To view the project plan for this artist call as a PDF, click here.

I. Introduction

Johnson County Park & Recreation District (JCPRD) launched its Public Art Program in 2019 to activate parks, trails, and facilities in a new way. The JCPRD Public Art Program commissions and cares for a collection of public artworks in JCPRD parks and facilities, and promotes the community’s access to and engagement with public art. The Public Art Program is guided by the JCPRD Public Art Committee (PAC), a nine-member advisory committee to the JCPRD Board. The Public Art Committee advises and makes recommendations to the JCPRD Board regarding the Public Art Program. JCPRD adopted a policy to set aside one-half of one percent (.5%) of the annual Capital Improvement Plan budget for public art. JCPRD also relies on philanthropic gifts, grants, and sponsorships to fund this program.

JCPRD approved a Public Art Master Plan in the Fall 2021. As part of this planning process, the following goal was developed as a guiding statement for the program:

Public art in JCPRD parks, trails and facilities will inspire a deeper connection to place through interactive, immersive, and inclusive experiences.

The JCPRD Public Art Program looks forward to commissioning a site specific, temporary installation at Theatre in the Park for summer 2025 to remain on display through fall of 2026.

II. Park/Facility Context

Theatre in the Park (TIP) is located on 10 acres in the northeast corner of Shawnee Mission Park and is one of the country’s largest outdoor community theatres. Each summer, Theatre in the Park presents five popular Broadway-style productions with casts featuring actors from the surrounding community. Theatre in the Park’s outdoor season welcomes more than 27,000 theatre-goers over the course of a summer. To learn more about Theatre in the Park, visit theatreinthepark.org.

III. Public Art Goals

The goals for the Theatre in the Park temporary art installation are to:

• Engage visitors of Theatre in the Park and Shawnee Mission Park with an artwork that is fun, interactive and/or participatory.
• Create a sense of magic in the park and around Theatre in the Park that can be enjoyed during daylight and evening hours. Artists are encouraged to incorporate lighting as part of their design.
• Create a piece that is site specific and inspired by the usage and visitation.
• Provide opportunities for local and regional artists.

IV. Project Overview

The JCPRD Public Art Program is interested in commissioning an artist or artist team to create a site-specific, temporary art installation at the entrance of Theatre in the Park, located within Shawnee Mission Park, at 7710 Renner Road, Shawnee, KS 66218. The installation will be unveiled during the opening night of Theatre in the Park’s outdoor season in late May 2025 and be on display through fall of 2026. The artist will also be asked to develop and lead one community engagement activity or educational program, at no cost to members of the public, related to the artwork development process or the artwork itself.

Site Location and Size
The temporary art installation will be placed at the front entrance of Theatre in the Park, which will also be viewable and accessible by trail users at Shawnee Mission Park. The site location is approximately 10’ x 10’ on a grassed surface, which should be taken into consideration during the design process along with anchoring the piece for safety and security.

There is no defined height restriction for the installation. Anchoring into the ground is possible and encouraged. JCPRD Planning and Development staff, as well as JCPRD Park staff, will be key stakeholders to approve installation and deinstallation plans.

Due to the project site being in a public park, people will have access to the artwork and potentially touch it. Signage (provided by JCPRD) can be installed next to the piece to discourage or encourage specific engagement (ie: please do not touch); however, it is not guaranteed it will be followed.

Artist Scope of Work

The selected artist will be responsible for designing, fabricating, and installing the artwork, including:

• Develop a design that is created specifically for this site, inspired by its use as an outdoor theatre destination and larger trail network. Interactive sound elements should not be incorporated into the piece due to potential distraction during live performances.
• Based on the approved concept proposal, develop final design documents detailing every physical feature of the construction of the artwork and its integration with the site. The life of the piece should be expected to last at least 18 months (May 2025 – October 2026).
• Execute the final design on schedule and in a manner that conforms to the approved concept proposal.
• Manage all aspects of the installation and deinstallation of the artwork. JCPRD planning staff will assist with navigating electrical needs for the piece to be properly powered at the site location. The use of solar-generated power is encouraged, if feasible.
• Work cooperatively and maintain effective communication with all parties involved in the project including JCPRD administrative staff, park staff, theatre staff, and stakeholders.
• Collaborate with JCPRD to develop and lead one community engagement activity or educational program, at no cost to members of the public, related to the artwork development process or the artwork itself.
• Collaborate with JCPRD on the marketing and promotion of the artwork as well as the community engagement project.

V. Application Process

Artist Eligibility
This public art opportunity is open to professional artists, emerging artists, or artist teams residing within 500 miles of Kansas City. This includes cities as far as Dallas, Nashville, Indianapolis, Chicago, Milwaukee, and St. Paul / Minneapolis.

