Austin to debate $10.6M for art at the airport, artists selected are not local
The art will be showcased in new portions of the airport created by its expansion.
What's the latest on Austin's airport construction projects?
Those three contracts will go to: Saya Woolfalk, Jim Campbell and Yvette Mayorga. According to biographies for those artists online, Woolfalk is based in New York, Campbell is based in San Francisco and Mayorga is based in Chicago.
Austin Mayor Kirk Watson has asked that those contracts be discussed at next week's work session:
'On the upcoming council meeting agenda, there are three items that award three contracts to national artists for projects at our new airport expansion.
Though I believe that the work of these artists is important, I've always believed that any art work that we place in the airport should highlight the importance of our local artist and highlight Austin's creative, cultural community.
I believe we should have a conversation about these contracts before moving forward at the upcoming work session. I plan to pull the three items for discussion and look forward to the dialogue.'
According to city documents, the art is being commissioned through the city of Austin's Art In Public Places program. The city is looking for artists to create and install 'large to medium-scale interdisciplinary, mixed or multimedia artworks within AUS's Airport Expansion & Development Program.'
The sites identified for art included the AUS tunnel that will connect the existing Barbara Jordan Terminal and the future Concourse B, along with two 'tunnel interfaces.'
Documents also laid out the solicitation process, which included a seven-member selection panel 'comprised of visual arts and design professionals' who were 'assembled to nominate up to ten artists each. A total of 37 eligible nominations were received from selection panelists.'
Nominated artists were then asked to submit qualifications, of which the city received 22 eligible applications.
In November of last year, the selection panel looked over the 22 applications and recommended eight project finalists for interviews. According to council documents, all but one accepted the invitation.
'On December 19 and 20, 2024, the selection panel heard interviews from the seven advancing finalists. Artist Saya Woolfalk was chosen as the recommended artist for the Tunnel, and artists Jim Campbell and Yvette Mayorga were chosen as the recommended artists for the two Interfaces,' documents said.
Austin City Council members are expected to discuss the contracts at their work session Tuesday, and the contracts are on the council agenda to be voted on Thursday.
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