Please read the complete Public Artist Roster guidelines before starting your application. The application form can be found at the bottom of the page.
Program Overview
Purpose
The purpose of the Maryland Public Artist Roster is to establish a pre-qualified list of public artists who are interested in creating new, original, and site-responsive artworks for Maryland’s college and university campuses, laboratories, courthouses, police barracks, administrative offices, treatment centers, and other buildings and facilities owned and operated by the state of Maryland. All works commissioned through this program become a part of the State of Maryland’s contemporary public art collection.
The Public Artist Roster will include artists and studios working in a wide variety of artistic mediums and representing a diverse range of backgrounds and approaches to creating public artwork. The Maryland State Arts Council and Maryland Public Art Commission use the Roster as the primary method of reviewing portfolios and selecting artists for permanent public art commission opportunities. This allows for a streamlined selection process and reduces the number of applications an artist or studio needs to submit throughout the year. In addition, the roster will be available through MSAC.org as a publicly accessible resource to find and connect with artists.
The Public Artist Roster will be used to select artists for eligible state capital projects with Public Art Premiums, or budgets, between $50,000 and $1,500,000. The following outlines the types of public art projects open to Public Artist Roster artists:
- Site-responsive commissions: All of our projects are site-responsive. Artists will work with the project’s public art steering committee to design, fabricate, and install permanent artwork specific to the site and community.
- Architecturally integrated projects: Artists will work closely with the building’s design team to combine artwork with the architecture or landscape to create permanent site-responsive artwork.
- Community-engaged commissions: Artists will engage with the community as part of their process. Artist-led dialogue and engagement with local stakeholders will contribute to the research that shapes the design of permanent site-responsive artwork.
Roster Cycle
This application is for those seeking to join the Maryland Public Art Roster; there is no financial grant or financial compensation provided for joining the Roster.
The Maryland Public Art Roster is the primary method of soliciting qualifications and interest from artists and studios wishing to be considered for opportunities related to the Maryland Public Art Initiative. MPAI is the state of Maryland’s program to commission and purchase public artwork to accompany capital construction or major renovations of eligible state-owned buildings and facilities Independent artists and studios included in the Roster are eligible to be considered for, and contracted to produce public artwork for the State of Maryland if they are recommended by an Artist Selection Committee for a particular project.
Roster Period
The Maryland Public Art Roster will be in use from FY2026 (starting in October 2025) through FY2028 (September 2028). The roster is available for use by MSAC and MPAC for artist selection processes occurring during this time.
While the roster will be the primary method of artist selection throughout this period, MSAC and MPAC reserve the right to issue calls for artists, calls for artworks, or requests for qualifications based on parameters and circumstances of specific projects.
Timeline
- Applications
- Publication: May 7 - June 30, 2025
- Informational Webinar:
- Tuesday, May 20,⋅6:00 – 6:45 pm [register here]
- Tuesday, May 27,⋅12:00 – 1:00 pm [register here]
- Live Portfolio Reviews:
- Tuesday, June 3,⋅12:00 – 1:00 pm [register here]
- Tuesday, June 10,⋅12:00 – 1:00 pm [register here]
- Request feedback on your application during the Live Portfolio Reviews [Here]
- Deadline to Apply: 11:59 pm, Monday, June 30, 2025
- Application review & Approval
- Independent Panelist Review: July - August 2025
- Internal Review of results by MSAC Staff: August 2025
- Review & Approval by Maryland Public Art Commission: September 19, 2025
- Final Notifications sent: October 2025
- Period of use: The roster will be in use from approximately October 2025 through September 2028.
- MSAC reserves the right to re-open the roster to receive new applications at any point throughout this period for the benefit of the program or the needs of a specific project.
- Artists may update their roster profiles over this period by contacting MSAC staff directly.
This schedule above is an estimate and may change according to application volume.
We encourage all applicants to subscribe to MSAC communications by clicking here to be notified of any upcoming public information sessions and other program updates.
