On the heels of the mayor's announcement that today is Indigenous People's Day, the Office of Arts and Culture is calling for applicants for a new $250,000 art commission, to result in new art recognizing and reflecting the oldest way of life on this land and waterfront. The work should be related to the Coast Salish tribes, and will be installed on the central Seattle waterfront in a process that will probably take until after 2016.

"The call is super open ended—it could be almost anything," emailed OAC spokesperson Calandra Childers.

The official language:

There are no preconceptions of what this artwork can be; the artist/artist team will investigate sites and develop a permanent artwork that acknowledges both the history and presence of local tribes. The artwork could take the form of placemaking, sculptures, carvings, site enhancements; it can be a singular element, a series of pieces, spaces for gathering and storytelling; and two or three dimensional. The artist selection panel will include enrolled members of local tribes in order to better assess the accurate representation of Coast Salish art and culture.

Artists who have "a historic and/or artistic connection to the tribal peoples of this region are strongly encouraged to apply," and the call is open only to "established professional artists" living in Washington state and British Columbia.

Deadline to apply is January 13, 2015. Details.