request for qualifications for public art

The City of Oklahoma City announces a call to artists for a work of public art for the MAPS 4 South May Avenue Trail. MAPS (Metropolitan Area Projects) is an Oklahoma City capital improvement program which began in 1993. The program, approved by City voters, is funded by a one-cent sales tax. After the success of the initial MAPS program, a public-school improvement program known as “MAPS for Kids” wasimplemented. In 2009, the city approved a third program – MAPS 3, which included $50 million for sidewalk and trail improvement/construction. In September 2021, the city approved a fourth program - MAPS 4.

MAPS 4 is an 8-year, $1.07 billion construction project program dedicated to neighborhood and human needs in Oklahoma City, as well as improving quality of life and job creating initiatives. It is funded by a limited term, one-cent sales tax initiative that began in April 2020 and ends in December 2028. The “MAPS 4 Implementation Plan,” published initially in September 2021, and was revised in August 2022, details the projects to be constructed. $96.5 million of the MAPS 4 budget has been allotted to Sidewalks, Bike Lanes, Trails and Streetlights, overseen by the “Connectivity” Subcommittee.

The Office of Arts and Cultural Affairs invites artists and artist teams to respond to this RFQ to be considered for the design, fabrication, and installation of a sculptural work of art that will be located along the trail, near its entrance into Earlywine Park at the intersection of South May Avenue and SW 112th Street. The artwork should create a visually compelling focal point along the trail. It must be durable, low-maintenance, and designed for long-term outdoor exposure. In addition, the sculpture should engage trail users of all ages through artistic expression or interpretive storytelling. Artists may consider the use of non-traditional mediums and materials, including approaches that integrate sound, landscape, or other unique architectural elements.