Virtual Open House / Informational Session
JCPRD will host a virtual open house / informational session for all prospective applicants to provide an overview of Theatre in the Park, the goals for the project, a review of the application process, and field any questions. This session will be held via Zoom on Thursday, October 24 from 11 – 11:30 a.m. Please RSVP here to receive the access link. Although the session will not be recorded, questions and answers will be compiled and shared on the associated project page at JCPRD.com/1760.

Contract
Following recommendation by the Art Selection Committee and Public Art Committee and approval by the JCPRD Board, the selected artist will finalize a contract with JCPRD for final design, fabrication, construction, installation, and oversight of the artwork. Johnson County Park & Recreation District shall provide the contract shell for artists to review prior to applying. Please review the contract to ensure compliance as no modifications will be made. View the document here.

Submittal of Qualifications
Interested artists will be asked to submit their qualifications and the requirements outlined below through CaFÉ by Tuesday, December 10 at 11:59 PM MT. Click here to apply.

Technical questions for CAFÉ should be directed to: https://www.callforentry.org/artist-help-cafe/.

• Open-ended responses to the following questions:
  • Describe your interest in this project and how this commission relates to and/or builds on your body of work (no more than 3,000 characters including spaces)
  • How have you approached research, investigation, and engagement on past projects and what are some of your past successes in developing work that is site-specific? (no more than 2,000 characters including spaces)
• A CV/resume with current contact information (no more than 3 pages, PDF preferred)
• Names and contact information for 3 - 5 professional references (PDF preferred)
• Images of work samples/previous artwork relevant to this project (at least 3, no more than 7). Additionally, up to 3 videos of work samples/previous artwork can be uploaded in addition to the images.
• A corresponding image list with artwork title, medium, dimensions, brief description, location, date of work, commissioning entity and budget/price

If applying as a team, please designate a primary contact when submitting your entry in Café, communicate which artist(s) are responsibility for each of the work samples, submit one resume and one references attachment for the team, and one resume page and at least one reference per team member. Please note that the partnered artists will be treated as one, single entity regarding the project budget and any associated stipends.

JCPRD intends to award the contract to one artist or artist team; however, JCPRD reserves the right to award to one or more applicant, or no applicants if none of the applications are deemed acceptable.

VI. Selection Process

The Theatre in the Park Art Selection Committee (ASC) will review artist qualifications and select up to three finalists. Finalists will be paid a stipend to develop a site-specific concept proposal (including renderings, a narrative description, budget and timeline) and present it to the Art Selection Committee. The Art Selection Committee will review concept proposals and recommend their selection to the Public Art Committee. The final artist selection and concept will be approved by the JCPRD Board.

Theatre in the Park Art Selection Committee

• Bonnie Limbird, Prairie Village Arts Council & Interior Designer
• Chuck Dvorak, JCPRD Central Region Park Manager
• Guy Gardner, JCPRD Theatre in the Park Associate Artistic Director & Performing Arts Specialist
• Meredith Neill, Theatre Advisory Council & De Soto School District
• Susan Mong, JCPRD Superintendent of Culture
• Will Metcalf, JCPRD Planning & Development Project Manager

Criteria for Review of Qualifications
Artist qualifications will be reviewed by the Artist Selection Committee based on the following criteria:

• Artistic Excellence: What is the quality of the artist’s work and their compatibility with the project?
• Goals: Does the artist’s body of work demonstrate an ability to create a temporary artwork that responds to the goals of the project?
• Approach: How well does the artist communicate their understanding of the project?
• Capabilities: Does the artist have sufficient experience to be able to design, fabricate, and install an artwork on time and on budget?

Pre-Proposal Site Visit for Finalists (Optional)
Finalists are encouraged to visit the site prior to developing their proposals. With advance notice, arrangements can also be made for finalists to meet with JCPRD staff to ask any questions during their visit. Artists living more than 60 miles from the Theatre in the Park site at Shawnee Mission Park will be provided a travel stipend of up to $250 for mileage and lodging expenses.

Submittal of Finalist Proposals
Finalists will receive a stipend of $500 to participate in the concept proposal process.

Proposals must include design renderings, a short narrative description (including materials to be used, proposed method of installation, other requirements necessary within the infrastructure at Shawnee Mission Park, etc.), a maintenance plan for the duration of the artwork display, a community engagement activity concept (see “Community Engagement Activity” section), a preliminary budget, and a timeline.

Finalists will present their proposals virtually to the Art Selection Committee. Each artist will be assigned a 20-minute time slot, allowing time for a 15-minute presentation and 5 minutes for questions from the Art Selection Committee. The other finalists will not be present during the presentation. The Art Selection Committee will recommend a final artist/design for approval by the Public Art Committee as well as JCPRD Board.

