Moscow Public Art 2026: Moscow Police Department Sculpture (Round #1)
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Project Description
The City of Moscow and the Moscow Arts Commission (“MAC”) invite artists and artist teams to submit qualifications for a three-dimensional artwork to be installed at the Moscow Police Station. The artwork will be installed in an alcove near the entrance of the facility, located at 155 Southview Ave, Moscow ID.
Project Theme
Police work is handed from one officer to the next at the end of watch, an enduring legacy of service that connects all those who serve in law enforcement. This artwork will honor the tradition of community policing and inspire past, current, and future MPD officers, whose sense of family extends to include the community members in their care.
Not only do police officers protect the vulnerable, but they also accept the dangers that can come from this important work. All police officers and their immediate families reckon with the unknown, the uncertainty of risks and fortuitous surprises that may come during a shift. Police work is often a joyful act of service, and sometimes, sadly, a gift of life itself for the safety of the community. This artwork commemorates the multitude of effects experienced by officers and their families after the end of watch.
The artwork dedication will be central to the commemoration of the 20th anniversary of an incident in Moscow, ID that greatly affected the lives of multiple law enforcement personnel and resulted in three civilian deaths as well as the loss of one officer’s life. The impacts of such an event last far beyond the end of watch. This artwork will dignify the physical, mental, and emotional work that goes on long after a shift, a retirement, or after a loss of life in the line of duty.
Iconography
Law enforcement has a rich visual and conceptual tradition. Symbols of this field include the bald eagle and sheepdog. The 5-pointed star is often used as an emblem of a department’s core values. Additionally, the flag at half-staff is a universally-recognized statement of mourning for victims of local tragedies along with the passing of public officials at state and national levels.
These traditional symbols may be useful as an introductory point of reference for the artist’s conceptual development, but imagery specific to the incident commemorated by this artwork centers on the clock tower. Officers on the scene report that the chiming of the clock tower marked time though the nightmarish day, serving as both a comfortingly predictable structure and a haunting memento mori. The clock tower was memorialized in the MPD patch design in 2022. In the design, the hands of the clock are set to 1:49, echoing the badge number of Lee Newbill, the officer killed in the line of duty that day.
About Moscow Police Department
MPD Mission
The Moscow Police Department’s mission is to provide public safety services that are designed to fairly, efficiently, and effectively prevent crime and safeguard lives and property. We will provide professional police services by inviting public participation, resulting in a community atmosphere where citizens are free of unnecessary regulation and are treated with dignity and respect. Our personnel will maintain high ethical standards, training, and professional development. Our goal is to provide a community that is safe, secure, and a pleasant place to live and visit.
MPD Philosophy
The department employs a community-oriented policing philosophy to improve the quality of life through community partnerships and problem-solving approaches. Our core values consist of Service, Pride, Integrity, Compassion, and Excellence. We are a state-accredited agency and adhere to all the comprehensive professional standards and best practices of contemporary law enforcement organizations as recognized by the Idaho Chiefs of Police Association.
Budget
The artist honorarium for the mural installation is not to exceed $85,000. Included in this budget are the artist’s fee, insurance, travel, fabrication, engineering, materials, installation, documentation, and all other costs accrued by the artist specific to this project. The artist honorarium does not include costs associated with lighting and signage. These processes will be completed and paid by the City of Moscow.
Eligibility
Artists eighteen (18) years-of-age and older from the United States are eligible for this project. Preference may be given to artists who live in Latah County, Nez Perce County, or those who are Nez Perce or Coeur d’Alene tribal members and/or have a significant Idaho economic presence, with secondary preference given to those artists who live in Asotin County or Whitman County. Artists are eligible regardless of race, color, religion, national origin, gender, marital or familial status, physical or mental disability, sexual orientation, and gender expression or identity. Artist teams are eligible to apply, including teams of artists from multiple disciplines. Selection panelists and their immediate family members are not eligible for participation. No artist sitting on a Selection Panel may submit a proposal for the project for which the Selection Panel was formed.
