The Metropolitan Area Projects (MAPS) have transformed Oklahoma City over the last 27 years. With MAPS 4, the City continues to invest in its future by addressing needs in health, mental health, social justice, homelessness, beautification, and innovation, in addition to improvements through infrastructure projects. Among the latter, the single largest art funds allocation is for a new multipurpose arena at the State Fairgrounds, the Fairgrounds Coliseum, currently under construction with an anticipated completion date in early 2025.

Oklahoma City is the premier horse show venue in the country, with the American Quarter Horse World Championship and the Grand National & World Championship Morgan Horse Show among many national and international equine events which will be showcased in the Coliseum. Additionally, the Coliseum will host events such as the state high school basketball and wrestling tournaments, concerts, monster truck shows, and ice-skating entertainment.

The 1% for Art funds generated through the construction of the Coliseum will be used to create a landmark work, defining a grand entrance to the Fairgrounds at the intersection of May Avenue and Gordon Cooper Boulevard. An arroyo runs through the median of the Boulevard; a work spanning the arroyo is preferred and/or addressing both sides of the arroyo or Boulevard is envisioned. Works that innovatively reference horses and horse culture are encouraged, but not required. The major criterion for the work that will ultimately be selected is that it has the immediate potential to become the memorable visual representation of the Fairgrounds.

Background

The Fairgrounds has in the past hosted a number of idiosyncratic and beloved features such as the Space Tower, the Arrows to Atoms Tower, the Arch, and the Monorail. All have fallen victim to time, weather, and circumstances. The addition of the Coliseum sculpture will start a new era of vivid memories for Oklahomans and visitors alike. For that reason, the selected artwork is expected to be forward-looking in design, robust in construction, destined to be a landmark for decades into the future, and a welcoming grand entrance to the Fairgrounds.

Budget

The total art award of $905,000 includes all costs for designing, creating, and installing the work, including but not limited to materials, engineering, research, fabrication, travel, transportation, insurance, and all required footings and foundation. Responding to the RFQ indicates that you understand and accept that if you are selected as a Finalist, the budget for your conceptual design will include all costs.

Eligibility

This opportunity is open to all practicing artists who are at least 18 years of age. All artists and artist teams selected as finalists must attend all required information sessions and site visits. Artist teams may include artist apprentices younger than 18, as long as written permission for participation in the artwork process from the artist apprentice’s parent or guardian is provided.

The artist or team that is selected for the award must identify a locally-based (living within a 120-mile radius of the Project site) Project Representative who is the main Project contact and who can be on site or react on 24 hours’ notice as needed for construction meetings and other contingencies. Artists may designate themselves, if locally based. Please note, this requirement is for Finalists only; applicants are not required to name a local representative at the time of application.

Applicants will have to register for free with periscope S2G's bidding service for Oklahoma City to submit their application materials. Please see the commission document for full project information, including site images and submission requirements