Eligibility
Eligible applicants must meet the requirements listed below.
The Public Artist Roster is open to:
- Independent visual artists
- Independent artist-led teams, studios, or collectives
Eligible applicants:
- Must reside in the United States or US Territory.
- Must produce or present unique and original artwork
- Must be the lead artist whose original work is included in the roster application.
- Must be 18 years of age or older. Collaborative groups must be composed of artists who are 18 or older.
- May submit only one application.
- Must not be directly affiliated with or a subsidiary of a larger arts organization, commercial company, or program that exists as part of a larger institution or entity.
- Must not be enrolled in any matriculated high school, undergraduate, or graduate degree program as of July 1, 2025
An artist may apply as a member of an artist team. The application will ask whether your team has a lead artist or if you equally collaborate.
- If your team dissolves, the team will be removed from the Roster. Any team member may reapply to the next Roster in the next application cycle.
- If you identify a lead artist and your team dissolves between application cycles, the lead artist may remain on the Roster. We will ask them to update their portfolio to reflect their current work.
The eligibility guidelines listed above provide an overview only. In some cases, MSAC staff might make eligibility determinations addressing situations not described here but in alignment with the mission, policies, and/or procedures of the Maryland State Arts Council, Maryland Public Art Commission, or the Department of Commerce.
Applications found to contain false or misleading information, ie, false claims of authorship or incomplete accreditation of organizations or collaborators that supported a prior commission, may be deemed ineligible and eliminated from the review.
Application, Review, and Notification
Application and Review
All applications are submitted via the secure online application site MSAC.Submittable.com
Follow the link to create a free account and upload your application materials.
- Applicants are required to complete and submit their applications by electronic means, including the use of an electronic signature.
- Technical support for Submittable is available by clicking Submittable.com/help/submitter/
- Incomplete, lost, misdirected, or late applications will not be accepted.
MSAC uses Submittable.com as a third-party provider for the application process and display of your art if selected. By submitting your information through this portal, you consent to the collection, storage, processing and display of your data by Submittable, and you agree to the Terms and Conditions of Submittable to the extent applicable to you.
Panelist service
MSAC convenes panelists, representing a range of arts expertise in public art from across the United States, to evaluate applications to the Maryland Public Artist Roster. Application reviews are conducted electronically. Panelists are selected via a public application process and based on relevant experience and expertise.
Individuals interested in serving on the Maryland Public Artist Roster panel are encouraged to learn more and apply on MSAC’s Submittable site here.
Opportunities to serve as panelists for MSAC’s various grant programs are posted on the Ways to Get Involved page of MSAC.org throughout the year.
Applicants to the Public Artist Roster cannot apply to serve as a review panelist.
Application form
The application is a digital form available in Submittable and consists of prompts requiring dropdown menu selections, fill-in answers, and external file uploads.
The information provided in your application will be visible to staff of the Maryland State Arts Council and Artist Selection Committees composed for each project. The Public Artist Roster will be visible and accessible to the general public as a tool for entities seeking to work with a public artist. All information will be visible EXCEPT personal contact Information. The artist/studio website or social media page information provided in your application will be visible to allow entities to contact you directly.
Application prompts are provided below for reference
Application prompts:
- Contact information
Residency - Maryland Resident
- Non-Maryland Resident
- Write a one-sentence summary of your application using this precise template:
Example:
[ Artist/Studio Name] is an [artist, artist team/studio] based in [location of studio]. We primarily work in [medium or methodology: i.e., sculpture, community-based murals, glass, multidisciplinary public art…etc.. ]. Our typical budget range for commissioned projects is [insert the typical budget range of your most recent projects, e.g., $50,000-$100,000, or $200,000 - $350,000].
- 10 Artwork Samples: Still images and videos.
You can submit up to 10 work samples in total.
Video files 1.5 min or less -
Note: Metadata (artwork information) is required for each artwork sample.
