delivery or insured shipping costs. 4Culture reserves the right to decline any delivered artwork that does not meet reasonable expectations of condition or quality.
Selection Criteria
Artistic and conceptual considerations
- Artistic quality and clarity of intent
- Authenticity of voice or perspective
- Vitality of form, composition, and/or color
- Accessibility for a broad public audience
- Care for people, place, or cultural context
- Contribution to cultural and artistic diversity within the Collection
Collection and display considerations
- Suitability for civic spaces
- Durability and material stability
- Compliance with size and format requirements; artworks must not exceed 42 x 28 inches (unframed) in either dimension, with a maximum relief depth of 1 ¾ inches
Program and administrative considerations
- Price cap: up to $4,500 per artwork
- Per-artist maximum: $9,000
- Ability to deliver artwork to 4Culture for accession
Selection Process
A five-member panel—three artists/arts professionals and two King County staff representatives—will review submissions and recommend artworks for purchase. Applications will be evaluated through digital materials only; no finalist interviews will be conducted for this opportunity.
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How to Apply
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How to Apply
Submission of an online application is required for this opportunity. Artists should use the form reserved for individual applicants. Galleries can apply for up to five represented artists and should contact Fiona Dang at for specific instructions related to navigation of the application system for this purpose.
Please contact us with any questions—we encourage you to begin your application early.
ACCOUNT SET-UP
4Culture’s application system will be used for this process. You may be required to create a new account. After you request an account, a 4Culture staff member will manually activate your account during office hours, Mondays-Fridays 9:00 am-4:00 pm. Please expect a follow-up email within 2 business days. We appreciate your patience and ask that you keep a look out for a confirmation email with your username and a temporary password.
DEMOGRAPHIC INFORMATION
Your applicant profile must be updated with current demographic information. This helps us understand how well we’re reaching all communities.
PROFILE
Contact information.
STATEMENT OF INTEREST
A written statement (500 words or less) that introduces your artistic practice, provides context for the submitted artworks, and articulates your interest in this opportunity. Address how your work aligns with the selection criteria.
RÉSUMÉ
Upload a current professional résumé (maximum two pages). Keep formatting simple. PDFs are preferred; .txt files are also accepted.
Some suggested items to include in your artist résumé includes:
- Contact information: at the top of each page, include your name, address, phone number, email address and web URL.
- Education: list all academic degrees earned. Also include periods of study at schools or universities attended without completing a degree.
- Exhibitions: list the title of the exhibition, the exhibition venue, and the city/state where the exhibition was presented. Please indicate if it was a solo, two-person, or group exhibition.
- Professional experience: you may also consider listing experience that is relevant to your art practice such as teaching, lectures and artist residencies.
- Honors and awards: list awards, grants, fellowships or other recognitions of merit.
- Bibliography: list books, magazines, newspapers, and catalogues that reference your work.
WORK SAMPLES
Submit images of up to five existing, unframed two-dimensional or low-relief artworks—paintings, prints, drawings, photographs, fiber-based, or mixed-media—available for purchase.
Artworks must be 42 x 28 inches (unframed) or less in either dimension, with a maximum relief depth of 1 ¾ inches. Multiples and editions are welcome as distinct images or cohesive portfolios; diptychs and triptychs will also be considered.
The purchase price of any single artwork may not exceed $4,500. Purchase prices should not include sales tax; 4Culture will cover applicable taxes and will coordinate and pay for framing prior to installation.
Each work sample upload must include: artwork title, date (year) of creation, specific medium, dimensions (H x W x D), and price.
Digital images: upload JPG files only; 1920 pixels on the longest side (suggested), at least 72 dpi, and less than 2 MB in size.
DEADLINE
Applications must be received no later than 4:00 pm PST on Tuesday, March 3, 2026. Please allow ample time to complete and upload your application; submissions will not be accepted after the deadline.
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Helping You Succeed
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Helping You Succeed
Contact Us
Please reach out to us with any questions.
Technical questions regarding the application:
Conceptual questions regarding the opportunity:
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