Oklahoma Art in Public Places
HISTORY
In May, 2004, Governor Brad Henry signed into law Senate Bill
1347, “State of Oklahoma: Art in Public Places Act” a bill
that supports public art in Oklahoma. The new law incorporates artwork
in, on, or near new state buildings or those with major renovation projects.
BACKGROUND
Public art reflects the local environment, cultural values and artistic
vitality of Oklahoma communities. This law offers opportunities
for local artists and also provides a vehicle for Oklahoma communities
to express their identity, spirit and pride. More than 350 public
art programs across the U.S. support projects in airports, libraries,
parks, government buildings and neighborhoods and some 28 states
have public art laws.
REQUIREMENTS
The “State of Oklahoma: Art in Public Places Act” requires that 1 1/2 percent of the cost of construction
or major
renovation of state-owned public buildings approved after September
1, 2004, must be allocated for works of art in or near the project.
The act applies to construction or renovation
projects costing $250,000 or more. The maximum assessment for any one
project is $500,000.
OVERSIGHT
The law requires two oversight committees to ensure that commissioned
art is of the highest quality and meets community standards. The
Oklahoma Historical Society administers the Act in cooperation
with the Oklahoma Arts Council. The law does not apply to water,
sewer or public utility projects or to projects undertaken by public
school districts, prisons or city and county governments.
Oklahoma Art in Public Places
Cherokee Strip Regional Heritage Center, Enid
Oklahoma Art in Public Places, on behalf of the Cherokee Strip Regional Heritage Center, Enid, Oklahoma, is seeking an artist (or team of artists) to create permanent, unique stair railing panels for the atrium area of the renovated museum. The design of the painted steel railing system creates panels (the portion of railing between posts, top rail, and bottom rail) that can be filled in with artwork. The railings will be code compliant accessible handrails, framed to the floor. The artwork can be of any appropriate media, as long as it complies with all safety issues. It would be preferable to have natural resources from the area incorporated into the design of the panels, e.g. alabaster and wood from native trees. This artwork in the stair railing panels will have a significant visual impact when one enters the vestibule and must complement the architecture, style, scale, and integrity of the building. Details of the building plan and stair railings can be found at the Cherokee Strip Regional Heritage Center website, www.regionalheritagecenter.org. The vestibule will be utilized as an enterprise exhibition area with an original water well drilling rig, the Failing rig, exhibited in the center of the vestibule.
A more detailed project description and request for qualifications can be found here.
Oklahoma City Educare Center
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Oklahoma City Educare, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma is seeking an artist (or team of artists) to create permanent outdoor works of art for their new building which is scheduled to be completed in February 2009. The areas that are available for art include 9 columns of the front porch, the exterior wall of the building (a curved wall with a 3 foot base of stacked stone), a monumental freestanding sign and going into the building--the large, central, covered area (the piazza). This significant outdoor program of artwork will be highly visible and must complement the architecture, style, scale, medium and integrity of the new building. (Details of the building plan can be seen at the architect’s website www.rdgusa.com/earlychildhood/index.html )
A more detailed project description and request for qualifications can be found here.
Northern Oklahoma College, Tonkawa, Oklahoma
Nursing Division Project
Northern Oklahoma College, Tonkawa, Oklahoma, Nursing Division is seeking an artist to create a permanent, public, indoor work of art for the newly constructed nursing and communication center. This significant, expansive indoor feature can include sculpture, unique or alternative art media – or any combination that is appropriate to the site.
A more detailed project description and request for qualifications can be found here.
Oklahoma Department of Agriculture,
Food and Forestry Project
Oklahoma Art in Public Places, on behalf of the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food and Forestry, is seeking an artist (or team of artists) to create a permanent, public outdoor plaza featuring a significant work of art for the entrance plaza of the Oklahoma Agriculture, Food and Forestry’s building and new addition.
A more detailed project description and request for qualifications can be found here.
State Banking Department Project
Oklahoma Art in Public Places, on behalf of the State Banking Department, is seeking an artist (or team of artists) to create a permanent, public outdoor work of art for the entrance plaza of the Oklahoma State Banking Department's new building. This significant outdoor sculpture will be highly visible and must complement the architecture, style, scale, medium and integrity of the new building. The sculpture should be durable, safe, weather resistant, and vandalism resistant. Construction of the Banking Department building is scheduled to begin in August, 2007 with an estimated time of opening in August, 2008.
A more detailed project description and request for qualifications can be found here.
Rules and Regulations & Guidelines
The following is a copy of the promulgated Oklahoma Art in Public Places Rules and Regulations which were adopted in accordance with the Secretary of State’s Administrative Rules on Rulemaking. Rules and Regulations
The following is a copy of the Oklahoma Art in Public Places Pogram Guidlines. Program Guidelines
Contact
Debby Williams, Director of the Art in Public Places program
405-522-8959
dwilliams@okhistory.org