Artwork Design Parameters
This call is open to representational artworks made from materials that convey a message of strength and permanence. The artwork should have a visually commanding presence within the space, with a minimum height of 14’. The artwork will be accessioned into the City of Moscow’s permanent collection and is anticipated to last a minimum of 30 years. All materials used to complete this project must be designed for exposure to year-round exterior conditions with minimal maintenance requirements. This site cannot accommodate kinetic, digital, or sound-based elements, highly reflective surfaces, or any artwork that incorporates water.
Important Dates (subject to change)
February 6 - March 27, 2026 RFQ Submission Period
May 2026 Finalists create site-specific proposals for Selection Panel review
August 2026 Selected Artist Announcement
April 30, 2027 Installation Deadline
Submission and Selection
Round #1 of the selection process welcomes the submission of artist qualifications and examples of past work. These materials will be evaluated by the Selection Panel, which will then recommend three finalists to create site-specific proposals. Each of the finalists will be required to enter into an agreement for creating the site-specific design and will receive a $1000 honorarium which is anticipated will be used towards travel expenses, food, design fees, lodging, and any and all expenses related to the creation of artist’s proposal and presentation. No site-specific designs will be reviewed or considered in Round #1 of the submission process.
Round #2 will consider the merits of finalist proposals. The Selection Panel will make a recommendation to the MAC, which will recommend an artist/artist team and design to City Council. Upon approval by City Council, all finalists will be notified of the decision and the selected artist will complete a contract with the City for the completion of the mural.
Round #1 Submission Requirements & Selection Criteria
1. Letter of Interest
2. Resume
3. Work Samples: Include up to 6 photographs of no fewer than 2 projects of a similar or larger scale.
4. Selection Criteria
Artist Qualifications
a. The artist’s letter articulates interest in pursuing this project as well as describing its relevance to their artistic practice.
b. The artist’s letter of interest reveals an understanding of and connection to the public art site and project description.
c. The artist’s resume reveals a record of practice in the art field, including public art commissions.
d. The applicant submits photographs of at least 2 completed public art projects of similar or larger scale.
e. The artist’s past work reveals aesthetic, conceptual, and technical expertise.
Only the materials listed above are being accepted during Round #1. To view the full RFQ with submission requirements and selection criteria for Round #2, please click here.
Selection Panel
The Arts Manager will coordinate recommendation of selection panelists with the Mayor and Council. MAC will consider the guidelines hereinbelow, requests by individuals, and staff recommendations. Selection Panel members shall serve at the appointment of the Mayor. Selection Panel will be comprised of at least the following:
1. Voting members:
- Participating department representative or designee (4)
- Moscow Council member or designee (1)
- MAC members (1)
- Artist not involved with the respective public art project (1)
2. Non-voting members:
- Arts Manager (Selection Panel facilitation)
- Project Architect, landscape architect, interior designer, or engineer
- City staff members acting in a technical advisory capacity
Length of term. Each Selection Panel member serves through the completion of one (1) public art project.
No artist sitting on a Selection Panel may submit a proposal for the project for which the Selection Panel was formed. MAC members shall declare a conflict of interest if a project comes before the Selection Panel from which they or a member of their household or business could financially benefit. MAC members shall also declare a conflict of interest if a person with whom they share a household or whom they professionally represent has a matter to be considered by the Selection Panel. Such person shall recuse themselves from any participation in any process for the project the Selection Panel is considering. No member of the project’s architect or landscape architect, interior designer, or engineering firm may apply for a public art project being designed by that firm.
Selection Panel Procedures and Responsibilities
1. Moscow Arts Manager will hold an orientation for the Selection Panel. The orientation may include a presentation of works currently in the public art collection, review of program guidelines, orientation to the specific project; and/or a review of any goals already established by the participating department and the Moscow Arts Manager and MAC.
