Artists Sought For Howard County's 1st Destination Public Garden

GLENWOOD, MD — Artists are being sought to create a major permanent public art piece for the future Longwood Public Garden in Glenwood.

A $500,000 public art commission has been set aside for the signature piece of art to be installed at Howard County's first destination public garden. The commission is part of Howard County’s Arts for All initiative, the county’s first permanent public art program.

Ann Berchtold, public art consultant for Arts for All, told Patch that a public garden is being built on the historic 100-acre former Longwood property in Glenwood at the intersection of Route 97 (Roxbury Mills Road) and Burntwoods Road. The public garden is being envisioned as a premier regional destination.

The site for the garden, the Longwood property in Glenwood, a former plantation, was established by a doctor and features rolling terrain and several outbuildings. The Green-revival manor house dates back to 1818, when it was built for Dr. Gustavus Warfield and his wife, Mary, Patch previously reported.

The garden will be designed to promote learning, wellness and environmental stewardship while providing a gathering place where residents and visitors can connect with nature and one another, organizers said.

"The design blends native and non-native flowering plants across formal and natural garden settings, uses sustainable landscaping and incorporates the estate's historic plantation-style house. The $500,000 artwork is meant to be integrated into that garden experience — exact siting within the property will come out of concept development with the shortlisted artist(s), expected later this year," Berchtold told Patch.

Leaders gathered input from the community about the stories, themes, artist approaches and experiences residents would like the artwork to represent. That information will shape the design of the artwork.

“The public garden will be a unique destination with an important story to tell,” said Coleen West, executive director of the Howard County Arts Council. “We are looking for an artist or artist team capable of creating an exceptional work of art that responds to the landscape, engages visitors and brings people together for generations to come.”

The artist or artist team chosen from among all applicants will design, fabricate and install an original piece of art integrated into the garden experience. Professional artists can submit their qualifications and examples of past work online. More information can be found here.

The Arts for All program has $1.5 million set aside in the county budget to fund up to four public art installations at county facilities in the next several years. The Elkridge Community & 50+ Center is the first commission and the public garden at the Longwood Estate is the second project so far.

"Howard County and County Executive Calvin Ball have made a significant commitment to public art with Arts for All, weaving permanent installations into two new community facilities. The first commission is nearing final announcement of the artist who will move forward, and we've just released the RFQ for the second commission at the Longwood Public Garden. Both processes have included strong community engagement — a public poll and a community steering committee," Berchtold told Patch.

Related:

• Howard County Public Garden To Be Created At Longwood Property In Glenwood
• 10K Acres Preserved To Date With Latest Purchase Of 100 Acres For Future Garden Site