New Chicago Marker | CALL TO ARTISTS
Release Date: Wednesday, September 2nd, 2026
Budget: $50,000 (including three finalist honoraria of $500 each)
Deadline: Tuesday, October 13th, 2026 at 11:59 pm
Eligibility: Any artist living and working within the Memphis metropolitan area. Artists may submit only one proposal per project opportunity, but are invited to submit as a team if desired.
BACKGROUND
New Chicago was once a thriving neighborhood from the 19th century to the 20th century filled with vibrant businesses and growing families. For nearly 50 years, 85 acres of New Chicago was dedicated to the world’s largest rubber tire manufacturing plant, Firestone Tire and Rubber Company. At its peak, Firestone employed 7,000 people, and most were New Chicago residents. The rich history of New Chicago also includes its strong political voice and home of the first accredited black high school in Shelby County, Manassas High School. The neighborhood remains a deeply historic, majority-Black community, with a high concentration of residents with Sub-Saharan African ancestry. In January 2020, New Chicago was added to the Uptown TIF district, a redevelopment plan designed to curb blight, improve infrastructure, and bring in new manufacturing, aimed to be completed by 2031.
About UAC:
The UrbanArt Commission (UAC) works to create opportunities for artists and neighborhoods to connect and shape spaces through public art. Since 2002, UAC has managed the City of Memphis’s Percent-For-Art Program, which allocates funds annually to develop public art in connection to capital improvement projects. UAC also facilitates public art projects throughout the city working with various partners and clients to support artists and new experiences with art.
SITE SPECIFICS: location for the larger sculptural gateway marker that welcomes transients to the neighborhood gateway of Coker, Smith, Firestone & the highway.) :
Scope of Work:UrbanArt Commission (UAC) is partnering with The City of Memphis to commission a series of small wayfinding street signs, and a larger gateway maker for the New Chicago neighborhood. Selected artists will be commissioned to create designs and work with a fabricator to create the art work. The designs should be bold and reflect the history and character of the community. Also they should be able to be fabricated and cut into thin sheet metal. UAC will contract directly with the artist and fabricator to print/fabricate and install the selected artwork. The fabricator will collaborate closely with the selected artist to translate their commissioned artwork. The selection committee expresses an interest in a marker that will be:
Bold and legible font, that is not too distracting to traffic.
Can be well lit by some type of soft lighting.
Some types of plantings/planters that allow for low maintenance and easy upkeep around the gateway marker.
Larger than the current maker that is in the neighborhood. So that it may be seen by drivers entering the neighborhood and exiting.
Made from a combination of stone and metal.
Examples of Marker and Wayfinders selection committee is looking for*
The selection committee will select three finalists for the installation based on their portfolio, application materials, professional qualifications, and demonstrated ability to meet deadlines. The commissioned artist(s) will be selected based on the strength of their proposals, which will be presented to the selection committee.
UAC is committed to equity and inclusion in our work, both in the artists and organizations supported through the development of public art. UAC is especially interested in applications from artists who have not previously received public art commissions. People of color, differently-abled persons, indigenous peoples, LGBTQ+, seniors, and women are strongly encouraged to apply.
FINALIST REQUIREMENTS
Each of the three finalists will be asked to prepare a proposal mockup, for a formal presentation to the selection committee. Each finalist will receive a $500 honorarium for an original design developed specifically for the site.
Project Budget
Total project budget is $50,000, including artist honoraria - up to three finalists will receive a $500 honorarium for a site-specific proposal - and consulting fees. Design budget $12,125.00 ; Fabrication budget $36,375.00 all-inclusive.
SELECTION COMMITTEE
Larry Williamson-Business owner/Resident
Keith Archie-Resident
Devin Emory-Teacher
Latasah Griggs-Resident
( City Engineer) - Larry Bean
Artist Rep-TBD
PROJECT TIMELINE
Monday,September 2nd, 2026 RFQ released
Wednesday, September 16th, 2026 UAC Virtual Information Session
Wednesday, October 14th, 2026 RFQ deadline
Monday, October 27th, 2026 Notify finalists of RFP invitation
Monday, November 10th, 2026 RFP deadline
October 2027 100% Completion
Fall 2027 Completion celebration
APPLICATION GUIDELINES
Completed application form
A typed letter explaining your interest in the project and your general approach/concept to its design and production. Please do not submit design proposals at this point.
Up to 20 images of past work including title of work, date, medium, budget and project partners, if any.
Resume or CV, not to exceed 2 pages.
List of three professional references, including current phone and email.
Clicking on the Submit button will redirect you to our Submittable page, which contains all of our current open opportunities. Click the Submit button next to the opportunity that you wish to apply for, or if you are already within an opportunity, scroll down to the Create your account / Have an account? Sign in form.
If you already have a Submittable account, click the Have an account? Sign in tab to sign in to your account.
If you don’t have an account, you must create one to apply. Create your free account by filling out the Create your account form. Fill in all information and click the Create Account and Continue button to continue with the submission process.
From there, you will be able to complete and submit your application. You can now use this account login when submitting to all future UAC opportunities. Once you have submitted your application, you will receive a confirmation email that confirms receipt of your full application.
For more information about this project, please contact:
Travis Washington | Program Manager
901.343.6983 | Travis@uacmem.org
INFORMATION SESSIONS
UAC will host an information session for interested artists on Wednesday, September 16, 2026. The session will be recorded and a link made available to applicants who are unable to attend during that time. Interested artists who have not completed a public art project previously or not completed a project of this scale are strongly encouraged to reach out to the UAC team in advance of submitting their application. Artists may also schedule a meeting with UAC staff to review their application and portfolio. Appointments are available until 1 week prior to the close of the call to artists. See project contact information in the above section. RSVP here.
DISCLAIMERS
UAC is committed to equity and inclusion in our work. People of color, LGBTQ+ individuals, differently-abled and neurodiverse persons, indigenous peoples, youth, seniors, and women are strongly encouraged to apply.
Applicants will be notified as to the status of their application. Commissioning of artists by UAC and the pursuit of all UAC activities are implemented without preference to racial or ethnic origins, gender, sexual orientation, religious affiliation, disability, or age.
UAC reserves the right to modify this solicitation and to request additional information from participating artists.
UAC reserves the right to accept or reject, at any time prior to the commissioning of a work, any or all proposals when the acceptance, rejection, waiver or advertisement would be in the best interest of the project.
The staff of UAC will be responsible for all correspondence and communication by and between applicants and members of selection panels. Discussion regarding these projects by and between any applicant and any member of a selection panel outside of regularly scheduled meetings during the selection process may be grounds for the disqualification of the applicant. Such determination shall be at the discretion of UAC.