2. Review all submissions pertaining to the public art project using the published criteria.
3. Approve all recommendations by a majority vote of the full Selection Panel.
4. The Selection Panel will make recommendations on finalists and their work to the Arts Manager. MAC members on the Selection Panel will report the Panel’s recommendation to the Commission during a regular meeting, after which the MAC will vote to recommend an action on the project to City Council.
5. The Arts Manager will then generate a project report to present to the Mayor and Council for final approval.
6. The City reserves the option of making no recommendation from submitted applications and may require reopening of the competition or may propose other methods of selection, if no proposal is accepted.
7. The Selection Panel must always adhere to the requirements of Moscow City Code Title 5, Chapter 18.
About Moscow, ID
Moscow is settled on the rolling hills of the Palouse, a rich landscape long inhabited by the Nimiipuu (Nez Perce), Palus (Palouse), and Schitsu’umsh (Coeur d’ Alene) tribes indigenous to the region. The City of Moscow was incorporated on July 12, 1887, and its modern history is rooted in agriculture; the surrounding region produces top-quality wheat and pulses. The presence of farming in the community goes far beyond commerce, however, as grain silos and other architectural features announce agricultural endeavor as part of the community’s aesthetic identity.
Moscow is home to the University of Idaho, a land grant institution established in 1889. School spirit influences the atmosphere of the city, imbuing it with the balance of gravitas and celebration that characterizes educational experience. University arts programs like the Lionel Hampton Jazz Festival and the Prichard Art Gallery have greatly contributed to Moscow’s identity as a cultural center. The community is rich not only in visual and performing arts events, but also in recreational and culinary opportunities. Residents and visitors alike enjoy the Palouse landscape at recreational features like Moscow Mountain and the Bill Chipman Palouse Trail, followed by tastes of the region at area restaurants, wineries, and breweries.
City of Moscow Public Art
Public art is at the heart of Moscow’s creative culture, and with a collection including works by local and regional artists, its public spaces reflect the Inland Northwest’s tradition of artistic excellence. The City of Moscow Arts Department and the Moscow Arts Commission (MAC) share a mission to enrich the community by celebrating and cultivating the expressions of all forms of art and culture. The MAC has fostered artistic excellence and public access to the arts in the city since its founding on October 2, 1978. Programming includes curation of exhibition space at the Third Street Gallery inside City Hall, a biennial Mayor’s Arts Awards, Moscow Poet Laureate programming, and a comprehensive public art program.
The City of Moscow’s acquisition of public art began in the 1980s and is supported by a 1%-for-the-Arts fund established in 2004. A Public Art Master Plan, adopted in 2015, guides the incorporation of new works into the City’s landscape. Stewardship of the collection is a collaborative effort, with artistic advice from the MAC, direction from City Council, and operational details managed by Arts Department staff. The Public Art program aims to reflect the character of Moscow by fostering relationships between individuals and institutions in the community. Whether part of the University, business community, or the agricultural tradition, the City’s creative partners generate aesthetic excellence, civic identity, and economic strength by supporting the arts.
The Public Art collection is currently comprised of more than 220 temporary and permanent features. Temporary artworks include vinyl-wrapped utility boxes and bus shelters as well as a sculpture garden featuring artworks on loan to the City. Artworks in the permanent collection range from mosaic murals and sculptures-in-the-round to framed pieces in the Portable Collection. Each new piece in the permanent collection joins others by celebrated regional artists including Harold Balazs, David Govedare, Miles Pepper, Robert Horner, Melissa Cole, J. Casey Doyle, Jay Rasgorshek, and artist team Jennifer Corio and Dave Frei.
Moscow is a community rich with diversity of thought, inhabited by minds open to possibility and creative interpretation. As such, the Public Art program not only celebrates the artist as a professional and valued business partner, but also welcomes a broad range of appearances, media, and art-making processes into its collection.