Background

Millions of people use Tulsa International Airport (TUL) every year to connect with loved ones, pursue business opportunities or explore new destinations. The airport not only supports the traveling public, but also serves as an economic driver for the region. TUL is home to the largest commercial maintenance, repair, and overhaul facility in the world, American Tech Ops-Tulsa, as well as the Oklahoma Air National Guard’s 138th Fighter Wing, Spirit AeroSystems, and over 75 other companies. Tulsa International Airport is a global hub for the aviation and aerospace industry, with a strong commercial, private and military presence.

This past year was a banner year for air service growth in Tulsa. Passenger traffic at Tulsa International Airport was up 27% year-over-year, on a capacity (total seats) increase of 22%, meaning passenger growth is outpacing the large increase in capacity, and airline load factors are incredibly strong.

Despite the effects of the pandemic that are still impacting air travel in several parts of the country, TUL even began to exceed our 2019 pre-pandemic passenger numbers every month since July 2022. Throughout the pandemic, TUL’s passenger recovery numbers have been, on average, 10 percentage points stronger than the average U.S. airport. This recovery and rapid growth in passengers and capacity can be credited to a few factors: A strong local business community, airlines continuing to invest in new routes in Tulsa, and a strong leisure travel demand as COVID-19 concerns have decreased. As a result of our continued focus on air service growth, four new nonstop flights were added at TUL, bringing the total number of destinations served from the airport to 24.

Airport modernization will continue, with a focus on supporting passengers with disabilities along their travel journey. A new functional needs area is being constructed on each concourse, and will include a mother’s room, sensory room, family restrooms, and service animal relief area. These additional facilities will make our terminal a more welcoming and inclusive environment for our customers, which is aligned with one of the airport’s main business goals to advance inclusive initiatives for our users.

Other updates include adding infrastructure for additional EV charging stations in the parking garage, replacing the fabric on the Arrivals roadway canopies, and making runway safety area improvements for runway 18R/36L and 8/26.

At Tulsa International Airport, we are committed to providing first-class facilities and services to our users. We take pride in welcoming visitors from around the world to Tulsa and continue to prioritize investments in our facilities and services that make their experience as smooth as possible.
 

Airport Art and Culture Program

The Mission of the Airport Art and Culture Program is to enhance the aesthetic experience of visitors to Tulsa International Airport.

Tulsa International Airport is the gateway to a region that enjoys heavy employment in the aviation, healthcare, and oil and gas industries.  Tulsa citizens enjoy an array of world-class cultural venues that offer a variety of visual and performing art displays. The Airport Art and Culture Program creates a signature identity for the Airport, and thus for the city of Tulsa, that reflects our diverse and thriving community.

A unified program of art utilizing multiple media and venues showcases the innovation, sophistication and energy which define Tulsa. Through the resources and talents cultivated in this region, public art provides a portal to the community, highlighting its lifestyle and culture.

The Airport Public Art and Culture Program is the result of a community wide effort that involves members of Tulsa’s arts district and corporate citizens who value the impact of these assets in the community. These volunteers make up the airport’s Cultural Advisory Group and are charged with crafting a program that reflects the unique characteristics and outstanding talents of the local community. 

The Airport has identified two different locations at the airport for suspended artwork. The artist will have the opportunity to choose which location out of the two available that they would like to utilize for their suspended artwork installation. 

Application Requirements

A budget of $250,000 has been designated for this installation. The selected artwork budget must be inclusive of all costs including but not limited to artists fees, studio overhead, consultant fees, purchase of materials, artwork fabrication, permits if required, site preparation, transportation, installation of work, construction and installation of any necessary bases and lighting, general public liability insurance, workers compensation insurance, and contingency. The selected artist will be responsible for the appropriate allocation of the funds to the artist’s project components.

Additionally, the Tulsa Airports Improvements Trust (TAIT) reserves the right to relocate the piece in the case of security measures and/or unforeseen construction. Upon such an event, the artist would be responsible for finding an alternate location and reinstalling the artwork. Costs of artist travel, relocation, and reinstallation would be covered by TAIT.

The airport will select up to five (5) applicants and provide a $2,000 stipend for travel to Tulsa, OK to present their final concept to the Selection Committee. The stipend is to be used for travel expenses, presentation materials, and concept production.

Your submission must include a creative concept for the installation on the site, illustrated below in the attachments.

Additional Considerations:

• Artwork should visually enhance the aesthetic experiences of visitors to the airport, but is not limited to only aviation themed pieces.
• Artwork can not be highly reflective, as security cameras will need to be functioning in the areas.
• Concepts can include lighting, as budget allows.
• Concepts may need to be revised based on security measures of the airport.
• Concepts should provide a unique experience for visitors, and transform the spaces in which the artwork will be installed.
   

