CITY OF MEMPHIS | UrbanArt Commission
NORTH MEMPHIS PUPPET THEATER STAGE | CALL TO ARTISTS
Release Date: Wednesday, July 2nd, 2025
Budget: $15500 (includes three finalist honoraria of $500 each)
Deadline: Monday, August 18, 2025 at 11:59 pm
Eligibility: Any artist living and working within the Memphis metropolitan area. Artists are invited to submit collaborative work if desired, but may only submit one proposal per project opportunity. 2D based artists are encouraged to identify collaboration with experienced fabricators prior to submitting application. While there is no limit to the number of calls an artist may apply to at once, UAC strongly encourages artists to consider both the time and scale of each call.
Information Session: Wednesday, August 6 @ 5:30pm, RSVP now.
BACKGROUND
About North Memphis
North Memphis is home to Manassas High and the former Northside High school, which was the first integrated high school in Memphis. Katie Sexton Community Center is a key communal landmark in the neighborhood. One nearby neighborhood, Klondike, is the first incorporated Black neighborhood in Memphis.
Some notable North Memphis residents include: Katie Sexton, Issac Hayes, WH Brewster, Tom Lee, Blaire T. Hunt, Project Pat, Juicy J, Ben Whitley, Charlie Morris, Yo Gotti, Elvis Presley, and GloRilla.
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
UAC and the City of Memphis, are seeking an artist to create an outdoor puppet theatre stage. The preferred location for the puppet theater stage is a pocket park at 987 Pearce Street Memphis, TN.
Aerial view of the Pearce Street Pocket Park: 987 Pearce Street Memphis, TN
Proposed location of the puppet theater stage: 987 Pearce Street Memphis, TN
Proposed location of the puppet theater stage: 987 Pearce Street Memphis, TN
SCOPE OF WORK
UAC and the City of Memphis, are seeking an artist to create an outdoor puppet theatre stage that creates an engaging performance space that enriches the community's cultural experiences and provides a unique venue for puppet shows and other outdoor entertainment activities.
The selection committee has expressed interest in an outdoor puppet theater stage that:
Creates artistic elements for the puppet theater’s stage backdrop, and side panels. This may include painted murals, carved wooden designs, or other mixed media installations.
Needs to be portable. This stage will travel to other parks throughout Memphis.
Align with themes of storytelling, community, cultural diversity, and the joy of performance.
Provide an opportunity for youth in the community to shadow selected artist or participate in the creation of this public art piece
Incorporate visual storytelling elements that reflect the local culture, history, and environment of Memphis.
Propose decorative pieces that may also serve functional purposes, such as shade structures, seating sculptures (for the puppeteers), or interactive features that engage children and families (stage edge sculptures)
Ensure all artwork is constructed from UV-resistant, waterproof, and durable materials that can withstand various weather conditions (e.g., heat, rain, wind).
Designed with safety in mind, ensuring no sharp edges or hazards.
Comply with the applicable requirements of the 2010 ADA Standards for Accessible Design, which will be provided to selected finalists. The American Disabilities Consultants (City of Memphis ADA Consultant) will review the artist’s design submittals in an effort to ensure the ADA compliance of the built project. The American Disabilities Consultants will be available to answer any questions the selected artist may have about the ADA requirements for the project.
PROJECT EXPECTATIONS
A selection committee organized by UAC will review submitted portfolios, and will invite finalists to submit site-specific design proposals. All finalists will receive a stipend of $500 for their designs. The selected artist will be expected to work closely with the Selection Committee and UAC to execute the proposed sculpture.
SELECTION COMMITTEE
Aliza Moran- Director, Les Passees Kids on the Block
Atlantis Warren- City of Memphis Parks Division, Community Engagement Manager
Ervin Dewalt- North Memphis Resident
Jamond Bullock- Visual Artist
Jordan Mckenzie- Memphis/Shelby County Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA), Director of Community Building and Economic Opportunity
Kenny Halt- Memphis/Shelby County Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA), Senior Community Builder
Mike Lemm-City Engineering Representative (non-voting)
Randall Garrett- Smokey City Klondike CDC
Stephanie Butler- North Memphis Resident
Veno Rossi- North Memphis Resident
*Public Vote: Collected public votes will serve as one additional selection committee vote for the final selected artist following the submission of proposals from project finalists.
PROJECT BUDGET
Total project budget is $15500, including artist honoraria - up to three finalists will receive a $500 honorarium for a site-specific proposal. Design budget $3500; Fabrication budget $10,500 all-inclusive.
PROJECT TIMELINE
Wednesday, July 2nd, 2025 RFQ released
Wednesday, August 6th, 2025 UAC Information Session
Monday, August 18th, 2025 RFQ deadline
Late August 2025 Notify finalists of RFP invitation
October 2025 Finalists Presentations & Artist Selection
Fall 2026 Completion celebration
APPLICATION GUIDELINES
Please submit the following materials online by clicking the submit button below.
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:
Kayla J. Smith-Hardy | Sr. Program Manager 901.343.6983 | kayla@uacmem.org This RFQ can be found on www.uacmem.org/calls-to-artists
INFORMATION SESSIONS
UAC will host an information session for interested artists on Wednesday, August 6, 2025. 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 mural at 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 UAC team 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.
