UNION CITY, Alameda County — October 24, 2026. Public art could become part of the everyday view of commuters around the Union City BART station. The city’s purchasing office has issued a new Request for Qualifications (RFQ) for a BART Transit Column Mural Project, inviting artists to put forward their credentials and experience.
The timeline announced by the city
The Union City official bids and notices listing records a release date of October 19, 2026 and a closing date of November 30, 2026, at 12:01 p.m. This is a current procurement notice, not a claim that the murals are already painted or that an artist has been selected. Artists should verify the exact electronic filing instructions and allowable submissions on the city’s own procurement page rather than send a portfolio to an unrelated address.
What an RFQ is — and is not
An RFQ generally asks applicants to demonstrate qualifications, experience or capability. It does not by itself establish a construction contract, the eventual number of panels to be painted, an award amount or a guaranteed commission for any person submitting materials. Those details may be available in attachments to the solicitation, and may change through city-issued addenda or selection decisions.
The title ties the proposed artwork to transit columns near BART, giving it a different public setting from a neighborhood mural or an interior gallery exhibition. The artwork would be seen by residents and people arriving in or leaving Union City by transit; the actual design and precise site should be confirmed from the city’s official RFQ before it is described as finalized.
What artists and residents can check
Potential applicants can use the city’s RFP, Bids, and Notices page to locate the BART Transit Column Mural Project RFQ, deadline, eligibility requirements, submission format and any later amendments. Residents who want to follow public spending or the choice of final designs may review subsequent city notices or council agenda records, not treat an open solicitation as evidence that taxpayers have approved a specified art budget.
Separate from this BART-column opportunity, Union City also lists an ongoing utility-box mural program. Those are distinct procurement notices with different locations and closing conditions; artists should not assume a single application covers both.
Follow Union City News for community-specific public art and civic reporting. Primary source: City of Union City procurement listing checked October 24, 2026. The newsroom has not interviewed applicants or confirmed a final award.
Help this community newspaper grow
Your support helps build coverage for the people and places this local newspaper serves.
Donate once by card ↗Support Union City News
Choose how to support Union City News:
Credit / Debit Card via StripeChoose an amount from $1. One-time support through the publisher's LINKERNO Stripe account.
Continue with PayPal Continue with ZelleZelle payments go to Vitaly Ataev Troshin. Please verify the recipient in your bank before sending. Availability depends on your bank.
Optional reader support. When possible, add “Union City News” to the payment note. Contributions are not advertised as tax-deductible. Support does not influence editorial decisions.
COMMUNITY
Comments
Join the California58 conversation. You must be signed in to comment.
Create a free California58 account or sign in with an available social provider.