City of Wichita Downtown Sculpture Purchase Initiative

The City of Wichita seeks to expand its public art collection by purchasing permanent outdoor sculptures for 14 existing pedestals located throughout Wichita's central core districts of Old Town, Downtown, and Delano. The brick and concrete pedestals are owned by the City of Wichita and located on publicly accessible pedestrian walkways and plazas near residential buildings, small businesses, green spaces, Intrust Bank Arena, and Equity Bank Park baseball stadium. Artists at all stages of their careers are invited to submit existing or conceptual sculptures for consideration with a budget of $8,000-$14,000 per artwork. Selected artworks will be accessioned into the City's 300-piece Public Art Collection and included in the City's annual art maintenance plan.

The permanent pedestals are constructed of red brick and concrete and measure 54" W x 54" D, with heights ranging from approximately 21" to 25". A removable steel plate with gridded holes for attachment measuring 32" x 32" is inset into the top of each pedestal. Ten pedestals are located along pedestrian pathways in Wichita's Old Town District, three pedestals are located next to Intrust Bank Arena in downtown Wichita, and one pedestal is located at Equity Bank Park in the historic Delano neighborhood adjacent to the Arkansas River, bike/walk paths, and retailers. Artwork must be structurally sound, permanent, durable, and low maintenance. The artwork should enhance the aesthetics and character of downtown Wichita, create unique and memorable experiences for visitors, foster a sense of community and place, and reflect the cultural heritage of Wichita. All media in all genres suitable for outdoor public spaces will be considered. If the proposed project is not a finished work, artists must provide renderings including information regarding dimensions, materials, fabrication techniques, coatings, and examples of past work. The work must be completed and installed as designed by March 2026.

This project is funded through the Percent for Art Ordinance and the City of Wichita's Capital Improvement Plan. In 2019, the Wichita City Council approved an ordinance that allotted 2% of capital improvement funds to a pool of funding allocated for commissioning on-site artworks that become part of the citywide art collection. The administration of the Percent for Art Program is overseen by the Design Council, an 11-member advisory board. Submissions will be reviewed by a Selection Committee comprised of stakeholders, arts professionals, and City staff. Selection will be based on artistic excellence, vision, and quality craftsmanship; demonstrated ability to conceive and deliver high quality artwork; perceived fit for permanent outdoor installation in public spaces; and durability, site appropriateness, and maintenance requirements. The Selection Committee's recommendations will be approved by the Design Council and City Council prior to notification of awards. Installation is scheduled for March 2026. This project is open to professional artists at all stages of their career who reside in the United States. Geographic preferences are for Wichita and Kansas based artists. Artists may submit up to five applications, with each sculpture submitted as a separate application. Applicants must submit three to six total images of existing or conceptual three-dimensional outdoor artworks, an annotated image list, a one-page artist statement, and a two-page resume or curriculum vitae.