Nashville International Airport: Concourse D Mural

Call to Artist
Public Art Mural – Concourse D Extension

Entry Deadline: April 10, 2025
Requirements: 

• Invited to submit by Arts at the Airport
• Media Images: Minimum, submit 4 images of past work, Maximum submit 8 images of past work,

Mural Area: Wall 37 feet long x 7 feet tall (Approximately 259 sq. ft)

Installation in June 2025

Honorarium: $18,500 
 

Description

Nashville International Airport (BNA) and Arts at the Airport (AaA) invite artists to submit qualifications for the design and installation of one indoor mural located in Concourse D adjacent to departure gate D5 (Southwest Airlines). The dimensions of the space are as follows: 37 FT long and 7 FT tall (259 SQ FT). The space is elevated 4 ft. from the ground up with seating in front of and directly below the mural wall. The mural will be installed in May/June of 2025.

AaA is seeking original and engaging design concepts that serve as a tool to strengthen the narrative about Nashville International Airport, the city of Nashville, aviation and travel. We are looking for designs that promote the assets of the city of Nashville and Nashville International Airport. The mural should welcome travelers, create a sense of place, be a calming and engaging image in a busy environment and inspire the viewer with the highest quality design and craftsmanship.

Description of Site

The mural wall is in the holding area just across from Gate D5 on Concourse D at the south end of the Concourse. All gates on Concourse D are being used by Southwest Airlines. The mural will be located 4 ft from the ground up and will have seating in front of Area 1. The dimensions of the space are: 37 feet long and 7 feet tall (approximately 259 square feet)

Concourse D is the newest wing of Nashville International Airport. As a part of BNA’s New Horizon plan, an extension of Concourse D is currently under construction. The Concourse D Extension project will expand the concourse from 6 gates to 11 gates and will increase the facilities by more than 190,000 square feet. This includes 8 new concession locations including 5 food and beverage and 3 retail concessionaire spaces. The extension will feature a 160-foot-long moving walkway and will culminate with the record node and an outdoor terrace with views of downtown and airport ramp activities.

Hensel Phelps/Fentress Architects, a progressive design-build team, were selected by Nashville International Airport to lead the Concourse D project. The Concourse D Extension project is expected to be completed in July 2025.

Installation of Mural

The artist should be prepared to install the mural starting Mid-Late May 2025 and be complete on or before June 27, 2025. Artists are responsible for using the highest quality materials and for using a primer on the wall (ex: high quality artist grade acrylic paint and final clear coat sealer.) The artist may also propose other methods of installation that would be suitable for the space.

The mural will be on view for approximately 4-6 years. This is subject to change.

The artist and any assistants will be required to comply with all BNA security regulations when working in a secure area. $18,500 fee includes artist fee, all materials and installation.

The Goals of the Project

·       To use the artwork as a tool to strengthen the narrative about place, to capitalize on Nashville International Airport, the city of Nashville and the local community’s assets, creative potential and inspiration.

·       Suggested topics could, but are not required to, include Nashville International Airport, the city of Nashville, aviation and travel:

• To welcome the traveler and serve as a calming, engaging image that may inspire the viewer.
• To create a visually stimulating experience using color and design; a moment of distraction as passengers wait to board their planes.
• To enhance the existing Arts at the Airport public art collection.

Project Budget

The project budget is $18,500.

Timeline

·       April 10, 2025: Deadline for Qualifications to be submitted

·       April 14, 2025: Semi Final Artist selection, artist/artist teams notified

·       April 2025: Airport Site Visit and Proposal Development for Semi-Finalists

·       May 12, 2025: Final Concept Presentations and Final Concept Selection

·       May 2025: Artist Contract Execution and Final Design Approval

·       May 19, 2025: Installation begins*

·       June 27, 2025: Project complete**

*Please Note: This date is subject to change due to restrictions to the site due to construction activities. MNAA will work with the selected artist and the project team to determine the ideal installation schedule in that event.

**There is a hard deadline for the mural to be installed by this date, please consider the feasibility of your schedule when applying.

Selection Criteria Process 
The selected artist/team will be chosen by the Arts at the Airport Selection Committee and the MNAA Board of Directors based on their final design proposal.

The Arts at the Airport Selection Committee, consisting of Arts at the Airport Board of Directors, staff, and professional artists from the community will evaluate the artist’s/team’s qualifications, letter of interest and artist’s/team’s past work with the goal of selecting three to five finalists. Specific proposals are not requested and will not be reviewed at this time.

Finalists will receive $2,500 to develop a detailed proposal of an original mural design for the Concourse D Mural. Of the $2,500, 50 percent will be paid upon selection and 50 percent following delivery of the proposal and on-site interview.

There will be two site visits for each finalist, all expenses paid by the Airport. The first site visit will be scheduled for the artist/teams to come to Nashville International Airport, meet the Arts at the Airport team, tour the Airport and develop a sense of the culture that BNA strives to express through its art collections. The second visit will be scheduled several weeks later for the artist/teams to come back and present their proposal to the Arts at the Airport Selection Committee.

Applications will be selected based on the following criteria:

Evaluation Criteria

• Quality, creativity, and strength of work submitted.
• Appropriateness of previous work to the scope of this project.
• Professional qualifications and experience in their medium.

The panel will review artist’s/team’s materials using the online Café system.

Application Requirements

Required Application Materials

• Current resumé
• Brief Biography
• Artist statement (1 page)
• Artwork Images (of past work)
  1. Images minimum: (4) with descriptions
  2. Images maximum: (8) with descriptions
• References (3)
  • Please provide the names, addresses, current telephone numbers and email addresses for three professionals to reference your past work and qualifications.

·       Submit Qualifications by April 10, 2025 on CaFÉ

Questions?  Contact Tre Hardin, Curator at tre.hardin@flynashville.com

Individual artists and artist teams from Nashville who have been invited by Arts at the Airport may apply.

Legal

The MNAA/Arts at the Airport will not be liable in any way for any costs incurred by any artist in the preparation of their proposal in response to this Call and/or participation in any discussions regarding exhibition.

Artist hereby represents and warrants to AaA that s/he is the creator of the Artwork presented in this proposal; s/he is the sole and exclusive owner of all rights to proposed works; and the Artwork does not, in whole or in part, infringe any copyright, violate any right to privacy or other personal or property right whatsoever, or contain an libelous or scandalous matter or matter otherwise contrary to law.

Arts at the Airport reserves the right to remove the mural at any time, reserves the right to use images of the murals in marketing and promotional materials. Once artist or artist teams are selected, the rights and uses pertaining to the Artwork will be governed by the terms and conditions of the Public Art Exhibition Agreement attached hereto as Exhibit 2.