Lexington’s Public Art Commission is inviting local artists to submit original designs that will be placed on utility boxes throughout Lexington-Fayette County.
The city has approximately 400 utility boxes, most of which are nondescript, gray metal boxes. Lexington is partnering with Image360 to produce vinyl art wraps for selected sites, prioritizing boxes located in districts with little to no public art.
“Public art breathes life into our communities, and this project will help us expand our cultural footprint into neighborhoods lacking public art,” Mayor Linda Gorton said.
The city will partner with local artists for original designs that can be digitally printed onto a vinyl art wrap, and attached to existing utility boxes. These artworks will be installed around Lexington this summer.
“Interested artists should consider designs that will be relevant and accessible to Lexington audiences, and those that will reflect an original idea, design, or concept,” said Heather Lyons, Director of Arts and Cultural Affairs in the Mayor’s Office.
Artists and design teams interested in these projects can access the original request for proposals (RFP) and the application on the Public Arts Commission website. All interested applicants must submit their proposals by 11 p.m., Friday April 19th.
A selection committee including Public Arts Commission members, arts professionals, and other community stakeholders will review the entries based on the following criteria: quality of the design concept, appropriateness of the proposed design concept, and suitability of the proposed artwork to the specific site location.
Upon review of all qualified RFP’s, selected artists will be notified in early May.
For more information, go to lexingtonky.gov/boards/public-arts-commission.
