NORMAN ARTS COUNCIL & THE CITY OF NORMAN PRESENT
5TH ANNUAL ARTFUL INLETS
DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSIONS: 11:59 P.M. Tuesday, February 28
DEADLINE EXTENDED TO 11:59 P.m. Friday, MarcH 3
$750 Stipend (PLUS PAINT) | INSTALLED APRIL 7-8, 2023
APPLY HERE
The City of Norman operates and maintains a series of underground pipes, open channels, ditches, and roadways used to collect or convey stormwater runoff from our homes and businesses to the nearest body of water, such as a creek, stream, or lake. In urban areas, stormwater runoff from hard surfaces, like roofs and driveways, flows along the side of the road until it reaches a storm drain, which is an opening or grate in the curb connected by pipes to the nearest waterbody. Water and other materials that enter these storm drains are transported directly to our creeks and streams without any treatment. Some of the pollutants that enter our local creeks and streams with stormwater runoff include grass clippings, oil, trash, fertilizers, pesticides, and pet waste.
For the 5th Annual Artful Inlets program, the Norman Arts Council, Public Arts Board, and City of Norman are inviting artists to submit designs that will transform city storm infrastructure into works of public art. These artful inlets will educate and raise awareness that pollutants that go down storm drains have a devasting impact on our local water quality.
There are currently 14 Artful Inlets in the community in the Walker Arts District and Lion’s Park. This year we will be adding an additional five (5) drains identified for this project. They will all be in Colonial Estates Park in the area of 12th Ave and East Lindsey Street.
Colonial Estates Park is in a historic site in Norman, nearby was the original camp of Abner Norman. Additionally, a tributary of Bishops Creek runs through the park, which is the actually connection to the City’s Stormwater system. Selected artwork will have a stormwater and/or water quality theme, incorporating the slogan “Make Pollution History!”, as a nod to the history of the site. Designs must be adaptable to any of the five specified sites in the park. Each selected artist will incorporate their original design into the prescribed area around the storm drain. Designs may also include the hashtag, “#cleancreekgeeks”
Artists must be 18 years or older and residents of Cleveland County, Oklahoma. All designs must be original and submitted no later than Friday, March 3, 2023. Murals will be installed on Friday, April 7 and Saturday, April 8 (with Saturday, April 15 and Sunday, April 16 as rain days in case of inclement weather). Selected artists will be notified on Friday, March 10, 2023.
A Mayor’s walking tour celebrating the Artful Inlets will be announced at a later date.
Selected artists will receive a $750 stipend, as well as all paint needed to complete their original design.