Call for Designs: 2026 Rodeo Sign (Midtown)

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 REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

  • Deadline to apply: THU, February 5, 2026  at 11:59PM
  •  Artist/Designer Honorarium: $1,500
  •  Applicant Notification: Friday, February 13, 2026 via email
  •  Questions: opportunity@fresharts.org 

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PROJECT SUMMARY:

The Midtown Houston Cultural Arts and Entertainment District is seeking local artists and graphic designers to create an original and uniquely inspired design that reflects the Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo's annual celebration. 

Houston's Rodeo is fun and exciting, so the design should honor our western heritage and Texas traditions as it relates to music, food and fun four our city during Rodeo time. 

The selected design will be used to create a large-scale temporary public art display using 3M vinyl face wrap on the iconic Midtown sign located in Bagby Park (415 Bagby Street) .      

One selected artist will receive a $1,500 honorarium for their winning design and participation in a professionally recorded interview about their work and inspiration. 

Applicants should include with an original design and a short 250-word artist bio. Also include a written document that shares your inspiration and significance of the design. If there are people on the sign, please identify them and their part in the history of the community. 

Submissions will be accepted from Monday, January 5 through Thursday, February 5, 2026. All artists will be notified of their application status on or before Friday, February 13, 2026, by email through the Submittable portal. The selected artist will be asked to submit a final print-ready design no later than 3 pm on Monday, February 16. 

 

PROJECT DETAILS:

  • What: Large-scale temporary public art display using 3M vinyl face wrap on the iconic Midtown sign in Bagby Park.
  • When: The sign wrap will be printed and installed by a third party on February 24, 2026. The public art installation will be on view through March 25, 2026.
  • Where: The iconic Midtown Sign, located at Bagby Park, 415 Gray Street, Houston, TX 77006.
  • Who: This project is coordinated by the Midtown Houston Cultural Arts and Entertainment District and funded by the Houston Endowment.
  • Why: We believe in public art and providing opportunities for artists to work and be seen.

 

Call to Creatives: Since 2022 the Midtown Cultural Arts and Entertainment District has invited artists/graphic designers to participate in the creation of a large-scale public art project based on specific themes. We are seeking artwork and designs that are thoughtful, creative  and celebrate the who we are as Houstonians. Jury panels are looking for exceptional quality, uniqueness and standout design elements.

The artwork/design must be original and of the artist/designer’s hand. NO appropriated artwork or designs will knowingly be selected. Artist/designers will be asked to sign a document acknowledging the authenticity of the work. 

 

ARTIST PARTICIPATION:

The selected artist must be available to participate in an artist’s talk on installation day (February 24th). We encourage you to bring your family, friends, and work associates. There will be professional photography and video of the artist’s talk.

March TBD  -  Meet the Artist –We want the selected artist to participate in a professionally recorded interview about their work and the inspiration that fueled their design. This interview will be made available on Midtown Houston social media and gifted to the other participating organizations.

 

ADDITIONAL PROJECT INFO:

  • The Midtown Cultural Arts District will cover the entire cost of supplies and labor to install the project.
  • The selected artist will not incur any fees or responsibilities regarding the costs of this major public art installation.
  • Midtown Houston will cover the cost of professional photography, video, marketing, and promotion of the project and the artist.
  • All photography and video funded by Midtown will be the property of the Midtown Management District.

 

APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS:

  1. Contact Information: Required information includes name, email address, and cell phone (hidden from reviewers).
  2. Letter of Interest: Describe your interest in this project and how your design honors this artist call. 
  3. Proposed Design: Upload your proposed sketch or design (up to four attachments). The design does not need to be "print ready".
  4. Relevant Work Samples: Up to four (4) images of prior works that demonstrate your artistic style and the caliber of your work. Due to the blind voting process, please avoid including any identifying information such as name or handle.

 

REVIEW PROCESS + SELECTION CRITERIA:

Applications will be reviewed by an independent panel, which will include Midtown Houston representatives, and selected through a blind voting process. Selections will be based on the following criteria:

  • Project Alignment: The letter of intent and proposed design clearly communicate the artist’s interest in the project and align with the overall goals of the project.
  • Artistic Excellence: Submitted images demonstrate the caliber of the artist(s) previous work and artistic style.

