Introduction.

An artist or artist team is sought to design, fabricate, and install a site-specific artwork or artworks in Meadowbrook Park in Prairie Village, Kansas, a northeast Johnson County suburb that is part of the greater Kansas City metropolitan area.  This park development was opened to the public in 2018 and is a unique private, public, public partnership with over 800,000 visitors annually.  It received the 2020 Capstone award for community impact and park design. 

Johnson County Park & Recreation District (JCPRD) launched its Public Art Program in 2020 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.

JCPRD is currently in the process of developing a Public Art Master Plan. As part of this planning process, the following draft vision has been 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 Meadowbrook Park public art project will be the first commissioned public artwork of the new Public Art Program.

Project Description.

The Public Art Program is interested in commissioning an artist or artist team to create a site-specific, permanent work or works of art for Meadowbrook Park.

Site: JCPRD has identified zones within a park that could be candidates for an artwork and will be inviting the selected finalists to recommend an exact location for their project. The identified zones are in the northern section of the park, being thoughtful of highly used areas of the park but within view of these areas.

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

•     Based on the approved concept proposal, developing final design documents detailing every physical feature of the construction the artwork and its integration with the site.

•     Executing the final design on schedule and in a manner that conforms to the approved concept proposal.

•     Managing all aspects of the installation of the artwork.

•     Providing maintenance and conservation instructions for the completed artwork.

•     Working cooperatively and maintain effective communication with all parties involved in the project.

•     Collaborating with JCPRD to develop and lead an educational program related to the artwork development process or the artwork itself.

•     Collaborating with JCPRD on marketing and promotion of artwork. 

•     Participating, as requested, in community outreach and attending dedication event.

Public Art Goals.

 The goals for public art at Meadowbrook Park are to:

•     Support the overarching goals for the public art program by creating an artwork that inspires a deeper connection to place with an artwork that creates an interactive, immersive, and inclusive experience.

•     Complement the park design and relate to the ecology, history, or culture of the park or surrounding community.

•     Contribute to the overall identity of Meadowbrook Park as a place to experience art, play, and nature.

•     Complement park uses and not impede on the use of open space.

•     Appeal to a broad audience of users, including people of all ages, through a work that is accessible and inviting.

•     Work at a human scale – appeal to people who are on-foot in the park.

Background/Historical Information about Meadowbrook Park.

Meadowbrook Park in Prairie Village, Kansas opened in 2019 as a public-public-private partnership.  The development was recognized as a 2020 Capstone Award for Community Impact by the KC Business Journal.  The Park includes 80 acres of green space and many park features, including a large central green, a destination tree line adventure playground, a smaller grove playground with musical instruments and climbing nets, a Grand Pavilion, 3 shelters, tennis courts, pickleball courts, Meadowbrook Hill, outdoor fitness equipment, paved trails, three ponds, and the Meadowbrook Park Clubhouse, which includes an early childhood development center.  In 2020, an estimated 800,000 people visited Meadowbrook Park. 

Historically, the Meadowbrook Park property was likely prairieland, which covered much of the county. The area was the ancestral hunting territory for the Osage and Kansa cultures. After 1830, it became part of the large reservation granted to the Shawnee people, removed from their ancestral territory in the Ohio River Valley, though it is unclear if the Shawnee directly inhabited the Meadowbrook site. Following the creation of Kansas Territory in 1854, the area was subdivided as Americans and Europeans purchased sections. Documentation of the land use through the late 19th and early 20th Centuries shows the primary use as agricultural.

In the 1940s, the developer J.C. Nichols purchased the farmland and redeveloped it into suburban housing. As in other quickly expanding communities following World War Two, soldiers and young families moved to Prairie Village in search of the convenience of suburban life. Today, Prairie Village remains a bedroom community for the greater Kansas City metro area with 23,000 residents.

The Park sits on the site of the former Meadowbrook Country Club. In 1953, Paul Berman along with 100 other businessmen started the Country Club, which at the time was one of few in the region that allowed Jewish membership. The Country Club closed in October 2014. VanTrust Real Estate purchased the 135-acre Meadowbrook property with the intent of redeveloping the property. As part of their development plan, VanTrust partnered with the City of Prairie Village, and JCPRD to devote 80 acres of the site for a public park. The surrounding development, still underway, includes 53 single family homes, 70 townhomes, 282 multifamily units or apartments, a 225-unit senior living facility, and a 54-room boutique hotel.

