Oakland's Public Art Program is looking for creative ideas from Bay Area artists for two new entrance gates to the gardens by Lake Merritt.

Oakland-based artists will receive preference, but the project is open to professional artists who live or work in Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, Napa, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Solano or Sonoma counties. The project requires specialization in metalwork and expertise in metal construction.

Artists are eligible for up to $86,000 for the project, about $68,000 for materials, fabrication and installation and another $17,000 for soft costs such as fees for the artist and subcontractors.

The deadline for applications is March 12. There is no application fee. Apply online only.

The goal of the project is to create beautiful entryways that identify and celebrate the gardens, an often overlooked urban space to learn about hundreds of varieties of trees, shrubs and plants.

The gates are inside Lakeside Park along Lake Merritt. One is next to the garden center at 666 Bellevue Ave. The other is across from the Lake Merritt Boating Center at 568 Bellevue Ave. The new gates, which will replace the current ones, will be double opening and attached to a chainlink fence.

The lakeside gardens opened in the 1950s and now includ a Japanese gardens and a koi pond, the Golden State Bonsai Garden, show gardens, a flower-and-herb garden and a vegetable-and-fruit demonstration garden.

As part of Measure DD that Oakland voters passed in 2002, Projects of the City of Oakland Public Art Program enables artists to create original public art that enlivens, enriches and enhances the quality of Oakland’s public spaces. It integrates artists’ creativity into capital improvement projects, provides opportunities to advance their careers and broadens the role of the artist in the community.  At the same time, residents and visitors are provided the means to enjoy, experience and take pride in the community through the visual arts.

Learn more about the program, including application guidelines and a proposed time line, here. Learn more about cultural arts in Oakland here.

For more information about the project and other Measure DD public art opportunities, please get in touch with Christin Hablewitz at chablewitz@oaklandnet.com or 510-238-2105.