Public Art Commission for Ruby Grant Park, Norman, OK

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 permanent outdoor work of art for Ruby Grant Park, located at Franklin Road and 36th Avenue N.W., Norman, Oklahoma. The park is named in honor of Ruby Grant, a school teacher who lived most of her life on the 150-acre site and was dedicated to education and serving children of all abilities. The artwork should be designed to invite visitors to explore and play, stimulate curiosity and imagination, and delight audiences of all ages and abilities. The creative use of natural environment and landforms should allow multigenerational visitors to interact with the artwork either physically or passively through sensory elements. Adherence to ADA guidelines and universal design principles is strongly encouraged. The artwork must be durable, safe, low maintenance, and vandalism resistant.

The total artist's fee is $40,000.00, which must cover all associated costs including design, materials, fabrication, travel, insurance coverage, shipping, and installation. The project is open to professional artists with experience working on public art projects and creating site-specific works. Submissions must include a one-page letter of interest, resume (not to exceed three pages), 10 to 15 digital high-resolution images of previous work, an annotated image list with project details, and a list of three references from public art projects.

The selection panel will review submissions and select two to three finalists for a mandatory site visit in the week of January 6, 2020. Finalists traveling from outside a 300-mile radius of Norman will receive a $500.00 allowance for transportation, hotel, and per diem. Each finalist will be awarded an honorarium of $500.00 for creating a site-specific design proposal. Finalists will present proposals in person to the selection panel in the week of February 17, 2020, with travel allowances provided for those outside the 300-mile radius. The selected artist will be notified by March 2, 2020, with park completion targeted for September 2020.