Elkridge Community and 50+ Center - Public Art Sculpture RFQ
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Howard County Arts Council Public Public Art RFQ — Elkridge Community & 50+ Center
The Howard County Arts Council (HoCo Arts), in partnership with Howard County, is seeking qualifications from artists or artist teams to design, fabricate, and install a signature public artwork for the new Elkridge Community & 50+ Center. This $500,000 commission is one of the County’s most significant public art opportunities and will serve as a cultural landmark for residents of all ages.
The selected artist will create a permanent, durable, site-responsive sculpture that reflects the spirit, identity, and aspirations of Elkridge. This RFQ invites artists to submit their qualifications for consideration; no proposals are required at this stage.
Applicants will find downloadable materials—including site renders, dimensions, technical specifications, and sample agreements—within the RFQ materials section. The artist selection will follow a two-phase process (RFQ + finalist proposal phase) with installation anticipated in Q1 2028.
Questions may be submitted to: December 20, 2025 Deadline for submissions: January 20, 2026
Project Overview
The Howard County Arts Council invites qualified artists or artist teams to submit their qualifications for the design, fabrication, and installation of a permanent public art sculpture at the newly proposed 67,000-square-foot Elkridge Community and 50+ Center. This $500,000 commission is part of Arts for All in Elkridge, a County initiative supported by County Executive Calvin Ball to enhance Howard County’s cultural landscape through permanent public art installations.
The sculpture should reflect the character, history, diversity, and aspirations of the Elkridge community and serve as a welcoming focal point for residents of all ages. Extensive community engagement has identified priorities, including identity, heritage, inclusivity, storytelling, community connection, education, visibility, and landmark quality.
Budget: $500,000
Medium: Sculpture
Eligibility: Open to professional artists or artist teams, 18+, nationwide. Artists enrolled in a university or degree program, HoCo employees/board members, and their immediate families are not eligible.
Location: Elkridge Community & 50+ Center, Elkridge, Maryland.
Project Timeline:
- RFQ Release Date: December 8, 2025
- Questions Due: December 20, 2025 *Submit all questions to: Ann Berchtold | aberchtold@migcom.com
- Submission Deadline: January 20, 2026 (5:00 PM ET)
- Shortlist Selection: March 2026
- Concept Development: May–July 2026
- Community Reveal: August 2026
- Final Artist Selection: September 2026
- Fabrication: January–December 2027
- Installation: Q1 2028
Please note: All applicants must submit a qualifications package using this form. Late submissions will not be accepted.
Additional Files
The link and password below provide access to the following documents:
- Elkridge Community + 50+ Center RFQ
- Elkridge Site Renders & Dimensions
- Technical Specifications
- Sample Artwork Agreement
- Sample Artwork Concept Agreement