The City of Flagstaff announces a public art opportunity for qualified artists or artist teams to design, fabricate and permanently install in an existing landscaped area a three-dimensional artwork potentially at the noted designated location at the corner of S. WC Riles Street and E. Brannen Ave, adjacent to the Murdoch Center.

The Flagstaff Heritage Preservation Office in conjunction with the Flagstaff Parks Recreation Open Space & Events (PROSE) plans to develop a small southside neighborhood public park managed by PROSE out of the present non-designated landscaped areas west of the Murdoch Center. The Beautification, Arts & Sciences program has allocated funding for an artwork.

The Park will be independently managed separate and distinct from the Murdoch Community Center, a leased City property. This new Southside Neighborhood Park has not been officially named.

The adjacent Murdoch Community Center is a Black heritage site. The building was constructed on the site of the Dunbar School, which was built in 1926 after the state legislature mandated racial segregation. Prior, all Flagstaff children had attended school together. The school board tried to educate Black youngsters in a separate room in Emerson School rather than move them off campus, but the state forced it to build a separate school.

Presently the Murdoch Community Center is an inter-generational and multicultural center reflecting the different cultures represented in the southside. It is home to the Southside Community Association, The Murdoch Center serves the Southside Neighborhood and surrounding community in Flagstaff, AZ, and offers a large meeting hall for clubs, organizations, city/neighborhood meetings, as well as private parties.

The new park is within the Southside neighborhood, which is in the heart of downtown Flagstaff, Arizona. Historically a racially diverse neighborhood, the Southside is known for its diversity, businesses (including craft breweries and pizzerias on and around San Francisco Street), and walkability. It is home to multigenerational families and students alike, as its Southern border is comprised of Northern Arizona University.

Applications will close at 5PM Arizona time on June 6, 2023. Please see commission document for full project information and application instructions.

5/16/23: Please note the deadline for this opportunity has been extended to 06/06/2023.