The Meadowbrook Park Master Plan has identified future phases of park development. The next phase, slated for completion in 2023, will include additional parking, a picnic shelter, a playground, at the northeast corner of the park. Additional phases include an environmental learning area at the southern end of the park.

Selection Process.

 The Meadowbrook Park Art Selection Committee (ASC), comprised of arts professionals, community members, a representative from the Public Art Committee, and JCPRD staff, will serve as the recommending body for selecting an artist or artist team. The final artist selection and concept will be approved by the JCPRD Board.

Eligibility: The opportunity to compete for this project is open to Artists residing in the United States, including emerging Artists in collaboration with other Artists.

Qualification Review Process: The ASC will review artist qualifications and select up to three (3) finalists to create concept proposals for the project opportunity.

Artist qualifications will be reviewed by the ASC 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 an artwork that responds to the goals of the project?

Approach: How well does the artist communicate his/her 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?

Finalist Review Process: Up to three (3) finalists will be selected to create concept proposals for the artwork opportunity. Finalists will be paid a stipend of $1000 to participate in the concept proposal process, which will include touring Meadowbrook Park, exploring optimal siting, and meeting the ASC and community members prior to developing a proposal. Artists living more than 100 miles from Meadowbrook Park will be paid an additional amount up to $500 for travel and lodging expenses for the site visit.

Proposals will include renderings and a short narrative description, as well as a preliminary budget and timeline. Proposal materials will include a board that can be displayed for public comment.

Finalists will present their concept proposals to the Art Selection Committee. The finalists will present virtually, though JCPRD may opt to change that to an in-person presentation if additional travel stipend becomes available. 

Finalist concept proposals will be placed on view at the Meadowbrook Clubhouse for public comment. Comments will be shared with the Art Selection Committee. The Art Selection Committee will recommend a final artist/design for the project.

If applying as a team, please assign a team leader to respond to the submission questions, communicate which artist(s) are responsible for each of the work samples, and submit one resume and one references attachment for the team with one resume page and at least one reference per team member.

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.

Submission Requirements.  Interested artists will be asked to submit materials online to CaFÉ (callforentry.org):

You will be asked to respond to the following questions within your online submission:

Describe your interest in this project and how this commission relates to and/or builds on your body of work (no more than 500 words).

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 300 words) 

 You will be asked to attach the following files in your online submission:

•     A CV/resume with current contact information (no more than 3 pages) (PDF).

•     Names and contact information for 3 -5 professional references (PDF).

•     Up to 10 sample images of previous artwork relevant to this project (JPEG).

•     Corresponding image information about each work sample, including: artwork title, a brief description of the artwork (100 words or less), medium, completion date, dimensions, location, and total budget/cost (please use the Price/Value field in CaFE). In the description field, please state the commissioning agency if applicable, and state your role in the creation of the artwork if other artists or design professionals were involved in its creation.

If applying as a team, please assign a team leader to respond to the submission questions, communicate which artist(s) are responsible for each of the work samples, and submit one resume and one references attachment for the team with one resume page and at least one reference per team member.

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.

Tentative Timeline.

Budget.

The budget for the artwork is not to exceed $95,000. This budget includes all costs of designing, fabricating and installing the artwork, including but not limited to all design fees, fabrication, materials and equipment costs, professional fees, travel and lodging during design, fabrication and/or installation, insurance, overhead, site work, shipping, and installation costs. JCPRD may be able to provide some support for site work depending on the design.

Final Contract.

Following recommendation of the ASC and Public Art Committee and approval by the JCPRD Board, the Artist will finalize a contract with JCPRD for final design, fabrication, construction, installation, and oversight of the Artwork.

Questions regarding this Call for Artists. 

Any questions should be submitted via email by noon, June 30, 2021 to

Susan Mong,Superintendent of Culture

Susan.mong@jocogov.org

Questions will be compiled, summarized, and shared on the JCPRD website:  http://https://www.jcprd.com/1683/Meadowbrook-Park-Public-Art-Project

Other Resources:

https://www.jcprd.com/Facilities/Facility/Details/Meadowbrook-Park-98

https://www.jcprd.com/262/Meadowbrook-Park-Project

https://www.jcprd.com/DocumentCenter/View/465/Meadowbrook-Park-Master-Plan-PDF?bidId=

https://www.jcprd.com/1308/Public-Art-Program

Application Requirements

Eligibility Criteria