Good Luck Community Center - Public Art Opportunities
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Public Art Opportunity
REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS
The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission (M-NCPPC)
Department of Parks and Recreation, Prince George’s County, Maryland
Good Luck Community Center
8601 Good Luck Road, Lanham, Maryland 20706
SUBMISSION OF MATERIALS ACCEPTED AT: bit.ly/glccpublicart
UNTIL: 12 MIDNIGHT, EASTERN STANDARD TIME ON MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 2026.
I. PROJECT OVERVIEW & CONTEXT
The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission (M-NCPPC), Department of Parks and Recreation, Prince George’s County invites professional visual artists and design teams to submit qualifications for two major exterior public art opportunities at the new Good Luck Community Center.
This project represents a complete, modern transformation of the site. The existing facility, parking layout, and playgrounds are being razed to clear the way for a brand-new, singlestory, approximately 25,000 gross square foot (GSF) state-of-the-art community center and gymnasium. Sited deliberately near the northwest corner of the lot closer to Good Luck Road, the new facility utilizes an open "L" configuration that creates a generous, highly visible front entry sequence.
The public artworks are envisioned as critical neighborhood anchors that will sit within this main entrance threshold. Highly visible to westbound vehicular traffic on Good Luck Road and active pedestrians entering the site, these works will establish a profound sense of place, welcoming multi-generational families to a space dedicated to recreation, equity, and sustainability.
Artists or artist teams may submit credentials for either one or both opportunities outlined below. However, selected semi-finalists will ultimately be commissioned to execute only one project.
II. ABOUT M-NCPPC, DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION. PRINCE GEORGE’S COUNTY
The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission (M-NCPPC) is a celebrated bi-county agency established in 1927 to oversee park development and land-use planning across Prince George's and Montgomery Counties.
The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission (M-NCPPC) is a six-time National Gold Medal winner for excellence in park and recreation management. Managing over 27,000 acres of parkland, the Department of Parks and Recreation, Prince George’s County provides top-tier community centers, athletic complexes, historic sites, and cultural art programming designed to enrich the lives of all county residents. Through its Public and Visual Arts Unit, the Department champions strategic placemaking initiatives that weave professional contemporary artwork directly into civic infrastructure.
III. TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS & ART OPPORTUNITIES Opportunity #1: Exterior Public Art Piece (Entry Plaza Sculpture)
- Budget: $200,000 maximum allocation (all-inclusive of design, engineering drawings, fabrication, structural footings, transport, installation, and artist fees).
- Location & Footprint: To be installed within a designated area situated on the primary front entrance plaza, directly framed by the building's main approach sequence.
- Scale & Geometry: Abstract forms are highly preferred. The final sculpture must be multi-dimensional and dynamic, presenting an impactful composition from all viewing angles. The vertical height must not exceed 18 feet, and the physical structure must safely clear all pedestrian pathways, maintaining required sightlines for vehicle circulation and primary building signage.
- Materiality & Landscape Integration: The artwork should complement the facility's low-maintenance, biophilic design approach and integrate thoughtfully with the surrounding architecture and landscape. Artists may propose permanent, climate resilient materials appropriate for exterior public art installations, provided they are durable, low maintenance, and suitable for long-term outdoor exposure.
- Thematic Directions: Proposals during should creatively address or interpret one or more of the following core project themes:
o Movement (celebrating active recreation and dance)
o Community Center Identity (e.g., creative interpretations of "Good Luck")
o Neighborhood History and Local Heritage
o Sportsmanship, Unity, and Equity
o Sustainability in Form, Concept, or Execution
o Safe, Passive Interactivity
- Site Color Palette: The architectural design centers on a sustainable palette of blacks, deep greens, and natural woods. To contrast and complete this layout, community stakeholders have expressed a strong historical affinity for red, black, and green. Artists are encouraged to utilize red or vibrant greens as an eye-catching, celebratory pop of color to highlight the main entrance.
Opportunity #2: Artistic Seating Element
- Budget: $50,000 maximum allocation (all-inclusive of design, fabrication, delivery, anchorage hardware, and site installation).
- Physical Description: A functional, permanent public art bench seating element designed to serve patrons utilizing the exterior plaza and perimeter walkways.
