call for artists and artist teams, westonka library
Hennepin County Library is contracting with Forecast Public Art to facilitate the curation and commissioning process for three permanent artworks at the Westonka Library, located at 2079 Commerce Boulevard, Mound , MN 55364. The Westonka Library serves as a vital community hub in the city of Mound, located along a scenic setting on a wooded site near the western edge of Lake Minnetonka. Opened in 1972, the previous library met the needs of a growing suburban and lakeside population, providing access to resources, gathering space, and educational programming for residents of Mound and the surrounding Westonka communities, including Spring Park, Minnetrista, and Orono for many years. It came to reflect the character of its environment, rooted in a close-knit, nature-oriented community with strong ties to the lake and local schools.
Public library service in Mound and the surrounding communities began in 1915, when Minneapolis Public Library made a small book collection available to area residents. In 1922, Hennepin County Library assumed responsibility for the library in Mound, and it has since operated out of various community locations.
ARTWORK SITES AND VISION
Opportunity 1: Commerce Porch
The Commerce Porch is an outdoor room – a place for conversation, rest, and informal gathering. It is visible from Commerce Boulevard, sheltered and open, a threshold between inside and outside. This space invites art that supports human connection.
Dimensional Guidelines
The sculpture base should not exceed 3 feet by 6 feet, may extend outward no more than 3 feet, and should not exceed 10 feet in height.
Artists might consider:
Pieces that honor Indigenous histories and relationships to land, stewardship, and seasonal knowledge
Freestanding sculpture that uses the northeast wall as a backdrop
A 3D relief or constructed wall piece on the northeast wall surface that creates a backdrop for gathering.
Art that reveals invisible systems – pollination, water cycles, soil life, migration
Works that catch light and shadows, changing how the space feels at different times of the day
Opportunity 2: Concrete Shear Wall and Trash Enclosure Mural
Concrete Shear Wall Art
Size: 5’6” Height and approximately 15’ Width
Just above the service desk and opposite the main entry stands a tall concrete wall — solid, quiet, and powerful. This is the first pause inside the building, where movement slows and orientation begins.
We imagine an anchored, applied artwork that creates a strong but welcoming presence — something that rewards both a quick glance and prolonged viewing.
Artists might consider:
Relief, layered, or dimensional works that play with shadow and depth
Pieces that introduce key themes of the library: knowledge, story, nature, memory, or community
Materials that contrast with the raw concrete — warm, luminous, textured, or reflective
This work acts as a visual breath at the moment of arrival — a first story the building tells. Any paintings or mosaics will not be applied directly to the concrete wall, but will be done on substrate and affixed to the wall. Artwork should prioritize the wall above the service desk, with the option to extend onto the adjacent wall where appropriate.