Applications that do not include complete metadata may be returned or eliminated from the review.
Please carefully choose your images and review your materials. You may include multiple images of a project to illustrate detail, overall context, and scale. If accepted, we share the portfolio of images that you submit with project selection committees, as well as on the Public Artist Roster online gallery on Submittable.
- Biographical Statement (250-word limit). Describe your experience working on public art or commissioned projects. Include your experience with multi-phased and/or community-based projects. Include any other information you would like to be considered. If no experience, enter None.Describe Your Practice [Artist Statement] (250-word limit)
- Minimum Budget: Select the category that best matches your minimum budget requirement in US dollars. If you wish to be considered for any budget amount, please select “No minimum budget required.” We understand that many factors come into play when considering a project and that you may decline an invitation for any reason.
No minimum budget required
$50,000 – $99,999
$100,000 – $249,999
$250,000 – $499,999
$500,000 – $749,999
$750,000 – $999,999
$1,000,000 – $1,499,999
$1,500,000+
- Community Engagement: Describe your experience leading community engagement activities in past public art projects. How do you approach community engagement when developing a project? Please provide at least one specific example of activities or events you have facilitated." [Max 250 words]
- Which of the following community engagement methods have you used in past projects? Select all that apply.
- Presentation of artwork design
- Meet the Artist – Open House
- Community Art Workshop
- Artist Talk
- Site Walk & Storytelling Tour
- Embedded Community Experience
- Residencies in conjunction with the commissioning agency
- Professional Development Talk
- Focus Groups
- Other (please specify): ____________
Panelist Review Criteria
The panelists will review applications. The applications are not scored but rather must meet 3 of the 4 eligibility criteria to be recommended for inclusion on the Public Artist Roster:
- Artist communicates a unique vision or perspective
- Artist demonstrates an authentic relationship to the subject matter
- Artist shows ability to create site-responsive work engaging a site and/or community
- Artist demonstrates command of materials and/or skill in technique
Application Status Notification
Notification
After application review, applicants will be notified of their status on their inclusion on the Maryland Public Art Roster.
The individual listed as the primary contact in the application will receive all notifications. Automated notifications will be sent from Submittable. Please adjust email notifications and security settings to ensure receipt of these notifications. Check your spam folder if a notification has not arrived in your inbox.
The panel will recommend the Public Artist Roster of selected artists to the Maryland Public Art Commission for approval. Applicants will be notified of the Commission’s decision by October 1, 2025.
Ineligible and Declined Applications
An application is marked ineligible if it is not complete or does not comply with the eligibility requirements of the Public Art Roster. A rating of ineligible is typically made by staff early in the review process. However, an application can be marked ineligible at any time during the review process.
An application is declined if it is eligible and reviewed according to the review criteria but is not recommended for approval by the panel or the Commission.
Application Feedback
Declined Maryland-based applicants may request feedback on their applications by submitting a feedback request form; a link to this form will be provided in notification emails.
Contact Information
MSAC staff offer technical assistance throughout the application process. This includes professional development related to program application requirements, one-on-one conversations, and tailored feedback.
For more information on the Maryland Public Art Roster application process, contact:
- Program and application strategy assistance contact:
Nora Howell, Public Art Project Manager
410-938-1695
For general inquiries about MSAC’s Public Art program or the Maryland Public Art Commission, contact:
C. Ryan Patterson, Program Director, Public Art
443-721-3085
MSAC and MPAC Overview
Description
MSAC is an appointed body of 17 Maryland citizens, 13 of whom are named by the Governor to three-year terms that may be renewed once. Two private citizens and two legislators are appointed by the President of the Senate and by the Speaker of the House. All councilors serve without salary.
Authorized by the General Assembly in 2005, the Maryland Public Art Commission (MPAC) was appointed in 2007 (Chapter 393, Acts of 2005). In March 2008, the Commission had its inaugural meeting.
