History of the Blackland Prairie

This public art opportunity seeks an artist to create a wall mural and water feature for a new facility in Wylie, Texas. The project budget is $81,000, which includes the artist's fee, travel during fabrication and installation, engineering certification, materials, fabrication, transportation, documentation, insurance, and lighting.

The artwork should reflect the scale of the building without overpowering it, complement the natural architecture of the buildings and open spaces, and be creative yet conceptually accessible to viewers. The design theme is "NEVER FORGET" and should include a memorial reflecting the 343 FDNY Firefighters killed on 9/11. The design should incorporate a piece of the World Trade Center if obtained, but be functional without it. Materials can include stone, concrete, metal, or other durable materials requiring very low maintenance. Water features are desired but not required. Building specifications include a canopy height of 11'9" at the gutter, storm shelter roof ridge height of 23', and tower roof ridge height of 27'.

The selection process includes an Art Selection Panel with community members, professional artists, fire station representatives, and city officials. Finalists (2-3) will be invited for a site visit and community dialogue, then asked to develop a conceptual approach (maquette) and present their proposal in person for a $500 honorarium. Travel for site visits and presentations will be arranged and paid by the City. Submissions must include a letter of interest, current resume, 8-15 images of previous work (labeled as specified, maximum 1200 pixels and 5mb each), an image list with details for each entry, and references. All materials must be submitted digitally through CAFE. Artists must be able to work within the project timeline for completion and the building opening in early April 2022.