- Technical Parameters: The seating must be designed and fabricated using durable, vandal-resistant, and climate-resilient materials suitable for permanent outdoor public use. Artists are encouraged to propose materials and fabrication methods that balance creativity, longevity, safety, and ease of maintenance. The final design must comply with all applicable universal accessibility standards, building codes, and municipal structural requirements.
- Coordination: The artist will collaborate directly with CGS Architects, Bradley Site Design, and MCN Build to review subterranean grading, foundation anchoring requirements, and structural site utility lines prior to installation.
Design Development Stipend: The Artist Selection Committee will select three (3) semi-finalists for each opportunity to advance to the formal proposal phase. Semi-finalists for the Opportunity #1- Exterior Public Art Piece, will receive a $2,000 stipend, and semi-finalists for the Opportunity #2- Artistic Seating Element, will receive a $1,000 stipend, to offset design development, presentation renderings, and travel expenses.
SITE IMAGES
IV. ELIGIBILITY & CRITERIA
Artist Eligibility
- This opportunity is strictly open to professional visual artists and design teams who reside or maintain an active, verifiable professional studio space within Maryland, Washington, D.C., or Virginia (DMV region).
- Applicants must be at least 21 years of age or older at the time of submission.
- Applicants must demonstrate a successful professional history of executing durable, permanent public art installations of a similar financial and structural scale.
- M-NCPPC employees and immediate family members are ineligible to apply.
Selection Process & Criteria
An Artist Selection Committee consisting of cultural arts strategists, project architects, public art professionals, and local community stakeholders will evaluate all eligible submissions across three distinct phases.
- Phase 1: Qualifications Review: Submissions will be evaluated based on the artistic excellence of past work samples, proven technical capability to work with outdoor media, and the clarity of the initial Statement of Interest. The committee will select three (3) semi-finalists for each opportunity.
- Phase 2: Proposal Development: Semi-finalists will receive detailed architectural construction drawings, a comprehensive site briefing, and a $2,000 design stipend. Over a one-month period, semi-finalists will develop site-specific design concepts, technical material specifications, and accurate scale renderings. Finalists must submit three (3) professional references at this stage.
- Phase 3: Final Presentation: Semi-finalists will make a formal presentation of their design proposals and mockups to the Selection Committee. One final artist or team per opportunity will be selected to enter into a contract for fabrication and installation.
V. SUBMISSION PROCEDURES & REQUIREMENTS
All application materials must be uploaded digitally via Submittable.com. No physical sketches, design mockups, or formal proposals should be submitted during this initial request for qualifications phase.
Required Application Components
- Contact & Team Profile: Full legal name, studio address, email, telephone number, and website for the primary artist or designated team lead.
- Statement of Interest: A written statement (maximum 1,000 words) clearly indicating which opportunity (Opportunity #1, Opportunity #2, or both) you are pursuing. Outline your artistic philosophy, interest in this community, and how your technical experience positions you to address the project's core themes.
- Digital Portfolio (Work Samples): Up to ten (10) high-resolution digital images of completed, permanent original artworks. Detail shots or alternate viewing angles of a single project count toward the 10-image maximum. Each image must be accompanied by detailed metadata: Project Title and Location, Exact Materials and Fabrication Methods, Physical Dimensions, Total Project Budget (inclusive of all fees), Year of Completion
- Professional Resume / CV: A current professional curriculum vitae (maximum 3 pages per individual) highlighting public commissions, relevant exhibitions, and awards. Teams must compile individual resumes for all active members into a single PDF document.
VI. PROJECT TIMELINE & BENCHMARKS
Currently, the project is approaching the initiation of the construction phase with final completion scheduled for June 2027. All selected project semi-finalists will be given an updated project timeline for key public art benchmarks to coordinate with the overall construction project schedule.
SUBMISSION DEADLINE:
12 MIDNIGHT (EASTERN STANDARD TIME) MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 2026.
bit.ly/glccpublicart
CONTACT:
Brittney McGowan
Public Art Specialist
Arts and Cultural Heritage Division
M-NCPPC Prince George’s Department of Parks and Recreation
brittney.mcgowan@pgparks.com