The Commission administers the Capital Projects - Inclusion of Public Art program (also known as Maryland Public Art Initiative and Artwork Commissions), revised by legislation in 2019, which was established to commission art for installation in new or renovated state buildings eligible for public art. Artwork integrated in the state capital construction project becomes the property of the state agency occupying the building. MSAC staff members support the project management of the Artwork Commissions.
Eleven members constitute the Commission. Seven of these are appointed by the Secretary of Commerce with the Governor's approval. Four members serve ex officio. The Chair is designated by the Secretary of Commerce with the Governor's approval (Code Economic Development Article, secs. 4-601 through 4-608).
Authority
MSAC is an agency of the State of Maryland under the authority of the Department of Commerce, Division of Tourism, Film and the Arts.
Wes Moore, Governor
Aruna Miller, Lieutenant Governor
Kevin Anderson, Secretary of Commerce
Steven Skerritt-Davis, Executive Director, MSAC
Staff
MSAC maintains a professional staff to administer its programs. For staff listing, visit the MSAC website by clicking here.
Meetings
The commission’s meetings are open to the public in accordance with the Open Meetings Act set forth in Title 3 of the General Provisions Article of the Annotated Code of Maryland. The dates, times, and locations of Council and panelist meetings may be obtained from the MSAC website by clicking here, or by contacting MSAC at msac.commerce@maryland.gov or (410) 767-6555.
Mission and Goals
MSAC’s mission is to advance the arts in our state by providing leadership that champions creative expression, diverse programming, equitable access, lifelong learning, and the arts as a celebrated contributor to the quality of life for all the people of Maryland.
MSAC’s strategic plan outlines five goals:
- Increase Participation: Broaden MSAC’s constituency, providing avenues designed to increase pathways to engagement
- Provide Intentional Support: Embrace thoughtful and targeted approaches to serving known and yet to be known MSAC constituents
- Build Capacity: Work strategically to further build organizational and governance capacity to ensure that MSAC is capable of vigorously delivering on its mission
- Leverage Connections: Further enhance current relationships and involve additional collaborators, and constituents who will benefit from and advance the work of MSAC
- Bolster Maryland Arts: Showcase the high caliber, diverse and relevant work of Maryland’s artists and arts organizations; their contributions to community vitality and MSAC’s role as a catalyst
Click here to read MSAC’s full strategic plan and learn more about implementation actions.
Equity and Justice Statement
The arts celebrate our state’s diversity, connect our shared humanity, and transform individuals and communities. MSAC and its supporting collaborators are committed to advancing and modeling equity, diversity, accessibility, and inclusion in all aspects of our organizations and across communities of our state.
MSAC and its grantees are committed to embracing equity and non-discrimination regardless of race, religious creed, color, age, gender expression, sexual orientation, class, language, and/or ability.
The driving goals of MSAC’s granting processes are:
- To yield a greater variety of funded projects
- To eliminate biases that may be found in any part of the granting process (e.g., applications, panelist procedures, adjudication systems)
- To acknowledge positions of privilege while questioning practices, shifting paradigms of status quo arts activities, and taking more risks
- To expand deliberations to include criteria beyond current conventions or Western traditions
Accessibility
MSAC is committed to making sure all Marylanders can access its programs and services. Everyone is welcome, and all MSAC events and activities must be fully accessible both physically and programmatically. MSAC complies with all applicable disability-related statutes and regulations and seeks to ensure meaningful participation by all Marylanders, regardless of need or ability.
Accessibility Web Page
MSAC has a dedicated accessibility page available by clicking here. It includes contact information for the accessibility coordinator, federal and state regulations, the organization's equity and justice statement, grievance procedures, an emergency preparedness plan, accommodation policies, other accessibility resources for artists and arts organizations, and Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS) images.
Language Access
MSAC offers language accessibility services. Services include making translations of application materials, remote American Sign Language (ASL) interpretation, subtitles, braille translation, translation into languages other than English, and more. Please contact MSAC at msac.commerce@maryland.gov or (410) 767-6555 for more information.
