New public art project commissioned

The city of Oklahoma City’s Office of Arts & Cultural Affairs and the Alliance for Economic Development of Oklahoma City recently issued a request for qualifications from mural artists to be considered for two exterior murals for the new Homeland, currently under construction at NE 36th and N. Lincoln.

The new grocery store will present a unique shopping experience to provide fresh, healthy grocery options to customers in the underserved northeast Oklahoma City area. The exterior murals will connect the store to the surrounding community, reflect the culture of this Oklahoma City neighborhood and help to reveal our city’s unique character. This investment in public art is important in northeast Oklahoma City, the core of our city’s Black heritage.

This opportunity is open to all practicing artists, at least 18 years of age. Artists with prior public art experience, mural experience and artist teams are particularly encouraged to apply. Artists living more than 120 miles from the project site must identify and designate a local project manager who could be available on site for construction meetings or emerging issues.

Proposers must register with BidSync on the city of Oklahoma City website and submit their qualifications electronically through BidSync by Jan. 20. Applicants are encouraged to register with BidSync well in advance of submitting their qualifications materials. There is no charge to the proposer for registering or submitting an electronic proposal to the city through BidSync.

Since the adoption of a 2009 initiative requiring 1% of the construction budget for public projects to be spent on public art, Oklahoma City’s public art scene has significantly changed. We now have hundreds of murals, sculptures and art installations across the city. Our city’s art makes a statement, causes you to pause and think and shows you a different perspective about the place and time where you stand.

These works are all part of the city’s master plan for public art, which was completed in 2015. The plan provides procedural guidance and policy recommendations for reviewing and commissioning public art. It outlines 13 objectives focused on the creation, presentation and promotion of art with the goal of inspiring and communicating the city’s commitment to the social, economic and cultural well-being of residents.

To see the request for qualifications for Homeland murals, visit www.theallianceokc.org/current-rfps.

This article was originally published in the Journal Record.