Kansas City, Missouri – Kansas City is asking talented artists to help make a new skate park under the Buck O’Neil Bridge one of the city’s most exciting initiatives. The city is looking for a professional artist or team of artists to design, make, and install permanent public art that will be a permanent component of the Buck O’Neil Bridge Skate Park through its One Percent for Art program. The location, which is between 3rd and 5th Streets on Beardsley Road, will be a busy place for both skaters and others from the neighborhood.
Organizers will choose between two and five semifinalists to continue on to the Request for Proposal (RFP) phase as part of the selection process. Each of these semifinalists will get a $3,000 stipend to come up with and present detailed design ideas for review. Artists are encouraged to think of many other ways to make the project, such as mosaics, cast concrete works, sculptures, or murals. Anything that will make the skate park more fun and show off Kansas City’s lively culture is welcome.
The request for artists comes after Kansas City and New Line Skateparks held a design conference in October 2024. Local residents and skaters took part in the meeting, giving their thoughts on what elements they would want to see in the all-wheels skate park. The city’s focus on community involvement shows that it wants to make the area more friendly and useful for everyone while also improving the way it looks.
The public art installation has a budget of $200,000. This money will cover everything from planning to building and installing the work. Artists who want to learn more about the chance can join a virtual question-and-answer session with the city’s Public Art Administrator. On Tuesday, July 15, 2025, and Wednesday, July 16, 2025, there will be two sessions at 5:30 p.m. Central Time. These events will provide anyone who want to apply a chance to ask questions, clarify requirements, and learn more about the project’s goals.
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CaFÉ, the Call for Entry website, has all the information you need to apply or learn more. Artists can also send questions directly to Kansas City’s Public Art Administrator at [email protected]. This is a great chance for the art and skate communities in Kansas City to work together and make something that will last for years and inspire tourists.
