Big Bull Creek Park Permanent Art

Johnson County Park & Recreation District (JCPRD) is commissioning an artist or artist team to create a site-specific, large-scale permanent sculpture or series of sculptures at Big Bull Creek Park, 20425 Sunflower Road, Edgerton, KS 66021. The park, totaling 2,060 acres, is known for its efforts to restore prairies, rejuvenate the monarch butterfly population, support bees as pollinators, and provide refuge to grassland birds. The installation is scheduled for May 2026, coinciding with Kansas City's hosting of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

The artwork should relate to the nature, ecology, or history of Big Bull Creek Park and appeal to a broad audience of all ages through an accessible and inviting work at human scale. The public art should be fabricated of highly durable, low-maintenance materials that can withstand Kansas weather with a life expectancy of 20-30 years. There are no height or weight limitations, but artists should consider the scale of their pieces in accordance with the assigned project budget of $170,000. The artwork must have no points or sharp edges that could pose a hazard to pedestrians. Artists should include their vision for lighting as part of their proposal; any plan for nighttime lighting should avoid lighting projected toward the sky, though warm spectrum lighting incorporated into the piece is acceptable.

This public art opportunity is open to professional artists or artist teams residing within the United States. Interested artists should submit qualifications by Sunday, May 11, 2025, at 11:59 PM MT through the CaFÉ (Call for Entry) website. Required submissions include a letter of interest (no more than 2 pages), a CV/resume with current contact information (no more than 3 pages), names and contact information for 3 professional references, up to 10 sample images of previous artwork relevant to this project, and a corresponding image list with artwork title, medium, dimensions, brief description, location, date of work, commissioning entity, and budget/price. The Art Selection Committee will review artist qualifications and select up to 3 finalists, who will be paid a stipend to develop a site-specific concept proposal. For questions about eligibility or the project, contact [email protected].