Public Art Project - Flat Branch Park
Deadline to apply: Monday, Feb. 9, 2026 at 5:00 p.m. CST
OVERVIEW
The City of Columbia, Missouri invites Missouri artists to apply for a public art project in Flat Branch Park. The city seeks an artist or artist team to create a new, original, public artwork for the park. Works in a variety of durable media and forms will be considered. At this point, artists should submit qualifications only, not a design proposal (see Selection Process and Application Information). Once an artist is selected, a design proposal will be prepared for the site.
ABOUT FLAT BRANCH PARK
Flat Branch Park is located in the heart of downtown Columbia and stretches along Flat Branch Creek across two city blocks. The park features a gazebo, picnic areas, spraygrounds, a playground, a demonstration rain garden, and historical plaques. It also serves as a trailhead for the MKT Trail, allowing visitors to travel from Flat Branch Park all the way to the statewide Katy Trail without crossing a street. A pedestrian bridge provides convenient access to the Convention and Visitors Bureau located on the opposite side of the creek.
The expansion of the park connects the intersection of Providence Road and Broadway Street to the park via a bridge over the Flat Branch Creek. The project continues the City’s efforts to revitalize this area of Columbia and clean up the creek.
See Appendix A in full PDF guidelines document for site plans and photos.
THEME FOR ART PROJECT
There is an opportunity for permanent public art in the park, in a location that has been designated just to the east of the new pedestrian bridge that connects from Providence Road. The project will be focused on a positive heart-related theme such as “strong heart,” “brave heart,” “kind at heart,” “heart health,” or “heart forward.” The location of the art will also include a 18' x 24' plaque (or smaller) in remembrance of Justin Gay. Justin was a long-time Emery Sapp & Sons employee that tragically passed away in 2021 due to cardiac arrest. A large portion of the Flat Branch Park expansion project was funded by Emery Sapp & Sons in honor of Justin. Our desire to have a positive heart-related theme coincides with honoring Justin and promotion of good heart health.
ART BUDGET & PROJECT DETAILS
The budget has been established at $20,000. The amount must include all artist fees, materials, fabrication, shipping, installation, etc. Parks & Recreation will be responsible for the engineered footing/foundation creating the concrete pad for the final artwork. Necessary details for the concrete pad will be determined once the artist finalizes the project design and provides the information to park staff.
ARTIST ELIGIBILITY
The project is open to all artists and artist teams, 18 years and older, who are legal residents of the United States residing in Missouri (will also consider artists across state lines in Kansas City and St. Louis metro areas). Professional artists with experience in the field of public art are encouraged to apply. All applicants, regardless of race, sex, religion, nationality, origin or disability, will be considered.
ARTIST SELECTION PROCESS
The City’s Standing Committee on Public Art – made up of artists, arts professionals, community representatives and project staff – will review applications and choose finalists. Applications will be evaluated on the basis of artistic and technical merit and strength of past work. Though not required, relevant work in the field of public art is desirable. The number of finalists is not pre-determined.
All finalists will be invited to interview with the project selection panel and will receive a $150 honorarium for doing so. Finalists will not be asked to develop design proposals for the interviews, but should be prepared to discuss how they might approach the project as well as present a survey of their past work and answer questions from the panel. The selection panel will recommend the applicant(s) they believe to be most qualified for the project to the City’s Commission on Cultural Affairs. The City Council will finalize the decision. Once the contract has been approved by City Council, the selected artist(s) will be able to begin developing a proposal for the project. The design will be reviewed and approved by the Standing Committee on Public Art, Commission on Cultural Affairs and City Council in a similar process for artist selection.
TIMELINE
Subject to change based on project schedule:
- Monday, Feb. 9, 2026: Deadline for RFQ submission (5 p.m. CST).
- February-March 2026: Finalist notifications and interviews
- April-May 2026: Commission on Cultural Affairs and City Council approval
- June-August 2026: Design and approval
- Fall 2026: Fabrication and installation.
APPLICATION DEADLINE
Applications must be submitted via online form by Monday, Feb. 9, 2026 at 5:00 p.m. CST. Emailed applications cannot be accepted. Late and incomplete submissions will not be considered.
INQUIRIES
City of Columbia, Missouri, Office of Cultural Affairs, 573-874-7512 or OCA@CoMo.gov