NEWS RELEASE

City’s Public Art Committee Announces Open Call to Artists for New Commission at Portland Harbor Common Park.

PORTLAND, Maine – The City of Portland Public Art Committee (PPAC) is excited to announce an open call for artists to submit qualifications for a new public artwork commission at the forthcoming Portland Harbor Common Park. The park is expected to begin construction in March 2026 and open in September 2026, and will soon be going through a naming process to rename the park.

For this art commission, the PPAC seeks a work of art that honors, reflects, and celebrates Portland’s distinctive sense of place. Surrounded by water for millennia, Portland’s identity is deeply tied to its maritime heritage, connecting our present community to the past and future. Artists are encouraged to explore the intersection of water, land, and people, considering the past, present, and future in their submissions.

The PPAC preserves, restores, and enhances Portland’s public art collection, promoting the educational, cultural, economic, and general welfare of the city and its residents through art. The PPAC seeks to incorporate public art whenever possible to enhance City infrastructure projects.

The commission includes artist design and fee, fabrication, transportation, installation or installation oversight, and any lighting specific to the artwork. The allocated budget for this project is up to $150,000.

Artists are invited to submit materials in PDF format via email to publicart@portlandmaine.gov  by 11:59 PM on Wednesday, February 11, 2026.

For more information and submission guidelines, please visit the PPAC website or contact the PPAC at publicart@portlandmaine.gov.