King Park Art Project
"The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy."
This quote from the legendary Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., is inscribed on the MLK memorial in Washington, D.C., unveiled in 2011. The work intentionally omits any reference to King’s “I Have A Dream” speech in favor of some of his lesser known words. While smaller in scale, the City of Urbana has unveiled plans to similarly honor King in his namesake park—with public art. And where you will see both a lifelike representation of King and his quotes in the national memorial, the piece selected for display in Urbana should honor King in a more symbolic way, not through his likeness or his words.
The City of Urbana and the Urbana Public Arts Commission is accepting proposals for public art to honor the legacy of Dr. King—whether through words or images. Individual artists or artist teams can submit pieces in the form of sculptures, art installations, or interactive art. The chosen piece will be displayed in Martin Luther King Park in Urbana.
City of Urbana Public Arts Coordinator Christina McClelland said, "This project is another way that the City of Urbana and Urbana Public Arts Commission hope to enrich the lives of Urbana residents and visitors through providing opportunities to experience the arts."
Interested applicants should go to http://www.urbanaillinois.us/artsopportunities for applications and guidelines.
“Artists should note that the artwork cannot contain a likeness of Dr. King himself, but they should strive to honor King’s work and ideas,” McClelland stressed.
Submissions must be received by 5:00pm on Wed March 14th, 2012.
For additional information please contact Urbana Public Arts Coordinator Christina McClelland at (217) 384-2311 or cmmcclelland@urbanaillinois.us
