Call Description

Project Overview

The City of Merriam and Merriam Public Art Committee invite public artists to submit qualifications for the design, fabrication, and installation of an interactive artistic sculpture which will be located on the Turkey Creek Streamway Trail, serving as a striking focal point within the landscape. The sculpture should be unique and specific to the site. The sculpture should have a theme drawing from nature, providing an opportunity to inform and inspire visitors. The sculpture design must be inclusive, featuring accessible elements that ensure safety and accommodate a wide range of abilities and ages. It should also be engineered to include climbable features that allow for safe interaction by people of all abilities. Materials must be durable and appropriate for exterior applications within the climate of eastern Kansas. Artists should review the Public Art Master Plan to better understand the series of guidelines and recommendation in implementing a successful project.
 

About Merriam

Merriam, Kansas, is both bustling and serene. Occupying a four-square-mile sliver of northeast Johnson County, it is one of many communities comprising the Kansas City metropolitan area. Located along I-35 just eight miles south of downtown Kansas City, Merriam is a welcoming, peaceful, tight-knit community that is small in size, but big at heart. 

Our residents enjoy a wide variety of amenities and services including beautiful tree-lined streets, walking trails, plentiful parks, public art, and abundant community events. With affordable housing in safe neighborhoods, an award-winning school district, and our convenient location, Merriam is the ideal community to call home.

Merriam history began in the 1820s when the Shawnee Indians were moved into this region from settlements in Ohio and Missouri. As the tribe moved to lands that are now Johnson County, the Quakers followed and built a mission in 1836. In 1864, a Tennessean, David Gee Campbell, moved his home to the area that is now known as Merriam. In his honor, the town was named Campbellton and included approximately 20 homes and a few businesses. Railroad development played a major role in settling this area, with a route from Kansas City through the Turkey Creek basin. In 1870, the first station in Campbellton was built, and by 1880, the name of the town was changed to “Merriam,” in honor of Charles Merriam, a one-time secretary and treasurer of the Kansas City, Fort Scott and Gulf railway. A rail line has been in the Turkey Creek basin ever since. As Kansas City became a focal point for trade, communication and transportation, railroad executives purchased 40 acres in Merriam to develop a park. Merriam Park was completed and dedicated in July 1880 by President Ulysses S. Grant. One of Merriam Park’s superintendents, George Kessler, went on to plan the renowned park and boulevard system of Kansas City. By the turn of the century, Kansas City had constructed its own amusements, and Merriam Park went out of existence. Another popular recreation area in Merriam was Hocker Grove. Running along a trolley line, Hocker Grove existed from 1907-1919 and contained a picnic ground, baseball field and pavilion. Merriam became the biggest town in northeast Kansas around 1930. Four grocery stores, two hardware stores, four gas stations, three drug stores, two dry-goods stores, three restaurants, a bank, two garages, two barber shops, a beauty shop, two feed and coal yards, two taverns, a lumber yard, chicken hatchery, two realty businesses, a dry-cleaning store, insurance agency, two churches and a grade school all called Merriam home at this time. One of the most recognizable occurrences in Merriam history was the Webb v. School District 90 lawsuit, filed in 1949 on behalf of 39 families whose children were rejected from the white-only South Park Elementary school in Merriam. Corinthian Nutter, a true pioneer in desegregation, was the key witness in this case that paved the way for the U.S. Supreme Court 1954 Brown v. Topeka Board of Education decision that led to segregation being removed from the nation’s public school system. A leader in the development of the Kansas City area, Merriam claims the following firsts in Johnson County: · the site of the first Bell Telephone office in 1908; · the first public library in 1956; · the first major park (Antioch Park) in 1956; · the first full-service hospital (Shawnee Mission Medical Center) in 1962; · the first home to Johnson County Community College, from 1969-1972. Today, Merriam is a vibrant and growing community within the Kansas City metro region. Many regional residents recognize Merriam as the gateway to Johnson County on the I-35 commuter corridor heading south from Kansas City. To learn more about the City of Merriam, visit http://merriam.org/

Project Goals

The project should foster place-based pride, engage residents and visitors, draw attention to and beautify public space, and position Merriam as a vibrant community supportive of arts and culture. 

Desired placemaking outcome(s): 

• Engagement – Enhance our community’s vibrancy and quality of life by inviting people to engage with art as learners, collaborators, or explorers.
• City Identity – Welcome visitors to the Streamway Trail.
• Inclusivity -  Feature accessible elements that ensure safety and accommodate a wide range of abilities and ages.
• Creative Class – Highly visible project that represents values and makes Merriam known for the arts.

