Young Family Athletic Center Public Art Project

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 Young Family Athletic Center, located at 24th Avenue NW and Rock Creek Road in Norman, Oklahoma. The Young Family Athletic Center is a new 122,000 square foot facility built on a 12-acre site on the north side of Norman. The facility includes a multi-sport gymnasium with eight basketball courts and twelve volleyball courts, an aquatic center with two pools (an 8-lane 25-meter competition pool and a 4-lane 25-meter warm-up pool), and NMotion, a sports and human performance center.

The Selection Panel has determined that ideally the most effective artwork will be a monumental exterior piece, though interior artwork will also be considered. The chosen artwork should express qualities and spirit inherent in athletics such as kinetic energy and movement. The artwork should be very visible to all people who use the space, including Norman citizens, youth team athletes, parents, spectators, and staff. The artwork should relate to the Norman community and its unique identity, complement the natural beauty of the site and building architecture, and be durable, safe, low maintenance, and vandalism resistant. If located outside, the artwork should reflect changes in light, time of day, seasons, and weather.

The total artist's fee is $192,000.00, which must cover all associated costs including design, materials, fabrication, lighting, travel, insurance, shipping, and installation. The opportunity is open to professional artists with experience working on public art projects of this scale and creating site-specific works. Applications must include a one-page letter of interest, resume (not exceeding three pages), 10 to 15 digital high-resolution images of previous work, an annotated image list, and three references from public art projects. Three finalists will be selected for a mandatory site visit and will each receive a $650.00 allowance for transportation, hotel, and per diem expenses. Finalists will be asked to create a site-specific design proposal and will each receive a $1,000.00 honorarium. Finalists will present proposals in-person and receive an additional $650.00 allowance for presentation expenses. The estimated opening of the Young Family Athletic Center is April 2023.