 

PROJECT TIMELINE:

  • January 5 - February 5: RFP Application Period (Deadline: February 5 at 11:59 PM)
  • February 13: Artist notified via Submittable.
  • February 16: Print-ready design due to printer.
  • February 24 (TIME TBD): Sign Wrap installation (by 3rd party) and artist talk. The selected artist may participate in a professionally recorded on-site interview about their work and the inspiration behind it.
  • March 25: Sign Wrap removed by a 3rd party.

 

TECHNICAL DETAILS:

The sign wrap will be installed by Got Signs by Xtickers Designs, Inc. The Midtown letters face wrap is 3M Vinyl Wrap. It is a full color digital print produced with OEM Mimaki Inks with True Solvent UV non fading inks 3M IJ180-V3 with 3M Matching Lamination ControlTac Technology. This will be professionally installed by certified technicians.

Acceptable design files for the application process include PDF and JPEG; however, the final design must be provided in high-resolution format (PDF, AI, PSD, EPS, TIFF). The selected artist will be given approximately one week from the date of notification to provide the final print-ready design. Additional technical requirements will be provided to the artist upon selection.

 

SIGN DIMENSIONS: The attached template is for artists to use to create designs on the midtown sign. Do not change the size of the template, it is already to scale.

The sign consists of the word “midtown” in metal/ steel lowercase letters that are approximately 8 feet tall and span approximately 81 ft across a raised concrete stage. There are multi-color LED lights below each letter, that are turned on nightly. 

We encourage you to do a site visit and view past installations for an understanding of the size and scale of the project.

 

DESIGN TIP: The best design fits on the letters. Keep that in mind when designing the artwork.

 

DESIGN REQUIREMENTS:

  • Please note the Midtown logo above the letter “i’” will not be covered with any artwork and it should not be included as part of the artwork or wrap process.
  • On the letter “n” at the bottom right leg of the letter the #midtownhouston must appear.
  • The artist must include their signature on their work.
  • The artist should include a border edge around each designed letter that compliments the artwork.
  • Midtown will pay the artist fee ($1,500). Midtown will pay the cost of the sign wrap production, installation, and removal. 
  • We will include a QR Code on the bottom right leg of the letter “n”, the QR Code will link to the artist’s website which will include an artist’s bio, the artistic statement about the meaning of the sign, what the images on the sign represent and a short paragraph of information about the Midtown Cultural Arts District.      

ELIGIBILITY:

  • Age 18 or older
  • Eligible to work in the United States
  • Local Houston-area artists and or graphic designers are eligible to apply.
  • Candidates are eligible regardless of race, color, ethnicity, religion, national origin, gender identification, military status, sexual orientation, marital status, or physical ability.
  • The artistic work or design must be your original work. You may not submit other people’s work or design.
  • One design per artist or designer please. If we receive more than one application all applications will be removed.
  • Neither Board Members or family members of the Midtown Management District, the Midtown Cultural Arts and Entertainment District, the Midtown Redevelopment Authority, TIRZ #2 or the Midtown Parks Conservancy are eligible to apply. Additionally, employees or family members related to Arts District (Fresh Arts) or their Board of Directors; Got Signs -by Xtickers Designs Inc.– employees or family members are also NOT eligible to apply.

 

WHAT MAY NOT BE FUNDED: The funding for this project is made possible by the Midtown Cultural Arts District with funding provided by The Houston Endowment. This project is to take place in the Midtown Houston community at Bagby Park. It may not be virtual in nature. This project may not include obscene or profane material as defined in Section 43.21, Penal Code of Texas. https://statutes.capitol.texas.gov/Docs/PE/htm/PE.43.htm 

 

ABOUT MIDTOWN HOUSTON: 

Midtown Houston is where creativity, culture, and community converge in the heart of the city. Designated as a Cultural Arts and Entertainment District by the Texas Commission on the Arts in 2012, Midtown has blossomed into a vibrant, walkable neighborhood known for its iconic cultural landmarks, six lush parks, and more than 90 arts organizations. From local galleries to sidewalk festivals, the arts aren’t just a feature of Midtown—they’re part of the fabric. Through the midtownHOU Arts Micro Grants Program, we’ve proudly invested over $100,000 into local artists and arts organizations, bringing bold public art and creative placemaking projects to life across the district. Whether you're here to explore, create, or connect, Midtown Houston is a place that celebrates expression, champions diversity, and always makes space for every voice in our evolving story.

 

Additional Information About Midtown Houston:

Questions regarding this application should be directed to Fresh Arts at opportunity@fresharts.org

 

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