Become a CapMetro Artist

CapMetro wants to help build community throughout Central Texas. The CapMetro Art program commissions visual artists who can create meaningful public art on vehicles, at transit centers and in your own neighborhoods. We need:

  • Artists who want to create and design original artwork for transportation projects, and
  • Members of the arts community to serve as jurors on a selection panel
Apply now!
A header banner image displaying an assortment of artists – visual and musical.
Eligibility:

CapMetro encourages Artist of all backgrounds, races, cultures, abilities, ages, and genders. Applicants should meet the following requirements:

  • Visual artist or artist team
  • At least 18 years of age
  • Full-time, permanent CapMetro employees are ineligible to apply. Employees of the project consultants and sub-consultants are also ineligible to apply.
  • Artists who currently have one active contract for an artwork with the MetroArt program are ineligible to apply.
  • Artist teams are considered as separate entities; their projects do not count as projects by the individual artists.
  • Applications not meeting all eligibility criteria will be withdrawn from consideration.
  • Artists are allowed to apply in teams.
  • Artists applying as a team must split the allotted number of work examples between themselves.
  • Artist Pay Range for various projects: $2,500-$5,000
  • Funding: Projects are funded by MetroArt, Capital Improvement Projects (CIP), and CapMetro departments. Different projects will have money set aside for public art projects. MetroArt then facilitates the creation of new artworks for CapMetro’s collection with these funds.
  • Bus Wraps: Pay: $5,000, Type of artwork submission: Digital
  • Bus Shelter Panel: Pay: $5,000, Type of artwork submission: Digital
  • Community event: Pay: $2,500, Type of Artwork submission: Original can be any type of art medium (painting, photography, digital, etc.), but piece must be able to be Copied. Artwork is distributed to event attendees.
  • Artist Budgets are inclusive of design, time, material, and fabrication of the artwork itself. There is a separate budget for printing, shipping, and installation costs that CapMetro will cover.
  • Opportunity for emerging artists/artists new to the public art experience to get experience  
  • Promotion on CapMetro social media 
  • Option for Social Media Handle to be displayed on art work/bus wraps/bus shelters
  • Opportunity for artwork to be seen by thousands of people

A Request for Qualifications will be solicited to professional visual artists. The MetroArt program will convene a selection panel of art and design professionals to evaluate the submissions and approve an artist pool. For a project a Jury shall review applications and select one artist or artist team and one alternate. Up to three finalists may be selected for interviews. This final artist and alternate recommendation will be presented to the CapMetro project team for approval.

The selection of an artist, or artist team, shall be based on whose qualifications best meet the requirements contained in this Prospectus. The Selection Panel will review and consider the following evaluation criteria:

  • Artistic merit and technical expertise;
  • Demonstrated ability to successfully execute innovative public art projects;
  • Demonstrated ability to successfully execute a public art project on time and on budget; and
    Expressed interest in creating artwork for the community.

If you have any questions, please contact Melissa Ortiz at melissa.ortiz@capmetro.org.
Thanks for your interest!