Bellevue will pay up to $12,000 per artist to add new portable artworks to its public collection, with submissions due by 11:59 p.m. PDT Tuesday, Oct. 13.

The city's Arts and Culture program posted the call for artists on Sept. 23, inviting professional visual artists in nine Washington counties to submit two- and three-dimensional pieces. Eligible counties are Island, King, Kitsap, Kittitas, Chelan, Pierce, San Juan, Skagit and Snohomish.

Selected works will be placed in city-owned buildings and publicly accessible offices across Bellevue.

Each artist may submit up to five pieces. The $12,000 cap excludes sales tax. Only one work per artist will be purchased unless multiple pieces together stay at or under that limit.

Eligible formats include small 3D works weighing no more than 70 pounds, unframed 2D art such as drawings, mixed media, paintings, photography, prints and textiles, and electronic art including digital, film and video. Galleries may submit on behalf of up to three represented artists.

A three-person panel will evaluate submissions. The panel includes the chair of the Bellevue Arts Commission or a designee, an arts professional and a community member.

According to the call document, the panel will weigh artistic merit, originality and themes that align with the collection's vision, with additional consideration for Bellevue residents.

Artists will be notified by email no later than Friday, Nov. 13. The full Arts Commission is scheduled to approve purchases no later than Jan. 31, 2027, after which delivery will be arranged with artists.

Bellevue's public art collection holds more than 140 fixed and portable works, including pieces by Marc Fornes/THEVERYMANY, Judy Onofrio, Jae Hyo Lee and Po Shu Wang. A collage by Seattle artist Nico Inzerella, "Xela Azul," hangs at Bellevue City Hall. The city buys portable artworks roughly every two years. The 2024 round added 15 pieces, following 29 in 2022 and 21 in 2020.

Artists can apply online at BellevueArts.Submittable.com/Submit. Those without computer access can arrange a paper application by contacting the city no later than Friday, Oct. 9. Questions go to Manette Stamm at [email protected] or 425-452-4064.