Iowa City public-art advocates have announced a competition to commission an art piece depicting the city’s character for the lobby of City Hall, 410 E. Washington St.

The project is spearheaded by Marcia Bollinger, the neighborhood outreach coordinator for Iowa City, and is overseen by the Public Art Advisory Committee.

The committee’s duties include overseeing the Public Art Program and maintenance of public art. The goals are to elevate public spaces and showcase Iowa City’s vitality.

The committee would like a lobby piece that encapsulates the values of Iowa City.

“The goal of this project is to design and install an eye-catching, creative art installation with broad public appeal that may reflect some connection with the Iowa City community, including, but not limited to, physical features, the diverse demographic of visitors to City Hall, educational excellence, cultural amenities, etc.,” Bollinger said in a press release.

The project will focus on a large, 16-foot-by-10-foot wall located near the lobby stairwell, according to the release.

“I think that the idea of public art is neat,” said Sirena Lindsay, a University of Iowa alum and local artist. “[Public art] really makes a lovely little difference in mood and personality of the space.”

Parts of City Hall were recently remodeled to update signs and to meet the Americans with Disabilities Act guidelines.

The city included money in the renovation budget to create and install artwork throughout City Hall.

The total budget for the lobby project is $9,000, and each of the four finalists will receive a stipend of $250. The money for the project was received through the Art Program, whose budget is overseen by the Public Art Committee.

The lobby also serves as the entrance to the Iowa City Police Station and is open to the public 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

UI senior Niko Thiel, a local artist, said he supports the program. While he was previously unaware of the project, he said, he believes it’s important for the city to encourage creative growth.

He also believes the best way for the city to reach out to artists is to approach them in their spaces.

“I think putting [the project] in the paper would be a good start,” he said. “I feel they would also need to go to artist hubs, such as Public Space One and the university’s art buildings, and begin a conversation with all of them. Just reaching out to local artists who have done past murals or art projects for the city would be another good idea.”

The committee will review applications and conduct interviews during its meeting on Oct. 4. The members hope to have the project completed by June 2019.

Applicants should include samples of their work, résumés, and professional references. Preference will be given to artists based in Iowa.

Artists have until 5 p.m. Sept. 28 to submit through the Iowa City website or via email, flash drive, or CD.

Editor’s note (9/11/2018): A previous version of this article incorrectly stated the project will focus on a 16-inch-by-10-inch wall located near the lobby stairwell. It has been corrected to 16-foot-by-10-foot wall. The DI regrets this error.