Norman Forward 1% for Art: Senior Wellness Center

Norman Arts Council, on behalf of The City of Norman and Norman Forward Percent for Art, is seeking an artist or team of artists to create a significant work of art for the Senior Wellness Center to be located in Norman, Oklahoma. Norman is a growing, progressive city located 20 miles south of downtown Oklahoma City and the third-largest city in Oklahoma. The Senior Wellness Center is a state-of-the-art facility with a total approved project budget of $12.4 million, housed in an over 30,000 square foot facility that will include a walking track, warm saltwater pool, multi-purpose rooms, classrooms for art, a strength training area, and teaching kitchen.

The artwork should reflect the six essential factors of wellness: emotional, spiritual, intellectual, social, physical, and occupational. The Selection Panel has determined that the most effective artwork will be either a monumental exterior piece on the lawn south of the main entrance or inside the building in the area from the front entrance through the lounge (with ceiling heights of 26' in the entry and 12'6" in the lobby). The chosen artwork should have a presence that draws people to it, express qualities of well-being, vitality, and communal support, and relate to the Norman community and its unique identity. Artwork with motion (kinetic or static with the appearance of movement), changing lights, and/or reflections and shadows would be embraced. The Selection Panel is open to any media or material that is appropriate to the site as long as it is durable, safe, low maintenance, and vandalism resistant.

The total artist's fee is $100,000.00, which must cover all associated costs including design, materials, fabrication, lighting, travel, insurance coverage, shipping, and installation. Open to professional artists with experience working on public art projects of this scale and creating site-specific works. Three finalists will be selected and invited to Norman for a mandatory site visit (with $650.00 allowance for transportation, hotel, and per diem). Finalists will create a site-specific design proposal including a scale model or computer-generated design, itemized budget, project timeline, project narrative, and maintenance plan, and will receive a $1,000.00 honorarium. Finalists will present proposals in-person to the Selection Panel (with $650.00 allowance for expenses). Timeline: RFQ Deadline July 7, 2022; Artist Notification August 1, 2022; Finalists' Site Visit approximately August 22, 2022; Finalists' Presentation approximately September 26, 2022; Artist Selection approximately October 25, 2022; Senior Wellness Center Opening estimated summer 2023.