Roundabout art is a staple in Bend. But where does the money come from to pay for it?
It’s a question that was brought up on social media after the City of Bend recently awarded two artists the rights to build art that will go in two roundabouts.
“The money that’s raised for those generally comes from private donations from community members, money that comes from the Bend Foundation, and a 2009-2010 fundraising campaign called ‘Be Part of Art,’” said Art in Public Places Board President Romy Mortensen. “There is no cost at all to taxpayers for this art process.”
Michael Stutz proposed a sculpture called “Golden Squirrel’s Wondrous World” to Bend’s Art in Public Places. It will be installed at the Empire Avenue – Butler Market Road – NE 27th Street roundabout in Northeast Bend.
Joshua Wiener’s “You and I” will go in the roundabout at Brookswood Blvd and Powers Road.
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More roundabout art is coming in the future.
“We’re putting call in place for artists for two additional sculptures at Murphy on 15th and at Colorado on Columbia,” Mortensen said.
Mortensen says the budget used to be around $100,000 for these pieces. The two most recent sculptures asked for a budget of $130,000.
Stutz says the time varies on making sculptures. It depends on how many people he has to help him and the scale of the piece.
“This is a big piece. It’s 24 feet tall,” Stutz said.
Stutz’s sculpture will be installed, at no cost to taxpayers, in summer 2023.
