2-D opportunity, Brooklyn Ave underpass

Contact InformationCity of Kansas City, Missouri One Percent for Art programContact Email: [email protected] Phone: 816-513-3422

Requirement OverviewLocation Eligibility Type: LocalEligible Applicant Types: ArtistSubmission Limit: 1Media RequirementsImages | Min: 5, Max: 10Audio | Min: 0, Max: 0Video | Min: 0, Max: 6Total | Min: 5, Max: 16

Opportunity SummaryThe Independence Plaza and Forgotten Homes neighborhoods in Kansas City, Missouri are seeking an artist to design and paint murals on 12 columns at the I-70 underpass at Brooklyn Avenue. Columns measure 16’ H x 8’ circumference for a total of approximately 1,536 sq. ft.The project has been prioritized by the community during the neighborhoods' recent planning process with the hope that a mural will strengthen neighborhood identity, safety, and connectivity along this vital community corridor.Two to 5 semifinalist artists will be asked to advance to the RFP phase and propose designs. The maximum budget available for this project is $30,000. Semifinalists will be paid a design proposal stipend of $1,000.

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General InformationThe Independence Plaza and Forgotten Homes neighborhoods in Kansas City, Missouri are seeking an artist to design and paint murals on 12 columns at the I-70 underpass at Brooklyn Avenue. Columns measure 16’ H x 8’ circumference for a total of approximately 1,536 sq. ft.This public art initiative aims to strengthen community connections and neighborhood pride by celebrating the culture, history, and rich tapestry of people and places that define these neighborhoods.Kansas City’s Planning and Development Department has been working with neighborhood leaders and published a Neighborhood Action Plan in 2026. As the Forgotten Homes and Independence Plaza neighborhoods work to overcome the highway barrier in connecting to the 18th and Vine Jazz District, the Neighborhood Action Plan calls for safe and welcoming pedestrian connections at the Brooklyn Avenue highway underpass.Two to five semifinalist artists will be asked to advance to the RFP phase and propose designs. The maximum budget available for this project is $30,000. Semifinalists will be paid a design proposal stipend of $1,000.Independence Plaza, named after its location near Independence Avenue, was one of the first neighborhoods to be developed in Northeast Kansas City in the 1870s and 1880s, when wealthy residents moved families to the area. These residents built and lived in grand mansions and apartment buildings, with many residing along Independence Avenue. Jazz artists, including Count Basie, lived in the Independence Plaza neighborhood at the peak of the jazz age in the city. The neighborhoods were also adjacent to many jazz clubs along 12th Street that helped form Kansas City’s music heritage.The Forgotten Homes neighborhood was formally established in the mid-1970s. The small area was in a state of decline with many boarded up or demolished historic homes. Property owners from eight “forgotten” blocks met and created the “Forgotten Homes” group to address the conditions in the area.In redlined areas near Independence Plaza, Urban Renewal projects and the construction of the I-70 highway demolished homes and businesses in predominantly African American northeast neighborhoods, creating fractured communities, displacing thousands of households, reducing neighborhood walkability and access to amenities, and destroying historic architecture. Since the suburbs became more accessible, the highway also facilitated a decline in population away from Kansas City.Since the late 1970s to today, Independence Plaza and Forgotten Homes have seen a rise in immigrant and refugee residents settling in the neighborhoods. This includes people from Southeast Asia, East Africa, and Central America, shaping the neighborhood into a culturally diverse area.BudgetThe maximum budget available for this project is $30,000, all inclusive. Expenses may include, but are not limited to, artist's fees, travel, fabrication, supplies, material costs, meeting and administration hours, labor, artist’s legal review fees, permits, licenses, insurance, lighting, equipment rental, shipping, delivery, documentation, foundation, footings and installation.Question and Answer PeriodQuestions related to this project for the KCMO Public Art Administrator should be emailed to