Artist Guide to Public Art: From Proposal to Contract

Get the Answers!

This workshop comes directly from the conversations I keep having with artists.

“Is this a good deal?”
“What am I missing?”
“Who actually pays for this?”

Public art can open extraordinary doors—larger commissions, greater visibility, and meaningful community impact.

But too often, talented artists enter the process underprepared.

Not because they lack skill—
but because no one has shown them how the system actually works.

Writers at Hyperallergic are warning sounding the alarm and warning artists to better understand contracts before signing.

So we built the workshop most artists don’t get until it’s too late. Before scope creep kicks in. Before you loose money. Before you loose your mind.

In this workshop, we walk you through what really happens:

• scaling your work into larger public projects, including who pays for what

• submitting a winning proposal with compelling storytelling

• signing a contract that advocates for you as the artist

PLUS—WE WALK YOU THROUGH A REAL CONTRACT.

Whether you’ve completed 0 or 10 public art projects—or started in one medium and are now scaling your vision into another—this workshop is for you. This is the conversation many artists wish they had before their first commission—and even their fifth.

Led by curator, art consultant, and host of Female Frequency Podcast Jodie Nelson, alongside artist and art consultant Sara Everett, we bring over 40 years of combined experience navigating:

• artist contracts
• city commissions
• developer partnerships
• public art negotiations

We’ve seen where artists get stuck.
We know where money gets lost.

And we know how to help you avoid costly mistakes.

You’ll learn:

10 power moves to succeed in public art from contract to install to copyright

  1. Navigating the RFQ / RFP Process so you don’t second guess yourself

  2. Aligning with community needs & project requirements without losing your creative voice

  3. Staying true to your artistic vision as you scale your work

  4. Advocating for yourself on agreements - Part I so its a win-win for all

  5. Advocating for yourself on agreements - Part 2

  6. Working with Insurance and Budgets - who pays for what

  7. Expectations at a Glance including Copyrights

  8. Ideal Media: Is there one?

  9. Invoices, Payments, Taxes: how they really work

  10. Must do’s including storytelling and charging a fee for a design change

Before you say yes, submit, or sign

This workshop is your game-changer to no more unclear contracts, no more underpaid gigs, or feeling unsure how to ask for what you really need.

Whether you’ve completed zero or 10 public art projects—or you started in one medium and are now scaling your vision into another—this is for you.

If you want to be confident negotiating contracts, securing funding, and writing proposals that actually win, you’re in the right room.

In this workshop, we answer 10 essential How & Why’s:

➡️ Present your work with impact — Craft proposals that stand out and align with what panels are really looking for.

➡️ Ask smarter questions — Uncover hidden expectations, avoid unpaid extras, and learn who pays for what.

➡️ Negotiate like a pro — Understand real contracts, protect your rights, and stop scope creep before it drains your time, energy, and budget.

Led by 2 art consultants - revealing how to avoid costly mistakes artists make in public art.

Meet Jodie Nelson & Sara Everett

Succeed in public art from proposal to contract to copyright

Investment $297

  1. Navigating the RFQ / RFP Process so you don’t second guess yourself

  2. Aligning with community needs & project requirements without losing your creative voice

  3. Staying true to your artistic vision as you scale your work

  4. Advocating for yourself on agreements - Part I so its a win-win for all

  5. Advocating for yourself on agreements - Part 2

  6. Working with Insurance and Budgets - who pays for what

  7. Expectations at a Glance including Copyrights

  8. Ideal Media: Is there one?

  9. Invoices, Payments, Taxes: how they really work

  10. Must do’s including storytelling and charging a fee for a design change

PLUS a Bonus: Receive a sample contract & template for your use: a $250 value hassle free of searching counsel.

Come learn what artists are rarely taught, but absolutely need to know.

YES, I'm in!

Win proposals. Stop scope creep before it starts. Negotiate win-win contracts with confidence. Understand what you’re actually agreeing to-before you say yes.

artwork: Salish Nettles, Kait Rhoads, Pacific Seas Aquarium

 FAQs

  • This is a self-paced, online course. The videos are available anytime, so you can watch and rewatch them on your own schedule, from anywhere.

  • This course is for you if:

    • You've struggled to get your public art proposals selected or move past the finalist stage.

    • You feel overwhelmed by contracts and negotiation.

    • You've been caught in a project that demanded more time and resources than originally agreed.

    • You've always wished you could sit down with an art consultant and ask how things really work.

    • Perfect for artists submitting their first public art proposal, preparing for their fifth permanent installation, or even those with up to 10 public art projects under their belt.

  • Yes! We’ll host live Q&A sessions on specific dates and will also be available via email for course participants.

  • Due to the digital nature of this course and the intellectual property it includes, refunds are not possible. However, we are confident you will find tremendous value in the content provided.

YES!