Public Art Review Committee Issues RFP for Peirce Island Public Art Installation

The City’s Public Art Review Committee (PARC) has issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) from artists interested in submitting designs for a work of art on Peirce Island to be funded through the City’s Percent-for-Art program. In preparation for the RFP, PARC held three community input sessions to discuss the Committee’s role, the history of Peirce Island, and the process for determining a location for the Peirce Island Art Project.

The RFP states, “The City of Portsmouth welcomes proposals from artists in all media, including but not limited to sculpture, reliefs, mosaics, landforms, lighting, and sound, for a commissioned, original, permanent work-of-art for a specific location on Peirce Island. Peirce Island is a natural, recreational 27-acre area on the Piscataqua River which includes salt marshes, tidal pools, rocky cliffs, meadows, and features many interesting views of Portsmouth and the neighboring Portsmouth Naval Shipyard.”

The Peirce Island Art Project will be funded through Portsmouth’s Percent-for-Art program, established in 2006 to increase the number of significant works of art in the City available for the enjoyment and enlightenment of citizens and visitors. The Portsmouth public art ordinance was modeled on the state of New Hampshire’s Percent-for-Art program. For each publicly funded construction project, the City allocates 1% of the project budget up to $150,000.

RFPs are due by May 24, 2024. For more information and to see the RFP, click on the "Projects" link in the sidebar on the PARC page.