En Español/Spanish: MSAC pone a disposición servicios de traducción y accesibilidad de idiomas. Contacte msac.commerce@maryland.gov para más información.
中文普通话/Mandarin Chinese: 马里兰州艺术委员会(MSAC)提供翻译和语言无障碍服务。请联系msac.commerce@maryland.gov 了解更多信息。
한국어/Korean: MSAC 는 한국어 지원을 돕고 있습니다. 자세한 문의사항은 msac.commerce@maryland.gov 로 연락 주시기 바랍니다.
Feedback
If constituents would like to provide general feedback about the accessibility of programs funded or produced by MSAC, contact MSAC at msac.commerce@maryland.gov or (410) 767-6555.
Grievances
For programs or services provided by MSAC:
If a program or service operated by MSAC, facilities operated by MSAC, or public meetings conducted by MSAC are inaccessible to persons with a disability, or is illegally discriminatory, and a constituent wishes to file a grievance, see the following steps.
- For questions or discussion prior to filing a grievance, contact MSAC at msac.commerce@maryland.gov or (410) 767-6555
- To file a formal grievance, contact Dan Leonard, Director of EEO & Fair Practices and ADA Coordinator for the Department of Commerce, at daniel.leonard@maryland.gov
For programs or services that are not provided by, but are funded, by MSAC:
- Communicate the grievance to the sponsoring organization
- For situations in which a constituent feels a grievance was not handled appropriately by the sponsoring organization, or if a response from the organization has not been provided within 30 days, file a formal grievance by contacting MSAC at msac.commerce@maryland.gov or (410) 767-6555
MSAC will work with constituents to provide assistance as appropriate.
The Maryland Public Art Roster
Review Panels
The Maryland Public Artist Roster is open to artists from across the United States. To assist MSAC in its decision-making, public art practitioners from Maryland and across the country are selected to serve in an independent review panel. The function of panels is to evaluate applications from artists and artist teams. Anyone wishing to serve is encouraged to click here for detailed information and links to application forms for any open calls.
Constituents may also get involved with MSAC by creating a profile on the Arts Directory, an online resource for raising the profile of Maryland artists and arts organizations, by clicking here; or by attending regularly scheduled virtual and in-person professional development sessions by clicking here.
Appeals
MSAC strives to ensure fair and equitable inclusion of artists on the roster based on stated criteria. Therefore, dissatisfaction with the denial or amount of an application is not a sufficient reason for an appeal. However, an application may be reconsidered if a procedural impropriety or error has affected its review.
Grounds for such reconsideration are:
- A decision based on review criteria other than those stated in these guidelines
- A decision based on material provided to panelists that was substantially incorrect, inaccurate, or incomplete, despite the applicant having provided the staff with correct, accurate, and complete application information
Based on the above, if an applicant believes there is a legitimate reason for an appeal, the following steps must be taken:
- The applicant must discuss the problem with the program director who handled the application
- To pursue an appeal, the applicant must write a letter to the MSAC Executive Director and the Chair of the Maryland Public Art Commission within 30 days following receipt of denial notification; the letter should (1) request a reconsideration of the decision, (2) state the grounds for the request, and (3) certify that the applicant first discussed the problem with the program director and provide the date and time the discussion occurred.
The applicant will receive written notification of the determination of the appeal within 60 days of the receipt of the written request for reconsideration.
Disclosure of personal information
Certain personal information requested by the Department of Commerce, MSAC’s parent agency, is necessary in determining eligibility for applications. Failure to disclose this information may result in the denial of one or all benefits or services, including funding, provided by MSAC. Availability of this information for public inspection is governed by the provisions of the Maryland Public Information Act, Title 4 of the General Provisions Article of the Annotated Code of Maryland. This information will be disclosed to the appropriate staff of the Department or to public officials for purposes directly connected with the administration of the program for which its use is intended. Such information may be shared with state, federal, and local governments if legally required.