The Illinois Arts Council and the Illinois Capital Development Board have partnered to commission an outdoor public art piece for display at the new Wonsook Kim College of Fine Arts complex. It’s part of a larger push for public art in Bloomington-Normal that will now include a major opportunity on Illinois State University’s campus for an Illinois artist.
In a news release, the Illinois Arts Council said artists have about 1,045 square feet of space within the Fell Arboretum, with a $195,000 budget to "utilize as they see fit and…draw inspiration from the cultural, historical and environmental contexts of ISU, the Fine Arts Complex and the Fell Arboretum.”
The deadline to apply is 3 p.m. March 4.
The council's Fine Arts Review Committee will review the portfolios of all applicants; at least three artist or artist teams will be selected as semi-finalists and paid a fee of $3,000 to develop site-specific proposals.
Individuals or artist-led teams must live and work in Illinois. The Illinois Arts Council said applicants should be skilled practitioners that generate "designs and concepts for creative works that reflect form, beauty and aesthetic perception.”
ISU faculty and staff are not eligible to apply.
The Capital Development Board’s Art-in-Architecture Program "promotes and preserves Illinois art and uplifts communities by commissioning original artwork."
The idea of this opportunity is to strengthen the Fine Arts presence on the ISU campus. And it is one of several active initiatives aimed at adding art to public spaces in the Twin Cities.
The nonprofit Strong Towns Blono is additionally seeking applicants for a sidewalk mural program in Downtown Bloomington, as part of a wayfinding initiative directing pedestrians from the library to the museum. And in Normal, a budget of $150,000 is slated to go toward a new sculpture garden at One Normal Plaza.
There is not yet a timeline attached to completing the art installation at ISU. The Wonsook Kim College of Fine Arts transformation project broke ground last week and is expected to be completed in 2028.
