The Design Council approves new RFQs for public artworks in Wichita
Artists will have the opportunity to leave their mark in four different Wichita locations after the Design Council approved multiple requests for qualifications in its October meeting.
The City of Wichita has already issued an RFQ for four murals to be painted by four different artists on the restroom buildings at O.J. Watson Park, 3022 S. McLean Blvd. in Wichita. Limited to artists living in the Wichita Metropolitan Statistical Area, the project is designed to create visual landmarks at the park and help artists get their “foot in the door with the public art process.” The total budget for the murals is $25,000, and each artist or artist team will be paid $5,500 or $8,500, depending on location.
The council also approved three more RFQs:
Mike Hoheisel, District 3 city council member, requested a mural for the exterior of the Hilltop Community Center, 1329 S. Terrace St. in Wichita. Eligibility is limited to artists living in Sedgwick County with preference for artists with a connection to District 3. The city plans to issue the RFQ tomorrow (October 13). The total art budget is $10,000.
The largest budget of the four approved RFQs is for the new Wichita Fire Department Station 23 in west Wichita near Pawnee Prairie Park. The $174,000 art budget will cover multiple components. Options include freestanding sculpture, a mural or relief sculpture for a large screen wall, and/or building identification. The project is open to artists living in the United States with preference for Kansas artists, and the city plans to issue the RFQ this Thursday (October 16). Five finalists will be selected to create artwork proposals for the new station.
A colorful gateway for Woodland Park-North in the North End will have an art budget of $50,000. The RFQ is open to artists in the U.S., and the city has yet to determine when the call will be issued. Links to all opportunities are posted on the website for the city’s Division of Arts & Cultural Services.
The Design Council declined to approve the 30% design for Phase 1 of Crystal Prairie Lake Park in northwest Wichita. The council elected to wait for revised plans that address safety concerns around the project.
The Design Council is composed of Wichita artists, architects, landscape designers, and others who advise the city about spending on public art and design projects. Its October meeting lasted nearly 1 hour and 45 minutes, and the council alternated between quick approvals and lengthy discussions about agenda items.
“This meeting has been spicy today,” said Armando Minjarez, president of the Design Council. “I like it.”
— Emily Christensen is one of the co-founders of The SHOUT.
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