Fayetteville Street Public Art

Public Art on Fayetteville Street

The City of Raleigh is looking to hire artists to create public art elements as part of the Fayetteville Street Streetscape Plan. There will be two opportunities, seeking up to five (5) artists total. Learn more about the project scope, how to apply, and read the artist calls for both opportunities below.

Immersive Viewshed Artists

The City of Raleigh seeks to hire up to four (4) Viewshed Artists to install immersive artwork environments on Fayetteville Street. Completed projects will enhance the existing built environment through a combination of artworks and creative interventions to create a visually distinctive environment. Artists will be encouraged to think of their design holistically and include both two-dimensional (2-D) and three-dimensional (3-D) artwork elements. Each artist should consider how to create durable experiences that encourage playful interaction, support moments of engagement for both local residents and new visitors to the City, and enhance a high traffic area. 

Viewsheds will be assigned to selected artists and have project budgets ranging from $25,000 to $140,000.

Up to eight (8) semi-finalists will be selected to create a preliminary proposal for a viewshed and awarded an honorarium of $800. Awardees will be selected based on the preliminary proposal ideas and assigned their location. Selected artists will be expected to use their preliminary proposal as a jumping off point for additional stakeholder engagement as they move into the Concept Design phase. 

Deadline to apply: February 23, 2026, by 11:59 p.m.

Read the RFQ 
Apply Online

Read the complete artist call document (RFQ) to learn about the timeline, selection process, and more.

Wayfinding and Interactive Seating Artist

The City of Raleigh seeks to hire an artist or artist team to create artistic wayfinding and interactive seating on Fayetteville Street. The project has a budget of $300,000 and is open to artists who live in the United States. The selected artist/team will be tasked with creating iconic artwork that both celebrates Raleigh, fosters engaging moments, and helps citizens and visitors navigate to major attractions downtown.

Up to three (3) semi-finalists will be selected to create a preliminary proposal for wayfinding/seating and receive an honorarium of $800. The awardee will be selected based on their proposal ideas and will be expected to use their preliminary proposal as a jumping off point for additional stakeholder engagement as they move into the Concept Design phase.

Deadline to apply: February 23, 2026, by 11:59 p.m.

Read the RFQ
Apply Online

Read the complete artist call document (RFQ) to learn about the timeline, selection process, and more.

About the Project

The City of Raleigh is developing an updated Streetscape Plan for Fayetteville Street, located in the core of its downtown. Identified as a prioritized action item in the Downtown Raleigh Economic Development Strategy – A Five Year Plan full report (August 2024), released by the Downtown Raleigh Alliance (DRA), the project's goal is to provide a streetscape plan that furthers commercial activation while respecting and enhancing the unique historical context of the corridor.

In November 2025, City Council approved funding for short-term implementation actions along the Fayetteville Street corridor. These include relocating public benches and removing seat walls to allow for outdoor dining adjacent to building facades, modifying horizontal landscaping patches, and including new wayfinding and art elements to lend a refreshed look to the City's Main Street.

Learn more about the Fayetteville Street Streetscape Plan

Timeline