Gainesville will pay an artist $80,000 for a privacy wall at the new Fire Station 3 on NE 13th Street. Qualifications are due Nov. 22; three finalists get $1,000.

The city of Gainesville is looking for an artist to design a wall at its new Fire Station 3 in northeast Gainesville. The commission is worth $80,000.

Artists and artist teams have until 11:59 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 22, to send their qualifications. The city announced the call Thursday.

What the city wants

The artwork goes on a wall at the station at 1025 NE 13th St. It must also work as a privacy wall. The full call for qualifications on Artwork Archive sets out the brief:

  • the wall is about 26 feet, 8 inches wide and 6 feet, 8 inches high, or 178 square feet
  • the artwork can cover all or part of it
  • it must stay visible and secure and keep emergency access clear
  • materials must be durable, weather-resistant and low-maintenance in the Florida climate
  • the city will provide electrical outlets for lighting during construction

The call asks for “bold, imaginative, playful, and innovative approaches.” It says the work should reflect “the history, values, and spirit of the Gainesville community.”

The money and how the artist is chosen

The total budget is $83,000. Of that, $80,000 covers the finished artwork, including design, materials, fabrication, permits, installation and insurance.

The other $3,000 pays three finalists $1,000 each to develop and present a design. A selection panel picks the finalists from the qualifications. The city then chooses one artist or team, subject to city approval and a contract.

This first round is for qualifications only. The city asked applicants not to send a design yet.

The call is open to artists nationwide. Applicants need:

  • a letter of interest of up to 500 words
  • a current résumé with contact details, experience and awards, and where earlier work is on public display
  • five to 10 images of completed outdoor sculpture or outdoor public art
  • three professional references who were past clients

Questions about the call go to the city’s Cultural Affairs Division at VelasquesC1@GainesvilleFL.gov or 352-393-8532, the city said.

Where the money comes from

The project is paid for through the city’s 1% for Public Art Program. The Parks, Recreation and Cultural Affairs Department runs it with the Gainesville Art in Public Places Trust.

The new station

Gainesville broke ground on the new Station 3 on July 22. The city’s groundbreaking release describes a 16,773-square-foot station with three engine bays near Northeast Eighth Avenue and Waldo Road, just west of the station it replaces.

The station is estimated to cost $14 million and is due to be finished at the end of 2027. It is paid for by the “Streets, Stations and Strong Foundations” half-cent infrastructure sales tax that Alachua County voters approved. Gainesville Fire Rescue answers more than 29,000 calls a year, the city said.

The station sits in the same northeast Gainesville area as the city’s $25 million federal housing grant and the new RTS Eastside bus station.

What it means for you

  • If you are an artist: the deadline is 11:59 p.m. ET Sunday, Nov. 22. Apply through the Artwork Archive call page. Make sure your images show outdoor work at more than one distance.
  • If you live nearby: the finished wall will face the public at a working fire station. The station is due to open at the end of 2027.