Wichita Fire Department Station #23 Public Art Commission

The City of Wichita, Kansas invites professional artists and artist teams with demonstrated experience completing complex, permanent outdoor public art projects to submit qualifications for a $174,000 public art commission for Wichita Fire Department Station 23. The new station will be located at the northwest intersection of S. Maize Road and W. Pawnee Street in Wichita, Kansas, with construction beginning in the first quarter of 2026. This project is funded through the City's Percent for Art Ordinance and Capital Improvement Plan.

The public art component should reflect the natural influence of nearby Pawnee Prairie Park and Prairie Sunset Trail, which encompasses over 400 acres of natural park land, butterfly garden, playground, and trails. Art component options include freestanding sculpture, screen wall with sculptural relief or mural, and/or building identification. Sculpture size shall not exceed 9'-0" wide by 16'-0" high by 9'-0" depth and must be located a minimum 10'-0" off the building. Screen wall shall be minimum 6'-0" wide and maximum 8'-0" high with perforations no more than 4" in one direction. Building identification must include Fire Department Station Number 23 and be scaled appropriately to avoid interference with doors, windows, and roof. Materials must be durable with low or no maintenance and integrate or complement the building exterior.

The $174,000 commission is inclusive of all costs including design, structural engineering, fabrication, site preparation, transportation, installation, and travel expenses. The selection process includes two rounds: Round 1 is a Request for Qualifications review, and Round 2 will select up to five finalists for interviews and site-specific proposals. Each finalist will receive a $1,000 stipend. Finalists will be announced by November 19, 2025. Applications must include 6-10 images of relevant past large-scale public art projects, an annotated image list, a one-page Letter of Interest, a two-page resume or CV, and three professional references. Artists based in the United States are eligible, with preference given to Kansas-based artists and those planning to utilize local vendors and contractors.