Request for Qualifications: We are seeking three artists to create the next three San Mateo County Park posters in our series
Application period: January 12 through March 2, 2026
Contact: Leslie Holzman, Membership & Communications Coordinator, Leslie@SupportParks.org or 650-321-5812 (main office)
Artist fee: $2,500
Project Overview
In 2023, we kicked off a series of park poster commissions to celebrate San Mateo County Parks’ centennial and highlight the amazing parks in the County system. To date, we have commissioned six Park Posters which have been met with an overwhelming positive response. We now seek three professional or emerging artists to design the next three posters in our series.
The poster artwork shall capture the essence of the specified county park. We are seeking artists to design posters for 1) Coyote Point Recreation Area, 2) Devil’s Slide Trail and 3) Sam McDonald Park. In the future, we expect to commission artists to design posters for additional parks on a rolling basis.
Each park poster will be designed by a different artist. Unifying design details will be incorporated into each design, such as consistent border size, the park’s name, and San Mateo County Parks Foundation’s name in a consistent font at the bottom of the design, as shown in the posters commissioned to date.
The goal is to engage the arts community and create lasting designs that capture and celebrate the essence of each park. The chosen artist should be familiar with their assigned park and have the ability to spend time there to learn more about it. Artwork must include recognizable landmarks or park features. Artists should expect to engage with staff to learn more about the goals and criteria for the posters.
Coyote Point Recreation Area is a 149-acre bayside park located in San Mateo, featuring hiking trails, picnic facilities, playgrounds including the iconic Magic Mountain, and the CuriOdyssey science museum and zoo. It offers stunning views of San Francisco Bay, a revitalized sandy beach designed for universal access, and is an excellent spot for birdwatching, fishing, kite flying, aquatic sports like kite boarding, and watching planes land at SFO. Coyote Point is one of the most popular parks in the County.
Devil’s Slide Trail is a 1.3-mile paved multi-use trail located just south of Pacifica that is part of the California Coastal Trail. It offers spectacular ocean views along a former stretch of Highway 1. Its dramatic coastal cliff setting was once a treacherous drive, and is now a safe, accessible path for pedestrians, cyclists, and equestrians. The trail is exceptional for wildlife viewing, particularly whale-watching, and is considered one of the best places along the California coast to see dozens of marine bird species.
Sam McDonald Park is an 850-acre hidden gem in the Santa Cruz Mountains featuring towering redwoods, grassy knolls, and connections to miles of trails across multiple parks. The park is named after Sam McDonald, a beloved Stanford University employee who worked there for 50 years and who was the only Black man to own property in the redwoods for many years. He bequeathed his 430-acre redwood property to be enjoyed by children, honoring his legacy of generosity and devotion to youth. Because of its historical significance, in January 2026, the San Mateo County Board of Supervisors has put forth a nomination for consideration on the National Register of Historic Places. Today, it offers a peaceful forest retreat with old-growth redwoods, the Jack Brook Horse Camp, Ollie Mayer Hiker’s Hut, and youth campsites.
Medium: All two-dimensional mediums except photography. Final original artwork will be submitted as well as a high quality digital file for poster production. Artwork must translate well to a poster. Saturated colors are preferred.
Specifications: Posters will be 11”x17” and vertical.
Eligibility: This call for entry is open to all professional and emerging artists who live or work in the Bay Area region – San Mateo County, as well as Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, Napa, San Francisco, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, Solano and Sonoma Counties – and who are 18 years of age and older. Due to the nature of this project, we will not consider applicants who live out of the area. Upon review of materials and interview of finalists, three artists will be selected by a jury, each to design a poster for one of the three selected parks.
Ineligible Applicants:
- Members of our jury and their immediate family
- San Mateo County Parks Foundation staff and board members
- County of San Mateo elected officials
- San Mateo County Parks staff
- Applicants who live outside the Bay Area counties outlined above
- Previously commissioned SMC Park Poster artists
Review Process and Timeline
Step 1: Application period opens January 12, 2026, inviting any artist(s) interested in the project who meet the artists’ evaluation criteria to submit their qualifications and portfolio.
Application period will be open between January 12 and March 2, 2026.
Step 2: A jury will review submitted applications and select several artists for informal interviews in late March or early April. The jury will consist of 6 members from the local arts community and representatives of SMC Parks and the Foundation.
Step 3: The jury will deliberate and select one artist each to design posters for Coyote Point Recreation Area, Devil’s Slide Trail and Sam McDonald Park. All entrants will be notified by mid-April.
The selected artists will each receive a $2,500 commission for their work – $1,000 paid upfront at the start of the project and $1,500 paid upon successful completion of the artwork and production of a high quality digital scan. Final, submitted artwork will become the property of the San Mateo County Parks Foundation. The Foundation reserves the right to use the artwork in future marketing efforts and for possible reproduction in other formats. The Foundation also reserves the right to adjust any deadlines as needed.
Submittal Requirements
Submissions must be received through CaFE no later than 11:59 PM PST on Monday, March 2, 2026. The submission must include:
1. An artist statement limited to two pages and with the following:
- Your interest in this specific project (or describe your connection to the park)
- Professional and artistic qualifications as demonstrated by past projects, as well as appropriateness of applicant’s style to the project
- The aesthetic direction you envision for your poster and your working approach to developing the artwork
- What you bring to the project as an artist and your experience with designing posters and/or with other projects of similar scope and size
- Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively with Parks Foundation project managers in a design-team context
- Any other comments that might help differentiate you as a candidate
2. A resume/CV that includes your name, address, phone number, email, and website URL as applicable.
3. At least three references from past projects (can also include instructor or mentor references) with contact information and connection to artist(s).
Please note: Selected artists will be asked to submit a bio and an inspiration statement for our website.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION FOR SELECTED ARTISTS
Please note: The following information is for the consideration of any interested applicant. This information is provided so that all applicants have a better understanding of their responsibilities and rights should they be selected and contracted by the San Mateo County Parks Foundation for this project. Agreement terms are subject to change.
If selected to design a San Mateo County Park poster, the artist will enter a separate contract with the San Mateo County Parks Foundation. Below is a sample of the terms and conditions included in the agreement:
- Designs will remain the sole and exclusive property of the San Mateo County Parks Foundation
- Artists will waive all rights to the artwork
- Artists will be credited for their work as feasible and will be profiled on our website
- Proceeds from any and all future poster or product sales are for the San Mateo County Parks Foundation
- San Mateo County Parks Foundation reserves the right to refuse the final artwork if it considers it inconsistent with previously accepted or agreed-upon design criteria.
Selection Jury
We are pleased to have the following professionals on our jury:
Verónica Escámez Mártinez: Founder and Executive Director, Casa Circulo Cultural
Jan McFarland: Secretary, Board of Directors, San Mateo County Parks Foundation
Irma Rodriguez Mitton: San Mateo County Parks Commission; Founder and President, Fruition Sustainability Solutions
Aimee Shapiro: Executive Director, San Mateo County Office of Arts & Culture
Bruce Washburn: watercolor artist, awarded a first round commission for our San Mateo County Park posters series (Edgewood Park & Natural Preserve)
Katherine Wright: San Mateo County Parks Ranger III, Interpretive Program
Questions? Please review our FAQs and if you need further help, please contact Leslie Holzman at Leslie@SupportParks.org or call the main office at 650-321-5812.