The following questions make up the CaFÉ form for this Call:

Information and Experience
Contact Information: Name, phone, email, mailing address, etc. Not evaluated.
Resume(s): PDF upload. Include any relevant education and recent commissions, exhibitions, collections, related experience, honors and grants, bibliography, and affiliations within the last five years. (No individual’s resume should exceed three pages.)
References: List three professional references with a thorough knowledge of your work and methods. The list must include at least one client who commissioned you for an artwork installation within the last five years.
Portfolio: PDF upload. 

Creativity
Statement of Interest: Explain why you are qualified to complete the Tulsa International Airport project. (Do not exceed 250 words.)
Creative Goals: Explain how you would work with stakeholders to realize a collaborative vision. Additionally, explain what you envision designing for this project and what inspired the vision. (Do not exceed 250 words.)
Concept Sketch: Upload a PDF of a preliminary illustration of your concept. (Ensure that the PDF measures 8.5x11 inches, in either portrait or landscape.)

Schedule Details

PHASE 1 - CALL TO ARTISTS

Call to Artists Issued: The Tulsa Airports Improvement Trust and the Tulsa International Airport Cultural Advisory Group are administering the artist selection process. The Call to Artists will be posted on CaFÉ (link), sent to media outlets and industry publications, and posted on the Tulsa International Airport website (https://flytulsa.com/travel/amenities/programs/) and (https://flytulsa.com/business/business-opportunities/businessopportunities/)

Optional Informational Conference Call to be conducted virtually through Zoom or Teams platform: RSVP to Stephanie Chester by 5PM CST on April 18, 2023. A link will be sent to those that RSVP. The conference call will include a review of the Call to Artists, the schedule, and a Q&A about the project. The Zoom will be recorded and posted to the website at the links above, as well as CaFÉ.

DEADLINE: JUNE 2, 2023 5PM CST. Submissions received after 5PM CST June 2, 2023 will not be accepted. All submitted materials will initially be reviewed by the Selection Committee. Up to five candidates may be shortlisted and interviewed prior to and/or during final selection.

PHASE 2 – REVIEW & RECOMMENDATION

Shortlisting: The Selection Committee will evaluate and select up to five artists for interviews to be conducted virtually through Zoom or Teams platform.

Final Interviews: From the shortlist, selected artists will be invited to Tulsa to present final concepts to the Selection Committee, which will formally recommend a selected artist to the Tulsa Airports Improvement Trust Board of Directors. The Board of Directors will have final approval of selected artist.

PHASE 3 – IMPLEMENTATION

Contract Negotiation Period: The selected artist(s) will be expected to work with stakeholders to integrate artwork into the final design, ensuring that all opportunities for leveraging the budget have been fully explored and exploited. During this phase, the artist may be required to attend (possibly via conference calls) public information sessions and/or Selection Committee meeting(s). Once the design is accepted by the TAIT Board, the artist(s) will be responsible for obtaining the appropriate permits for the project’s installation and working with Structural Engineers to ensure their installation is the appropriate weight to not cause damage to TUL property.

Fabrication: The formal notice to proceed will follow contract execution. Work begins on the construction and installation or the artwork. The installation of the artwork will need to be coordinated with the Tulsa Airports Improvement Trust Engineering and Building Maintenance teams.

Opening: Per approved schedule.

IMPORTANT LINKS:
To learn more about the Airport’s Art and Culture Program, past art projects, and current art inventory, visit flytulsa.com/travel/amenities/programs/.

Drawings and structural/roof information can be accessed here: 
https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/qq7ot109yujz0uzqds3k5/h?dl=0&rlkey=7h8xuhzf2xfvtj8ef82s022so

Eligibility Criteria

Your submission will be judged based upon its ability to reflect your artistic experience and the creativity and feasibility you bring to this particular project. The Airport and the Cultural Advisory Group (Selection Committee) reserves the right to recommend that no applicants be awarded the project.

1. Experience: You have completed works in prominent locations with comparable budgets.
2. Creativity: You have demonstrated interest in, and conceptual ideas aligned with, the Creative Goals.
3. Feasibility: The proposed concept is practical from a scheduling, fabrication, installation, financial,and on-going maintenance standpoint.

The project is open to all professional artists, designers, or firms, age 18 and over, regardless of residence, race, color, religion, national origin, gender, military status, sexual orientation, marital status, or physical or mental ability. Artist teams are eligible to apply, including teams of artists from multiple disciplines. Teams must include at least one visual artist.

It is the Artist’s obligation to disclose in their response if they are currently working on other projects that may affect the timing of this art installation. Failure to disclose may result in immediate disqualification of the submission.