Minding Your Ps and Qs: Understanding the Difference Between RFPs and RFQs in Public Art

Browsing through sites that host calls for public art can feel like navigating a maze of jargon and complex requirements. Among the sea of information packed into art calls, I want you to pay attention to two key terms: PROPOSALS and QUALIFICATIONS. 

Public art calls often structure themselves as Requests for Proposals (RFPs) or Requests for Qualifications (RFQs), each with its own distinct process and implications for artists. Understanding the differences between these types of calls is crucial, as they can significantly impact fairness, how and when you are paid, and what submission materials are required.

REQUESTS FOR PROPOSALS: 

Requests For Proposals (RFPs) typically will require you to submit a resume, work samples from previous projects, your proposed artwork for the project you are applying for, and often some sort of statement (this could be a letter of interest, an artist biography, or an artist statement.  

RFPs are public art calls that want to see your proposed art for the project upfront. This means before you know you have the work, they want you to spend hours of your time creating site specific artwork, and give the organization the product of your creativity with no promise of payment or even feedback. 

Doesn’t sound fair, does it? 

That’s because it is not. 

So why do these types of calls persist in the public art landscape? 

Lynn Basa, author of The Artist’s Guide to Public Art: How to Find and Win Commissions, states:

“The RFP approach was patterned after those of architectural competitions. It’s one of those things that probably made sense at the time when public art was a new field and needed a process model to latch onto.” (Basa, p20, 2019)

Essentially, when public art began to emerge as an industry, it was modeled after the process of architectural bidding on contracts. These architectural bids can often be worth millions of dollars, and the staff of an architectural firm can assign an employee specifically to address them.

Public art budgets are vastly smaller, and artists are often working independently with a finite amount of time. The RFP process is one in which artists essentially work for free in developing concepts and ideas for a project that they are unlikely to get.

READ MORE ABOUT THE RFP PROBLEM HERE

Despite these calls being harmful to artists and the arts community, they continue to pop up. Don’t automatically assume bad intentions from a public art committee. I have found that many times, people just don’t know better and are modeling their call off of an old document (we’ve all worked in a situation where the “we’ve always done it this way” logic prevails at times). Have a conversation and help move the public arts community forward one town at a time. 

If you see an RFP and feel so compelled to speak up about it, I encourage you to do so. I have made a sample letter that can be altered and sent to the issuer of an RFP, which you can find below. 

TEMPLATE LETTER

Once a RFP is out there on the internet, it generally can’t or won’t be redacted or revised. The issuing organization may take your feedback and use it to shape their process moving forward, but the current call will likely still run as an RFP. 

So what do you do? 

Ultimately you are an adult and it is up to you to decide which calls are a good fit for you, and if it is worth the risk of your time to develop artwork for the call. There is no shame in applying to calls that are issued as RFP’s (we’ve all got to eat) especially if you are willing to engage in a conversation about the organization switching to the RFQ format in the future.

So how should a call be run?

REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS:

Requests for Qualifications or RFQ’s are art calls that make decisions based on your portfolio before asking you for artwork, and then will pay for you to make art for their project. These calls are run in two rounds. 

The first round is generally fairly quick and easy to apply for, as they are asking to see materials you should already have on hand. This may include a resume, an artist statement, work samples, and occasionally references. The art organization will typically review your application with a committee and then select a small number of artists for a second round.

In the second round, you will get paid for your time to create artwork for the project. Is this payout equivalent to what you may charge another design or illustration client? Probably not, but at the very least, you are receiving a check for your time and creativity. This amount will vary and is often proportionate to the size of the call’s overall budget. 

In my opinion, making it to the second round is fantastic feedback. So often with art calls, you send your heart and soul out with your application and may hear nothing back at all.  Making it to the second round is a huge honor and it lets you know that you are on the right track even if you don’t ultimately get selected for the call. 

The items that you submit in round two may include references, a timeline for completion, a budget, your proposed artwork, and a maintenance plan. As with all art calls, these items and requirements will vary based on what the committee needs from you. You may be asked for things not listed here, or things that will have you scratching your head and wondering ‘why do they need that?’ Often these items will relate to the hoops the committee is trying to jump through for the city or to secure grant funding. Do not turn in an incomplete application. 

Overall, the RFQ process is a much more respectful and fair way to run an art call. They demonstrate that an arts organization values the contributions of artists and recognizes that creating art is a paid profession. RFQ’s signal to applicants that an organization is thoughtful and well planned (or is trying very much to do things right). Be mindful that with the addition of a second round, the process will take longer. Keep an eye on the proposed project timeline and see if it looks realistic. Occasionally organizations fail to account for how long the selection and approval process will take and this can cause setbacks. 

To Wrap Up...

Understanding the difference between RFPs and RFQs can save you time, protect your energy, and help you navigate the public art world with more confidence. While not every call will be structured ideally, knowing what each type signals about the process and expectations gives you the power to decide where to invest your efforts.

By recognizing fair practices and advocating for better ones, you help strengthen the public art ecosystem — not just for yourself, but for the entire artist community. Stay informed, stay curious, and don’t be afraid to ask questions or start conversations that push organizations toward more equitable models.

If you’d like more resources, tips, and tools for navigating public art opportunities, sign up for my newsletter or follow me on Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok (@paletteforthepeople). Let’s keep building a stronger, more transparent public art world together.