Criteria for Reviewing Finalist Proposals

• Artistic excellence: Does the concept proposal demonstrate artistic excellence, high quality, innovation, creativity, and clarity of vision?
• Goals: Does the concept proposal respond to the goals for the project?
• Approach: Does the concept proposal reflect a clear understanding of the site, including how the artwork will be experienced and engaged with?
• Capabilities: Has the artist presented a sound work plan for fabricating and installing a temporary work in a professional manner, with quality materials, on time and on budget?
• Community: Has the artist developed a design, as well as a community engagement activity, that will spark curiosity and encourage exploration by members of the public?

VII. Tentative Timeline

VIII. Budget

IX. Community Engagement, Marketing and Communications

Community engagement, marketing and communications should be geared toward engaging with existing stakeholders as well as bringing new audiences to experience the artwork. JCPRD will make efforts to make stakeholders aware of the commissioning process and, when appropriate, information about finalists, finalist concept proposals, and other project milestones.

Community Engagement Activity
Community engagement is a key element to all JCPRD Public Art projects. Finalists will need to submit a concept for a community engagement activity or educational program as part of their proposal presentation. The community engagement activity shall be led, organized, and staffed exclusively by the artist, but may include other partners. The activity should appeal to a family audience and contain activities that relate to the artwork development process or the artwork itself. JCPRD will reimburse the artist up to $1,000 to cover the cost of materials, supplies, staffing, etc. to execute the activity. The activity should be made available at no cost to members of the public. JCPRD will assist with the promotion of this event and any registration/sign-up needs.

Stakeholders
Community engagement, marketing and communications should build upon the existing stakeholder base for art, parks, and Theatre in the Park, specifically. These will include, but may not be limited to:

• Theatre in the Park patrons
• Shawnee Mission Park trail users
• Theatre in the Park cast, crew, and musicians
• Theatre Advisory Council members
• Art Selection Committee members
• JCPRD Public Art Committee members
• JCPRD Staff and Board

Marketing and Communications
JCPRD staff will develop a marketing and communications strategy throughout the entire commissioning process that will include:

• A unique project page on the JCPRD website with information about the commissioning process, selected artist and design, and related community events.
• Social media announcements about project milestones, as appropriate.
• Print and digital materials to be shared across various JCPRD platforms and sites, as appropriate.
• Media releases to local and regional publications and blogs.
• Signage will be created and installed near the piece with basic information including the artwork title, artist, and materials used. A QR code will also be included to direct visitors to the project webpage to learn more.

The selected artist will be asked to help support these initiatives by providing content to JCPRD such as process photos, photo captions, and descriptions of the project – both in written and occasionally audio or video form.

X. Evaluation

There are several types of evaluation that will provide valuable feedback regarding both the process and the success of the project.

• A questionnaire will solicit feedback from the selected artist on the overall project development process.
• JCPRD staff involved with the project will be invited to share feedback to improve future public art projects and processes.
• Media, social media, and website hits will be used to monitor engagement around the project.

XI. Resources

Links to information about JCPRD, Theatre in the Park, and Shawnee Mission Park:

• JCPRD Public Art Program (JCPRD.com/publicart)
• Theatre in the Park (theatreinthepark.org)
• JCPRD Shawnee Mission Park (JCPRD.com/Facilities/Facility/Details/Shawnee-Mission-Park-14

Application Requirements

Interested artists will be asked to submit their qualifications and the requirements outlined below through CaFÉ by Tuesday, December 10 at 11:59 PM MT.

Technical questions for CAFÉ should be directed to: https://www.callforentry.org/artist-help-cafe/.

• Open-ended responses to the following questions:
  • Describe your interest in this project and how this commission relates to and/or builds on your body of work (no more than 3,000 characters including spaces)
  • How have you approached research, investigation, and engagement on past projects and what are some of your past successes in developing work that is site-specific? (no more than 2,000 characters including spaces)
• A CV/resume with current contact information (no more than 3 pages, PDF preferred)
• Names and contact information for 3 - 5 professional references (PDF preferred)
• Images of work samples/previous artwork relevant to this project (at least 3, no more than 7). Additionally, up to 3 videos of work samples/previous artwork can be uploaded in addition to the images.
• A corresponding image list with artwork title, medium, dimensions, brief description, location, date of work, commissioning entity and budget/price

If applying as a team, please designate a primary contact when submitting your entry in Café, communicate which artist(s) are responsibility for each of the work samples, submit one resume and one references attachment for the team, and one resume page and at least one reference per team member. Please note that the partnered artists will be treated as one, single entity regarding the project budget and any associated stipends.

JCPRD intends to award the contract to one artist or artist team; however, JCPRD reserves the right to award to one or more applicant, or no applicants if none of the applications are deemed acceptable.

Eligibility Criteria

This public art opportunity is open to professional artists, emerging artists, or artist teams residing within 500 miles of Kansas City. This includes cities as far as Dallas, Nashville, Indianapolis, Chicago, Milwaukee, and St. Paul / Minneapolis.