Call Description

Norman Arts Council, on behalf of The City of Norman for a Black History Plaza along the Legacy Trail, is seeking an artist (or team of artists) to create a significant work of art for the plaza in downtown Norman, Oklahoma.

The Black History Plaza will celebrate Norman’s Black community. The plaza will be located on Jones Ave in between Acers Ave and Robinson Ave on the Norman Legacy Trail. A 1.5-mile paved trail for walking/biking, running near the railroad tracks through downtown, Legacy Trail currently has seven historical plazas with informational plaques, bronze sculptures (including one of actor James Garner), a detailed model of OU in 1942, and a replica of an old bank clock tower. The Black History plaza will be the eighth added to the trail.

Norman is a growing, progressive city located 20 miles south of downtown Oklahoma City and is the third-largest city in Oklahoma. The land that encompasses Norman was historically the home of many Native Tribes. The Caddo, Osage, Quapaw, and Wichita Tribal Nations are all native to the land that is now Oklahoma. By the early 1800s, the Pawnee, Kiowa, Comanche, Cheyenne, and Arapaho had also migrated into the region or visited to use resources. Some Delaware, Shawnee, Kickapoo, Chickasaw, and Choctaw regularly came to hunt Oklahoma’s abundant bison, beaver, deer, and bear. In the early 1800s, the US assumed control of the area and this became “Indian Territory.” During the Indian Removal Act, many tribes from the eastern US, were forcibly moved to what is now Oklahoma, Kansas, and Nebraska.

The City of Norman was founded in 1889 and the University of Oklahoma followed shortly thereafter in 1890. During WWII, the land that runs along Flood Avenue was a US Naval Base. The University now owns the land, and it is an airport. Approximately 41 trains pass through Norman daily. The tracks are also used by Amtrak which runs through Norman with a stop twice daily.

Black history in Norman, OK, is marked by early struggles with racial segregation, including its history as a "sundown town," but also by significant progress led by figures like Dr. George Henderson and his wife, Barbara, the first Black homeowners and OU professor who broke barriers. Don and Etta Johnson were the first African-American siblings to integrate Norman Public Schools. Thrugood Marshall represented Ada Lois Sipuel when OU denied her admission to law school solely based on race, successfully arguing for her right to attend in the case Sipuel vs. Board of Regents of the University of Oklahoma (1948). Prentice Gautt was the first African-American football player to attend OU. Anita Hill, whose testimony in the Clarence Thomas confirmation hearings brought national attention to workplace sexual harassment, was a prominent law professor at OU in the early 1990s. Our community continues to acknowledge its past while striving toward a vibrant, inclusive future.

The Artwork

The Artwork will be situated in a brick plaza measuring approximately 1,000 sq feet. The Artist(s) will work directly with the architect hired by the City to determine the layout. Other plazas feature bronze statues, clock, plaques, and small-scale sculptures with the plaza itself constructed of red brick and marble. The committee is open to ideas on what might best suit the space and celebrate the Black Community.

The Artwork should focus on the Black History of Norman and the challenges, struggles, achievements, and vitality of the community. A cultural understanding and sensitivity is needed to properly support the vision of the community.

Weather in Oklahoma is unpredictable – extreme heat and sunlight should be a consideration as should damaging winds (above 40 mph during storms) and hail. Winter can also reach below 0. The work will be next to the railroad line which has 41 trains pass daily.

Budget 

The total artist's fee for the project is $75,000 - $90,000. This amount must cover all associated costs including design, materials, fabrication, lighting, travel, insurance coverage, shipping, and installation.

Timeline

           RFQ Deadline: April 30 2026 @ 11:59pm MST

           The following dates are approximate and subject to change

           Notify Artists: Week of June 1st, 2026

           Finalists’ Site Visit: Mid-August 2026

           Finalists’ Presentation of Proposals: Late September 2026            

Contract with Selected Artist: November 2026

Installation and Dedication of Artwork: Spring/Summer 2027

Application Requirements

All applications must be submitted via CaFÉ

Submissions for this project must contain the following materials:

• A one-page maximum typed letter of interest outlining your qualifications for and interest in the project, as well as the general idea for your approach.  Please consider the following questions when developing your letter of interest:
  • Why do you want to work on this project?
  • How would you approach this project?
  • What materials do you work with that would be appropriate for outdoor use?
  • Have you worked on similar projects? If not, what relevant experiences do you have?
  • How does this project relate to your current work?
• Resume/CV
• Artist Bio/Statement
• Three references with whom you have worked on a public art project, including current telephone number and email address.
• 5-8 high-resolution images of previous work you feel would support your ability to carry out this project. Include all pertinent information on your Cafe slides: title, medium, size, date of completion, location, and project details (i.e. Budget commissioning agency, etc., if public art).

Committee and Selection Criteria

Selection for this project will be made by a panel including stakeholders, design professionals, City representatives, a member of the Norman Public Art committee, a member of the Norman Arts Council Board, and members of the arts community.

Three finalists will be selected based on the materials submitted.

After a formal presentation by the finalists, the selection panel will choose the best project for the site based on the merit of the artist’s work, experience, and appropriateness of the proposed concept. The Panel will also focus on artists who can demonstrate sensitivity to the site and surroundings. Artists must be able to commit and effectively work within the project timeline and collaborate with the administration of City of Norman Public Works Department and Norman Arts Council.

Selection Process

1. The Selection Panel will review all applicants who respond to this RFQ.
2. Three finalists will be invited to move on in the process.
3. Finalists will come to Norman for a mandatory site visit to meet with the Project Team and others. Finalists will be paid a $750.00 allowance to cover transportation, hotel, and per diem expenses for the site visit.
4. After the site visit, finalists will be asked to create a site-specific design proposal that will include:
   1. a scale model, maquette, or computer-generated design
   2. an itemized budget
   3. a project timeline
   4. project narrative
   5. maintenance plan
5. Finalists will each be awarded an honorarium of $500.00 for their proposal.
6. Finalists present their proposals in-person to the Selection Panel and will receive a $750.00 allowance for transportation, hotel, and per diem expenses for the proposal presentations or if their schedule doesn’t allow, on Zoom.
7. The Selection Panel will make the final decision on the artist awarded the project pending approval of the Norman Arts Council and Norman City Council.

Eligibility Criteria

Open to professional artists in the United States with experience working on public art projects of this scale and working in creating site-specific works.

Artists identifying with an ethnic, cultural, sexual, gender, economic, or ability minority are encouraged to apply.