Cathedral City Public Arts Commission is seeking painters/muralists to paint 23 benches for a project at Ocotillo Park, centrally located at 33300 Moreno Road in Cathedral City. This neighborhood park offers a range of amenities, including ball fields, a basketball court, skateboard park, tennis court, tot lot, splash pad, barbeque stands, shade structures, and a walking path.

According to the city, the park's diverse offerings cater to a wide array of interests and age groups, making it a popular destination for residents seeking outdoor fun and relaxation. Ocotillo Park serves as a vibrant community gathering place, fostering a sense of camaraderie and shared enjoyment among neighborhood residents.

Craig Liebelt, Vice Chairperson for the Public Arts Commission of Cathedral City says its a great opportinuty for both the community and the park. "When you visit this park, you will see how much the community embraces it, and enjoys it in all aspects, as there are a constant stream of visitors," said the Commission. "Every part of the park is in constant use, and we would like to add an even more colorful and playful element, by painting the benches to enhance the community’s experience. Painting the benches, making them more unique, and colorful, will add to that sense of pride, and make it more fun."

On the city's website, it says the proposals should reflect the project objectives, including theme and context within the project site, and should be respectful of the greater context of the community. Proposed artwork must be family-friendly and cannot depict sexual conduct or sexually explicit nudity nor advertise any activity illegal under the laws of California or the United States. The Cathedral City Public Arts Commission will select proposals that best meets the city’s objectives for this project. The Public Art Commission reserves the right to contact artists prior to final selection for clarification or expansion of their proposal.

Selected artists will receive a stipend of $500. Artists must provide their own supplies (prep, paint, etc.). The city will clean and prime the benches and will seal the benches with an anti-graffiti top coat upon completion.

Important Dates

• May 31 2024 – Applications due
• July 22, 2024 – Review completed by Artist Selection Committee
• August 14, 2024 – City Council approves PAC recommendation
• August 15, 2024 – Selected Artists Contacted
• October 11-13, 2024 – Artists paint benches
• October 19, 2024 – Unveiling event

Application Requirements

A complete application includes the following:

• Artist’s resume
• Statement of interest about the project
• 3-5 examples of artist’s previous artwork
• Color sketch or digital image of proposed artwork to

The complete application should be emailed to publicartscommission@cathedralcity.gov by 5:00pm on the date of the application deadline.

Eligibility Criteria

The Public Arts Commission (PAC) will review and score submissions based on the following criteria:

• Encourage the highest level of creative engagement;
• Select an artist whose past efforts have maintained a high level of quality;
• Further the mission and goals of the Public Art Program and the City;
• Identify the optimal approach that is suitable to the demands of the particular project;
• Select an artist who will best respond to the distinctive characteristics of the site and the community it serves; and
• Select an artist who can complete the painting project during the established

Rules

• By applying, the artist and/or artist led team agrees to the following conditions:
• Artists must be 16 years of age or older at the time of submission. Artists under the age of 18 will need to have a parent or guardian sign the licensing
• Be prepared to work on the benches at Ocotillo Park outdoors during the established timeframe.
• By entering you agree that you are the sole owner and author of the copyrights for all designs you submit and agree to indemnify and hold the City harmless from damages that may arise from copyright infringement by a third party.
• The original design/artwork proposal selected for the bench paintings will become the property of the City.
• Artist understands that the painted benches are considered temporary artworks with lifespans of no fewer than two years and no more than ten years unless the City of Cathedral City approves the extended life of the painted benches.
• If required, any vandalism or damage done to the benches during the display period will be addressed in a mutually agreed upon fashion between the lead artist and the Public Art The benches will be coated with a graffiti resistant coating upon completion to protect the artwork against tagging and graffiti.
• The selected Artist grants a nonexclusive, royalty-free license to the City to reproduce the artwork without payment of royalty to the artist, to include but not limited to on promotional posters, website, or other printed or digital materials, which may be distributed by the City of Cathedral City.