Let’s Make a Gate 2026: Request For Qualifications

General Information

Let’s make a gate! This is a call for qualified candidates to help build The Urban Oasis through the creation of two (2) decorative driveway gates to serve as entryways into our alley:

 

1. The West Gate (Poplar Grove St.) is a 17ft space. The gate will need to be locked and at least 6 ft tall. The budget for this gate is $20,000.

 

2. The East Gate (N. Dukeland St.) is a 16ft space. The gate will need to be locked and at least 8 ft tall. The budget for this gate is $30,000.

 

The competition is open to Maryland residents/organizations and artists must be 18 years or older to apply. Artists, architects, engineers, and all sorts of creative teams are welcome to apply.

 

Reviews will be done in two (2) rounds:

 

Round 1: Review of initial applications submitted using the form below. Applications will be reviewed by The Urban Oasis team. The top five (5) candidates will receive a $1000.00 design stipend to submit a design for either gate (East or West). 

 

Round 2: The submitted designs by the top five (5) candidates will be voted on by members of The Urban Oasis and its community. Two (2) designs receiving the most votes will be chosen.

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Key Dates for the 2026 competition:

• January 12, 2026 – application portal opens

• February 27, 2026 – application deadline 11:59 PM EST

• March 2, 2026 – The Urban Oasis reviews all applicants and recommends their top 5 proposals

• April 3, 2026 – Top 5 candidates submit designs by 11:59 PM EST

• April 20, 2026- Top two (2) Winning artists notified, agreement signed, funding disbursement begins (50%, 25%, 25%)

• October 16, 2026 – Installation deadline

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Rules:

• All designs from Maryland artists/organizations will be considered, but Baltimore based artists are strongly encouraged to apply

• All designs must be original art. No trademarked or copyrighted images or phrases should be used. No AI generated art should be used. Any entry that has been copied from an existing photo or image that was created by someone other than the artist or creative team is a violation of competition rules and will not be accepted.

• The winning design will become the property of The Urban Oasis. The Urban Oasis will assume full ownership of the content, as well as the art objects and maintenance.

• Design winner is solely responsible for all applicable federal, state and local taxes, including taxes imposed on their income.

• Artists should bear in mind that the audience will be broad based and of all ages, and designs should be appropriate for public display. 

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Criteria for RFQ:

• Applicant for the RFQ must submit evidence that will support their bid to design, fabricate, finish, and install projects.

• Is the project’s installation durable, safe, and does it meet applicable codes? Does it pose any safety or liability concerns?

• Does the project demonstrate structural soundness, surface integrity and inherent resistance to theft, vandalism, weathering and excessive maintenance?

• Does the project advance or align with The Urban Oasis’ plans or policies?

• Does the project address a priority that has been vocalized by the community?

• Is the proposal broad-based and appropriate for public display? Does it have any religious, political, or sexual nature to it?

• Does the artist/artist team have enough experience with the artistic medium they are proposing?

• Do you have confidence that they’d be able to execute the project?

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Final Design Creativity and Context:

• Is the artwork they are proposing unique or innovative? Does it offer a fresh perspective?

• Is the proposal compatible in scale, material, form and content with the proposed location, and compatible with existing approved community or area plans, especially public realm strategies?

• Is the proposal compatible with the architectural, historical, geographical, and social/cultural context of the site or community?

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Community Elevation & Diversity:

• Does the proposal result in an improvement of The Urban Oasis’s public art collection as a whole, and does it improve the collection’s reflection of the artistic traditions and practices of the community, including its newest members and those whose cultural traditions are underrepresented?

• Does the project address a priority that has been vocalized by the community?

• Is the proposal broad-based and appropriate for public display?