"The City of Amarillo’s Beautification and Public Arts Advisory Board is seeking proposals from local artists to design and paint a mural at Rick Husband Amarillo International Airport. This partnership with the Amarillo Convention & Visitor Council (CVC) represents the first such project the City has undertaken.
The mural site is a 12-by-48 foot section of the large, curved interior wall on the west side of the second floor ticketing and flight check-in area. According to Jason Boyett, who serves as chair of the advisory board, the airport location represents an ideal place for the first mural.
“First of all, the property already belongs to the City, and secondly, it’s adjacent to the ticketing counters, which are one of the most high-traffic areas of the airport,” Boyett says. “The visibility and accessibility of this blank wall make it perfect for the City’s first mural project. We’re excited about the impact of this location and plan to use this first project as a template for future public murals.”
Part of the funding for the mural will come from the CVC, with the stipulation that its famous Amarillo “Boots” logo be featured within the mural content. Otherwise, local artist and advisory board member Jacob Breeden says the design is open for creative interpretation.
“We’re encouraging artists to develop concepts that celebrate the culture, heritage and history of the region,” says Breeden. “We want the design to showcase the unique aspects of the city, to reflect the area’s values, to inspire both residents and visitors, and for it to be colorful and welcoming. But other than that, we want artists to give us their own vision.”
The artist stipend for the project is $5,750. Materials, including paint and other supplies, will be provided by the City. The submission deadline is Thursday, Aug. 16, with a desired completion date of Monday, Sept. 17. This completion date coincides with the inauguration of direct, non-stop jet service between Amarillo and Austin-Bergstrom International Airport through Via Airlines.
Preference will be given to local artists or artist teams who have prior experience in mural and/or large-scale artworks and prior experience in the creation of public art. The board encourages local artists and artist teams to submit proposals through the process outlined in the request for proposal (RFP). To obtain the RFP, please visit www.publicpurchase.com. This RFP No. 18 – 18 will be using code 961-04. Or, you may email purchasing2@amarillo.gov and request a copy.
For more information on the RFP or the requirements for the mural, please contact either Jason Boyett at (806) 674-5867 or jb@jasonboyett.com or Jacob Breeden at (806) 681-4337 or jbreedenart@gmail.com."
-City of Amarillo
