Twenty-six artists are competing to be commissioned to design public art at Galway City’s newest bridge.

Funding of almost €48,000 is available to the successful artist’s proposal for public art at the as yet unnamed pedestrian and cycle bridge at Salmon Weir.

Galway City Council, under the Per Cent for Art Scheme, invited artists earlier this year to submit proposals for a public art commission at the new bridge, which was officially opened in June.

It is funding under the scheme as part of the Galway Transportation Strategy.

A City Council spokesperson confirmed this week that some 26 proposals had been received by the stage one deadline for submissions on July 19.

“A selection panel will shortlist artists to develop stage two, which includes a more detailed proposal,” she said.

The deadline submission for stage two is August 31, and it is expected the public piece of art will be unveiled in the spring of next year.

The local authority said that there are four main broad selection criteria, including feasibility, value for money, maintenance and durability, capacity and timeline of delivery.

Another is the proven ability of the artist to carry-out the project. Another was the artistic quality of the proposal including a demonstration of artistic ambition, clarity and practicality.

The first criterion listed was context and connection, “relevance to spirit, history and culture of the locality” and a “meaningful contribution to sense of identity and place-making that celebrates the cultural and historic identity of the locale”.

The funding of €47,750 is inclusive of the artist fee. In its initial call for submissions, the City Council indicated the public art did not necessarily have to be visual art.

“The Commission is open to all art forms including that of visual arts, literature, music, theatre, digital arts, performance, live art, multimedia, video art, sound art, socially engaged, participatory and research based,” it said of the scheme.

In a statement to the Galway City Tribune, the Council said it reserves the right to commission at stage two or not to commission from submissions received.

“At this stage, Galway City Council can re-advertise, directly invite, directly commission, or select more than one submission for commission, and divide the budget accordingly,” it added.