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You will submit this application online using PublicArtist.org.
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| Budget: $75,000 |
| Activated: 05/01/2026 Deadline: 05/15/2026 |
| Call Summary The University of Texas Permian Basin (UTPB) is seeking a professional artist to design, fabricate, and install a site-responsive gateway artwork for the north entrance to the main campus, located off 42nd Street. This project is part of a broader campus transformation initiative and entrance redesign led by Ten Eyck Landscape Architects. The selected artist will create a work that enhances the arrival experience while integrating thoughtfully with the surrounding landscape and existing campus landmarks. |
| Budget Description The selected artist will receive a total commission of $75,000, inclusive of all costs associated with design, fabrication, and transportation of the artwork. Installation costs will be provided by the University. The selected artist will be required to be present on-site during installation to provide direction and ensure proper placement and assembly of the work in coordination with the project team and contractors. Design development will be completed in coordination with Ten Eyck Landscape Architects and should be responsive to and harmonious with the entrance redesign. Lighting design and implementation will be provided by the University’s campus transformation lighting consultant, Mazzetti. The selected artist will collaborate with the lighting team and provide input to support the integration of lighting with the artwork |
| Project Description UTPB is seeking an artist to create a gateway artwork that serves as a visual marker for the north campus entrance. While this is a secondary entrance, it is located along a high-traffic corridor and plays an important role in defining the campus edge and arrival sequence. The artwork should reinforce the entrance as a point of arrival, integrate with the landscape architecture and site circulation, and complement, rather than compete with, nearby campus features. Artists are encouraged to consider scale, visibility from vehicular traffic, and the open West Texas landscape in their approach. |
| Artwork Goals The North Gateway Artwork will contribute to UTPB's growing public art program and help establish a cohesive identity across campus. Like Bright Star Memorial by Jim Sanborn, Time to Fly by Randy Walker, Freddy the Falcon by Katherine Taylor, and other significant campus artworks, the North Gateway Artwork should enhance the campus experience and announce the entrance to visitors. Artists are encouraged to interpret the concept of "flight" in an abstract or conceptual manner, rather than through literal representation. The theme should suggest movement, aspiration, transformation, or arrival while remaining appropriate to the site and surrounding landscape. |
| Artwork Location Description The artwork will be located at the north entrance to the main campus along 42nd Street, a major traffic corridor adjacent to the university. Although this is a secondary entrance, it is situated along one of the highest-traffic roads around campus. The site offers high visibility from vehicular traffic, open sightlines, and proximity to significant campus features, including the Stonehenge replica installation. The selected artist should consider how the work engages with these conditions and contributes to the overall arrival sequence. |
| Site History The University of Texas Permian Basin welcomed its first students in 1973 and has since grown into a beacon of higher education for West Texas. Page 2 Dr. Sandra K. Woodley began her tenure as President of UT Permian Basin on July 1, 2017. Under her leadership, the university has embarked on a multi-year, campus-wide transformation that includes new and redesigned campus entrances, renovation of the campus quad, and construction of a new engineering building at the Midland campus. Public art has played a significant role in campus improvements. In 2024, the university unveiled Bright Star Memorial by Jim Sanborn, a tribute to the victims of the August 31, 2019 mass casualty event in Odessa. In 2026, the university has seen the installation of Freddy the Falcon by Katherine Taylor at the Midland campus and Time to Fly by Randy Walker at the main campus entrance. UT Permian Basin continues to incorporate public art as a defining element of campus identity, transformation, and experience. |
| Eligibility This RFQ is open to all professional artists residing in the United States. |
| Application Requirements |
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Biography Resume: 3 page(s) maximum Work examples: 1 - 5 Artist Statement: 500 word maximum Letter of Interest: 500 word maximum The Letter of Interest should be no more than 2 pages and should address the following: Interest in the Project Describe your interest in this opportunity and why this project is a good fit for your practice. Relevant Experience Briefly highlight past work that demonstrates your experience with public art, particularly projects of similar scale, budget, or visibility. Approach to Site-Responsive Work Describe your general approach to creating artwork that responds to site conditions, including visibility, context, and integration with landscape or architecture. Conceptual Approach Without proposing a specific design, briefly describe how you might approach a project of this nature. Artists are encouraged to consider themes such as movement, transformation, or “flight” in an abstract or conceptual manner. Collaboration Describe your experience working with project teams, including architects, landscape architects, engineers, or contractors. References: 3 |
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Artists are allowed to apply in teams.
Artists applying as a team must split the allotted number of work examples between themselves. |
| Selection Information |
| Selection Process Applications will be reviewed by a selection committee. Three finalists will be selected and each will receive a $250 stipend to develop a proposal. Finalists will submit a conceptual proposal and participate in a virtual presentation and interview with the selection panel. |
| Selection Criteria Artists will be evaluated based on: • Quality and strength of past work • Experience with public art projects of similar scale and scope • Ability to respond thoughtfully to site conditions • Demonstrated capacity to complete the project within budget and timeline |
| Timeline • May 1, 2026 - RFQ opens • May 15, 2026 - RFQ closes • June 1, 2026 - Finalists notified • June 30, 2026 - Proposals due • July 6-10, 2026 - Proposal presentations and interviews, virtual • July 15, 2026 - Commission awarded • Q1 2027 - Installation |
| Additional Resources |
| Rendering of North Entrance (PNG) |
| Map of location (PNG) |
| Contact Information |
| Randy Ham Principal 414 E. Hillmont Rd. Unit A Odessa TX 79765 United States randy@culturalcompass.art 4324380588 |
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