Artists are encouraged to review Merriam’s Public Art and Placemaking Master Plan to learn more about the placemaking goals and the themes for artwork preferred by the community. For more information about the City of Merriam and our public art program.

Site

The Streamway Trail site is located near 6901 Knox St., Merriam, KS 66203. The sculpture will be located in the open field next to the butterfly garden, across from the Merriam Public Works facility.

Specifications

View the area across from Merriam City Public Works facility next to the Turkey Creek Streamway Trail. 

Artists must consider long-term conservation and maintenance of public art. This project is in a public space and will be exposed to physical stresses and potential vandalism. 

Budget

$250,000

The budget for this project is $250,000. The final artist/team selected is responsible for using this contract amount for all costs associated with the project, including, but not limited to: the artist's design fee, artist's assistant costs, other consultation fees, insurance, tools, equipment, materials, supplies, fabrication, transportation, installation, travel to and from the site, per diem expenses, project documentation, a contingency to cover unexpected expenses, and any other costs. The selected artist and any subcontractors they use will be required to have insurance. The amount and type may vary depending on the nature of the proposal.
 

Schedule

All dates except the submission deadline are approximate and subject to change.

June 5, 2026: Call for Artists / Request for Qualifications Deadline

Late June: Select semi-finalists

Mid July: Site visit / briefing session with semi-finalists

Late July: Semi-finalist presentations/interviews; Select final artist

Application Requirements

Artists or artist teams interested in this project are not being asked to develop a specific proposal at this time. Interested artists should submit the following materials:

1. Artist Statement / Letter of Interest: A brief statement (up to one-pages outlining your interest in and vision for this project; relevant experience or collaboration with municipal governments, approach to design and reference to the how the art meets the guidelines and recommendations of the Public Art Master Plan and your conceptual approach to public art.
2. Resume: One-page biographical information or resume.
3. Portfolio: Up to 10 images of recent relevant art projects (one of which should be for an outdoor art sculpture completed within the last 10 years with a budget of $20,000 or more). Please provide a brief description of the projects and final cost for each.
4. References: Contact information for at least three professional references who can speak to your qualifications and past work experience.

Artist teams should submit one Letter of Interest, a resume for each artist, an artist statement for each artist plus a combined statement, 10 images total, at least one reference per artist. 

Selection Process

Merriam’s Public Art Committee will review the submitted qualifications. The committee will evaluate submissions based on the following criteria:

• Quality of the letter of interest including an understanding of the project description and goals, and approach to design
• Artistic quality and relevance of artwork samples.
• Demonstrated experience with a parks-based project, or collaboration with the public sector or community organizations.
• Understanding of and/or connection to Merriam/Kansas City.

Up to three semi-finalists will be invited to develop a site-specific proposal for the project and asked to present at an interview. A stipend of $2,000, inclusive of any travel expenses, will be provided for this work. The $2,000 is not included within the project budget. Proposals must include:

• An introduction and big picture overview of your proposal concept and how it will enhance a visitor's experience at the site.
• Detailed images and descriptions of major elements of your initial design. These may consist of working drawings, video animations, maquettes, etc.
• A refined budget and project timeline
• Long-term care requirements. How will your work respond to outdoor elements such as wind, rain, snow, ice, ice-melting chemicals, climbing children, being hit by weed-eater filament or rocks thrown by mowers, tree sap, bugs, etc.

Additional review criteria for semi-finalists include: 

• Ability to work within budget and timeline
• Connection to placemaking outcomes and community vision
• Expression of community values, connections, or engagement
• Creative use of site
• Artwork durability, and project feasibility
   

Final Artist Responsibilities

• Conduct research to better understand the site, the project, the community's history, and current culture, along with any other elements deemed helpful to their creative process
• Develop and present original concepts and renderings for the project site for final design approval
• Work in collaboration with the City of Merriam and the Public Art Committee when finalizing designs for installation
• Source specific materials, prime the installation area, collaborate with fabricators or technicians as necessary, and acquire any equipment needed for installation
• Fulfill the requirements of the City of Merriam’s Professional Services Agreement (including proof of liability and workers compensation insurance) and scope of work responsibilities within the contracted budget and timeline
• Participate in an unveiling ceremony

Eligibility Criteria

Open to experienced public artists and artist teams who have completed at least one commissioned outdoor public art sculpture with a budget of $20,000 or more in the past ten years. Open to all professional and emerging artists, with priority given to those who live, work or have a meaningful connection to the greater Kansas City region, who are 18 years and older and legally able to work in the United States.

The project aims to beautify and transform this popular public space, and support the Public Art Committee’s vision of a future in which Merriam is identified by arts and culture.