LongHouse Visitor Center Project Call For Artists

The Arts and Recreation Foundation of Overland Park in cooperation with the City of Overland Park is seeking art concepts for permanent acquisition to be installed in the LongHouse Visitor Center at 8909 W. 179th Street, Overland Park, Kansas. This new entry and event space at the Overland Park Arboretum & Botanical Gardens opened in September 2023. The City is seeking to add art to The Gallery, the upper level hallway leading to the garden entry. Six walls will feature permanent art installations, with remaining walls used for rotating exhibitions. No floor-mounted art will be considered. Art must be hung a minimum of 5 feet above the floor in the main hallway (4 feet in the alcove). Ceiling height is 17 feet in the main hallway with mildly curved walls. Wall dimensions range from 6 feet to 32 feet wide.

Submissions must reinforce the theme of reflecting the beauty of the gardens and landscapes in the Arboretum. All submissions must be made electronically via CaFE by December 2, 2024 at 11:59 p.m. MST. Entry fee is $5.00. Submissions should include 3-7 high-resolution images in jpg or gif format and up to 1 video. Required information includes dimensions in inches and weight in pounds, recommended location, detailed mounting and installation criteria, itemized budget or pricing, maintenance information with estimated first 5-year costs, artist resume including previous commissions and collection acquisitions, and an artist statement regarding the piece's creation, themes, messages, inspiration, and process. Two-dimensional works should not include framing.

Calls are open to artists and curators working in all media. Priority will be given to local artists who live or have lived in Kansas or Missouri. Artists must be 18 years of age or older. The committee will review works between the deadline and the start of the new year, with recommendations for acquisitions made by spring. Final installations will take place prior to September 9, 2025. The budget for this project is $70,000.