18th & Lydia Public Art Competition - Kansas City
Kansas City restarts public art competition for 18th & Lydia parking garage with focus on local artists. $185,000 budget for artwork.
The Kansas City Municipal Art Commission has unanimously voted to restart the public art competition for a prominent wall on the new parking garage at 18th Street and Lydia Avenue in the historic Jazz District. The original competition drew 218 applicants, with only about 30 from the Kansas City area, leading to concerns about local artist participation and representation of the district's rich Black cultural heritage.
The commission rejected the three out-of-town semifinalist proposals and reopened the call with an emphasis on local artists. The term "local" is broadly defined using the Census Bureau Combined Statistical Area for Kansas City, encompassing 22 counties from Lawrence and Ottawa, Kansas, to Warrensburg and St. Joseph, Missouri.
The project features a $185,000 budget for the public artwork. To address barriers to entry for local artists, the commission is implementing a three-member subcommittee to review the selection process and communicate with local artists about opportunities.
Applications require only: a resume, portfolio, and letter of interest. Artists do not need city vendor registration or compliance steps to apply; these requirements come only if selected for a contract.
Informational sessions are being held to help artists understand the application process: a workshop on February 7 at 3:30 p.m. at Keystone CoLab for the One Percent for Art Program presentation, and ArtsKC will host a session demystifying the public art application process on March 31 at 5:30 p.m.